Monsters and legends, p.42
Monsters and Legends, page 42
part #1 of Infinite Realm Series
“I can’t kick you out, your family is far too important for that, and we can’t afford the people seeing weakness in one of the old families, not now.” He sighed. “Which leaves me only one choice. The honor of our order demands punishment…”
He walked back behind his desk and sat down, then folded his arms over his chest and looked at her. He nodded and spoke. “I’m giving you another mission,” he said.
Reyla blinked, surprised at his words.
“I’m sending you to the front again. A simple mission—as an emissary.”
Reyla felt a stab in her chest. Being sent on a mission as an emissary would tell everyone that she had screwed up. Her order was meant for war, not diplomatic missions.
“There is a small sect that we have approached a while ago. They don’t know who we are, of course, and they aren’t all that important to our plans, but their territory could be useful as a staging ground. They believe that we are a small Mercenary Guild, attempting to grab some of the unclaimed territories. We’ve made a deal with them, and everything is agreed. You will not need to do anything but remain there as a sign of our agreement. They have set aside a small mansion for our use—you will occupy it and remain there until the return begins. We might use their territory, or we might not. Your mission will remain the same.”
Reyla’s heart dropped in her chest. This mission would mean that she wouldn’t be a part of the return, that she would not be on the front lines, or even anywhere near them. It was a punishment far crueler than just kicking her out of the Order. If she was out, she could’ve joined the army or at the very least her family’s guard.
“And bring your sister with you. I don’t want to have to deal with her either,” Knight Commander Bailor Rew said. He pulled out a small bundle of paper and gave it to her. “Here is the list of your duties and orders. You are going north, to the Black Viper Sect. Their headquarters are in the city called Ven’oran. Report to our staff there and assume command.”
Reyla took the papers and then saluted, but inside she couldn’t help but feel helpless. She wanted to blame Nayra for what happened, but she knew that the blame was ultimately that of the person in charge of the mission. She was the one who placed her sister in the situation where she could’ve screwed up, even though she knew what she was like. She had no choice now; she couldn’t do anything other than follow orders. No matter what, she couldn’t bring dishonor to her family.
CHAPTER 67 – PRESENT – Ryun
Aspects
Ryun sat on top of the main residence in the town. Most people were asleep, even though the sky was still the same. There was no sun or the moon here, only the sky, which was split into three sections. It made him annoyed that there was no night; it meant that he couldn’t use Kagehime’s ability to draw in more Essence during the darkness.
They had returned to town a day before, finding that they had managed to survive the waves of monsters that still attacked the town. The monsters had gotten a bit stronger, and it appeared that ever since they had killed the boss monster and retrieved the first anchoring crystal, the time between attacks had decreased, it was now every four hours. Ryun was sure that there was a monster spawning portal somewhere, but he didn’t have the time nor desire to look for it. In any case, the constant stream of monsters was beneficial to the warriors that were defending.
What Ryun was thinking about was the future, the two remaining crystals and their guardians. If the others were protected in the same manner, then that meant that there were two more monsters on the same tier of power as the Leshy had been. That fight had made him reconsider some things. He had planned on waiting before picking a Qi aspect and his second Cultivation path, but now that seemed arrogant. He had already nearly lost his life because of his arrogance, and while he still had trouble recognizing it, he knew that he needed to make an effort to minimize it. He did not want to die just because he thought he was more powerful than he really was.
His new plan had been to find a good aspect in the shop and buy it, but once he tried he was met with a small window informing him that the shop wasn’t available. He had forgotten about that—Anrosh had mentioned that the shop wouldn’t be available while the scenario was active. It was why they had filled their storage with enough supplies to survive without the shop.
That made things more complicated. It also made him consider leveling his Class; he did currently have more than 50,000 Greater Essence, both from what he had taken from the Leshy and the monsters they fought on their way back. But he put that thought aside, as it would take him ten levels to reach level 75 and gain another Class perk, which might be a good bonus, but he was hesitant in increasing his power in that way. He knew how the instant gratification of a Class could warp people’s beliefs. A Class did make one powerful, but he had chosen another path, one of future power over greater gains in the present.
It was still an option, but he wanted to speak with Anrosh first. He remembered her telling him that there were ways of harvesting Qi aspects from the environment and that there were Path Stones that could teach others a path. He wanted to ask her more about that. The problem was that by the time he decided on it, she had gone to sleep. The last time he had woken her up had been…a tiring experience. So he decided to wait.
Instead, he calmed his mind and started drawing in Essence from his surroundings, pulling it into his core. He could’ve pulled so much more if it was night, but he had lived most of his life without his sword’s ability, and he could survive a bit longer.
Cycling had always been a highly meditative act for him. It allowed him to relax, to set aside his problems and concerns. But like always, once his mind was empty he became increasingly aware of the wall inside his head. It had been there for as long as he remembered, and he knew that behind it were his memories, that it was responsible for his loss. He wasn’t an idiot, he knew that there was only one way that he could have forgotten things, only one being that could’ve placed that wall there—the Dealmaker.
