Pandora unchained 2 a cu.., p.35
Pandora Unchained 2: A Cultivation Progression Fantasy, page 35
Violence rose within Sorin, this time from deep within his spirit. It violently attacked the threads of Madness to free him.
There was only one person who was capable of doing this: Melinoë! And if there was one thing Sorin couldn’t stand, it was betrayal.
Treachery had cost him everything. It had cost him his cultivation, his position in the clan, his career, and most importantly, his parents. How dare she stab him in the back after all he’d done?
In his rage, he instinctively hammered at the mental prison, keeping his mind and body separate, until finally, something shattered and a patchwork dreamscape was revealed. And within that dreamscape, he saw a white-robed woman—Melinoë.
51
CHALLENGE
Only shadowy patches of distorted energy now separated Sorin’s spiritual self from his physical body, which was rapidly deteriorating under the influence of Violence and an overactive Divine Bone Rot that was quickly chipping away at the bronze runes on his bones.
He now realized how deep of a schemer Melinoë was. She’d clearly been targeting him from the beginning and had lured him into this boss battle to eliminate any contingencies he had against mental attacks like the Ring of Mind Ward.
Normally, her attack would have resulted in Sorin being fully incapacitated for tens of seconds, resulting in his quick demise. It was, ironically, thanks to Violence taking over his body that he was able to survive.
Sorin was fully capable of returning to his body, but since the situation was momentarily stable, he took a step through the shadowy dreamscape and made his way toward Melinoë.
Visions of the past floated before him, including those from long-lost nightmares. This included painful memories from the time he’d lost his cultivation, when the council stripped his position of elders while he was still processing what was happening, and finally, the sight of his parents’ dead bodies, found days after they’d perished.
This is taking too long, thought Sorin as he waded through the sea of memories. At this rate, my body will suffer grave injuries. Though the creature’s brain was mostly destroyed, it instinctively retaliated against Sorin. His body, even aided by his armor’s life-siphoning ability, was barely able to keep up.
Fortunately, his trusty helper finally realized something was amiss. The rat adopted his armored form and began fighting alongside the Violence-infused Sorin, buying his body enough time to heal. He also reached out to Sorin and inadvertently lit up a path through the dreamscape. Most of the lesser illusions in his body were dispelled.
But the force infiltrating his mind was persistent. It finally managed to drag out a few useful memories. Included were scenes of Sorin opening his companions’ meridians, scenes of him arguing with two physicians over Haley’s treatment, and Marcus’s dead body immediately after his death. The body was rapidly melting due to the potent poisons Sorin had administered, leaving no doubt that he was the one responsible.
“What exactly are you hoping to gain from all this?” asked Sorin, stomping his foot. The images shattered, revealing the white-robed God Seed once again.
“Your preparations were excessive compared to my estimates. The information I collected at great expense was far from accurate,” said Melinoë. “But perhaps it’s better that way. Where would the fun be in crushing you so brutally in our first exchange?”
“Should I know you?” asked Sorin, unsure of what to make of the sudden attack. “I don’t recall us having any enmity.”
“Thank you for confirming that your status in the Kepler Clan is far below what was estimated,” said Melinoë. “If you were truly a core member, the Lucian branch would have immediately informed you of our long history.”
“While I failed to slay you this time around, this probing attack on my part has served its purpose. For one, it exposed the potency of your familiar. For another, it revealed your simultaneous strength against Madness and weakness against it. There are many forces at work currently keeping your body alive while your spirit lies trapped within this dreamscape. Is it a Heroic Ability, or are you a hidden God Seed of Asclepius? That fox head medallion makes it difficult to confirm either conjecture.
“If that’s all there is, I’ll be returning to my body,” said Sorin, taking a step through the nothingness. He felt his connection with his body deepen.
“What? No questions?” said Melinoë. “No banter?”
“I’m sure I’ll find out all I need to know once I report what happened to my clan’s elders,” said Sorin. “They might hate me and want me dead, but they won’t be able to refuse such a direct inquiry about a potent enemy, God Seed.”
“You’re hiding something,” said Melinoë. “You are resistant to Madness, something that most God Seeds cannot escape.”
“And you can control Madness,” said Sorin. “I’m sure that isn’t something just any God Seed can do. More interesting is the fact that Charles Hargrave is under your control and discreetly trying to poison me.”
“Yet another miscalculation,” said Melinoë. “I would have expected his divine poisons to have at least some effect on you. Instead, they seem to have fueled your recovery.”
“Is there anything else?” asked Sorin. “Because if you’re done, I’m going to return to my body and kill this creature. You’ve lost your chance to kill me, and now I’m aware of the threat you pose. I still don’t understand why you’d want to kill me, but at least here, your aggression isn’t distorted like in the outside world.”
Melinoë chuckled. “If my goal were simply to kill you, you’d already be dead. Your survival is much more convenient for my long-term goal, which is the only reason I’m letting you leave this dreamscape in one piece.”