Ryun knew that it was him because the being always reminded him that he owed a debt, one that Ryun didn’t remember. He remembered making a deal before, but he had already paid that debt. This was something else. As his mind sharpened, the wall came into focus, and he thought that he heard something, a sound coming in from behind it. But, like always, he couldn’t quite grasp it. He stopped trying, and stopped drawing in Essence. His |Vibration Sense| told him that Anrosh was waking up, and he didn’t want to waste any time.
He jumped from the roof and entered the residence. She had moved in there before they triggered the Town Stone. He had seen the looks she got from the others, but he didn’t really understand their meaning. He had no problems with her living in the building.
He made his way to the second floor and the room that was across from the master bedroom. He knocked and waited. He already knew that she was awake, but it still took her a few minutes to open. He felt her movements through the room as she put on a robe and walked to the door opening it.
“Ryun?” she said sleepily, her eyes still half closed. “Is there a problem?”
“No,” Ryun answered. “I need advice and answers.”
Anrosh sighed and nodded. “Give me a minute,” she said and then closed the doors. Ryun waited, tracking her progress with his skill.
A while later she exited the room, dressed in pants and a shirt with her hair pulled back. She looked at him and spoke. “What is it?”
“I need more information concerning aspects and Path Stones. I had intended on acquiring an aspect, but the fact that the shop is not available is an issue. And I seem to remember you saying that aspects could be harvested from the environment.”
Anrosh didn’t answer immediately. Instead, she started walking down the hall, motioning for Ryun to follow. They walked side by side, and he waited for her to say something.
Finally, she glanced at him. “It would be best if I showed you. We have some harvesting orbs in storage. Before that, I really should explain aspects a bit more in depth. Our last discussion was…more of an overview.”
Ryun tilted his head and waited.
“First,” she started, “you should know that there are three main categories of aspects: Elements, Concepts, and Laws. An aspect can be nearly anything, but the ones slotted in these three categories are the most basic. The vast majority of aspects are hybrids between several different categories, and most are evolved or combinations of the basic aspects. This is also much more important for people who are Cultivators. Classers don’t really have classifications for the aspects, as they don’t rely on them that much. For the Cultivators, their aspects shape their entire path. Two people on the same path, but with different aspects, can achieve very different things with the same techniques.”
They left the residence and started walking through the courtyard, heading toward the storehouse. There was no one around, Ryun felt that most of the people were asleep; only the warriors guarding the walls were awake as Anrosh continued with her explanation.
“The aspects in the Elements category are Fire, Air, Water, Earth, Light, Dark, Blood, Sand, and Metal. The ones in the Concepts category are Death, Life, Dream, Balance, Chaos, and Serenity. And finally the laws are: Gravity, Time, and Space.”
Ryun nodded, but already he was thinking about how gravity worked in a world that was apparently flat. It obviously existed, because he could feel its pull, but the question was still interesting. He focused back on Anrosh as she continued.
“Elements are straightforward. Your Qi adopts attributes of an element. Fire Qi burns, Earth Qi strengthens, and so on. Concepts are a bit more difficult to master. A person with a Life Qi aspect would have their techniques have effects that could heal, and according to rumors some could even bring people back from death. Laws are the most difficult—they require you to truly understand them in order to utilize them properly, but they are extremely powerful. I don’t know much about them, since such knowledge is guarded fiercely among the sects.”
“The Black Viper Sect utilizes Poison Qi. What would that be classified as?” Ryun asked.
“Poison Qi is a combination of Blood, Earth, Death and Chaos. The Qi aspect that the sect utilizes comes from the Black Viper monsters, so it is very potent.”
“What do you mean more potent?” Ryun asked.
Anrosh grimaced. “I’ll show you,” she said as they reached the storehouse. She nodded at the guards in front and they moved out of the way immediately, bowing deeply and murmuring greetings for their Lord under their breath.
Anrosh led him through the stacks of crates until they reached the far wall. There she opened a crate and pulled out a palm-sized clear orb. She did something and made a window visible next to her.
Essence Aspects Available
Shadow Aspect (tier 1)
Air Aspect (tier 1)
Dust Aspect (tier 1)
Ryun looked at it confused, then back at Anrosh. “Didn’t you say that you needed a ritual to harvest an aspect?”
“You do. This just tells you what is around you,” Anrosh said.
“And what does tier 1 mean?” Ryun asked.
“That is what I wanted to show you—it means that the sources of an aspect here are weak. Tier 1 means that the aspect would be extremely weak.”
“That matters?”
“Of course,” Anrosh answered. “The higher the tier, the more powerful the aspect. A Cultivator with a tier-1 Fire aspect would be much less powerful than one with a tier-4 aspect. The techniques that the one with a higher tier used would be more powerful.”
“What about the aspects that you can buy in the shop?”
“They are all tier 3, which is about the middle ground as far as aspect strength is concerned.”
“So, I not only need to make a good choice, I need to also make sure to get a powerful source of the aspect. What is the highest tier?” Ryun said.
“The highest I have heard of is tier 6—although how true that is I don’t know. The highest I have seen is tier 4. I have heard rumors that it is possible to increase the tier of an aspect after you adopt it, but I don’t know how that is done, or if it is even true.”
Ryun nodded. Everyone in the Infinite Realm seemed to be completely paranoid in keeping the secrets of their power.
“How do you do the harvesting ritual?” Ryun asked.
“Well, you need to draw Essence in. But instead of putting it inside your core, you need to put it into this orb.”
Ryun frowned. He had never felt any difference in the Essence he drew in; he wouldn’t even know how to start. “Do you know how to do this?”
“Yes,” Anrosh answered. “There used to be a few others who could, but they…they died with Fier.”
Meaning Ryun killed them. At least there was one person left who could do it.
“So how do I find a source of high-tier aspect in the wild?”
“Well, good sources are places with a high Essence concentration. Deep forests, deep oceans, volcanoes, and so on. High leveled Monsters can be good sources of aspects as well.”
Ryun raised an eyebrow and then put his hand to the side. He reached into his ring and pulled out a body. The dead Leshy dropped to the ground, startling Anrosh.
“Can you see what this has?” Ryun asked.
Anrosh blinked, but then brought her orb close, touching it to the corpse. Immediately another aspect appeared on the list.
Essence Aspects Available
Shadow Aspect (tier 1)
Air Aspect (tier 1)
Dust Aspect (tier 1)
Wood Aspect (tier 4)
Her mouth opened in surprise and she turned to look at Ryun. “This is a treasure. An aspect like this can be sold for a fortune.”
Ryun nodded his head. He didn’t know just how impressive that was, but he trusted her word. Still, its aspect didn’t seem all that appealing to him, and he didn’t have any other corpse of an opponent as powerful as that had been.
“What would happen if you drew in the Essence of several aspects at the same time? Can you combine them?”
Anrosh nodded her head, still looking at the corpse with shock in her eyes. “Yes, you can combine aspects, but you won’t know what you will get. Some aspects don’t mesh well with others; you might end up with an unstable aspect that can cripple you. The more aspects you combine, too, the more complicated the result. It might mean an aspect that is extremely particular, or one that is useless.”
Ryun frowned, thinking about what the best course of action would be for him. He walked over to the crate and pulled out an orb. Immediately, the window appeared in front of him and he blinked at what he saw.
Essence Aspects Available
Shadow Aspect (tier 1)
Air Aspect (tier 1)
Dust Aspect (tier 1)
True Death Aspect (tier 5)
Destruction Aspect (tier 4)
Eternal Hunt Aspect (tier 5)
He tilted his head, thinking. His core didn’t have any of these aspects, yet the moment he touched the orb they appeared. He didn’t know what that meant. Was it his past? Did he somehow kill so many that those aspects were draped around him? And the Eternal Hunt—was that because of Ereclaw, or something else? In any case it was interesting, and something occurred to him. He summoned Kagehime and touched the orb to her.
“What are you doing?” Kagehime’s voice asked.
“I want to see if I can extract your aspect,” Ryun answered, and as he suspected, the new aspect appeared on the list: hers was Shadow Aspect (tier 4). Another high-tiered aspect. This gave Ryun options, but he wasn’t sure if he wanted to just pick one of the ones that were available to him right now. Perhaps the next boss monster might have an even more interesting aspect, something that would go well with what he had right now. If he could combine them…
“Anrosh,” Ryun called and she turned around to look at him. “If you draw in an aspect, will it be depleted?”
“What? Oh, no, of course not. That is why sects look for high-tiered sources, as finding and possessing such places brings them great power. They can sell aspect orbs or invite people to come and take them in themselves—for a fee, of course.”
Ryun nodded. “I want you to do one of those rituals. Fill one of these orbs.”
“You want this wood aspect?” she asked.
“No.” Ryun shook his head. “I want you to combine a few other aspects.” Then he made his window visible.
She blinked at the window, then looked at him. “Two tier-5 aspects?”
Ryun figured that it had something to do with the fact that he was a Ranker. There had been no aspects that he was aware of on Earth. Or perhaps there was something else at work; perhaps Rankers weren’t supposed to get an aspect while on their own worlds. Perhaps what they did before they were transferred would translate into a reward of a sort. The aspects that he had could be something like that. The Framework was a cruel thing. It dropped you in a terrible world, but it did give you the tools to survive and thrive. It always did things with a purpose.
Ryun sat on the ground of the storehouse, Anrosh sitting in front of him, her eyes closed. In one arm she held the empty orb, with the other she was touching Ryun and Kagehime. He was trying to keep his senses focused on what she was doing, but there seemed to be more happening than what he could see. He could tell that she was pulling in Essence, but he couldn’t see any difference to what he usually did. He couldn’t discern between the different types.