Sorin snorted. “You’re bluffing. I can see the anger in your eyes.”
“Would you believe it if I said I’ve been toying with that thing this entire time? My God Seed governs nightmares and Madness, Sorin. Everything in this dungeon is in the palm of my hand.”
Sorin shook his head. “If that were the case, there would be no need for all this deception. Now, are you going to leave and end this discussion in a civilized tone, or do I need to force you out?”
“Are you even capable of forcing me out?” asked Melinoë.
“Are you even capable of staying here any longer?” asked Sorin.
Melinoë sighed. “I guess we’ll never know. I look forward to many wonderful exchanges in the future, Sorin Abberjay Kepler.”
The white-robed God Seed faded, and the dreamscape, which held Sorin prisoner, finally shattered. Sorin felt a jarring sensation, followed by extreme pain as his spirit returned to his wounded body. “Let’s go, Lorimer,” Sorin said to his companion. “You did good.”
Sorin picked up the rat and activated his Wraith Hare Boots to teleport them both away from the creature’s bloody center. Massive gashes had torn open its flesh, and only craters remained of some of its key organs.
Though killing it was possible, Sorin had no desire to engage it further. If Melinoë could end it so easily, he invited her to try.
Moreover, rampaging Violence was invading his bones, and Divine Bone Rot was quickly eroding them. He needed to bring both under control and fast.
“Are you all right?” Gareth asked, appearing beside him. “You’re not looking too good.”
“I’m… fine…” said Sorin, gritting his teeth and pounding the cracked stone floor. Blood gushed from his fist, and he struggled against the corruption and attempted to seal it in place.
“You’re not fine,” Gareth finally said. “You need help. I’ve seen cases like this before. Let me help you, Sorin.”
Worry flashed in Sorin’s eyes. He knew how adamantly the archer pursued cases of corruption. But ultimately, he knew his situation was dire and that despite the strong front he’d put on to frighten Melinoë, he was on the verge of losing control.
“When did you find out?” asked Sorin.
“I guessed it in Jigolath Ridge and have been keeping an eye on you ever since,” said Gareth. “But I didn’t confirm it until we visited the Hero Association, and I received my mission from Lord Hope. Since then, I've been ascertaining the depth of your corruption and have finally come to a decision.
“A decision?” asked Sorin.
“A decision,” repeated Gareth. “I have decided against killing you and will instead help you to manage and monitor your condition."
“Help me if you can,” said Sorin through gritted teeth. “And if you can’t…”
"As your Watchman, one of my duties is to decide when you're too far gone and do what must be done," said Gareth. "Now relax. Nighthawks deal with corruption, and you’re far from reaching your limit. All you need is a little know-how. The Nighthawk formed a series of complex hand seals and summoned what appeared to be a silver prison, which he flicked toward Sorin’s heart.
“Repeat after me: The demon is within. Corruption is a cage. Humanity is lonely. The heart is ever-steady. Violence is sometimes the answer. Madness is only temporary.”
Sorin repeated these words several times, and with each iteration, the Madness invading his bones, his spirit, and his blood gradually entered the silver prison. His own divine mana poured into the prison as well, reinforcing it.
Further, the sealing of his corruption reduced the agitation in his Divine Bone Rot. The rate at which it eroded his bones greatly slowed, at least for the time being. The damage was done, and his life expectancy had been shaved in half, but for the time being, he was safe.
Now that his condition was stable, Sorin was able to focus on the battlefield. Only a few scattered horrors were left; the remaining heroes, including Sorin's party members, were focused on cleaning them up and gathering cores.
As for the three God Seeds, they had moved to the floor boss's core and had summoned a mass of white flame that was gradually drawing the corruption in the catacombs back into the rune-covered core.
The entire floor trembled as what remained of the shield separating them from the next level shattered and was sucked into the core alongside the many unretrieved corpses in the catacombs. Having lost the support of the Core of Corruption, the remaining horrors on the floor burst into motes of white flame. A quiet night descended upon the catacombs, bringing peace and tranquility to the tortured souls remaining in the abandoned city.
The silence was short-lived. Once it was confirmed that the Core of Corruption was complete, the three God Seeds simultaneously struck their palms against it to produce five equally sized pieces. One piece flew to each of the God Seeds. Another flew toward Bast from the White Tower Group. Finally, one piece flew toward Sorin and his team.
“As agreed, each of us will take one-fifth of the boss monster’s core,” said Melinoë, stowing away her fragment. “As for the remaining cores, harvest as you will. As far as I’m concerned, everyone who survived this battle has earned them and is worthy of proceeding to the next stage.”
The casualties they suffered were indeed quite high. Of the Heroes that had ventured into the center, only half had survived, a sharp departure from the typically “safe” Shrine Descent.
“Lawrence and Stephan, there are still a few cores in that direction,” instructed Gareth. “Daphne, how’s Astley doing?”
“She’s suffered minor spiritual damage, but nothing major,” said Daphne. “She should be waking up any minute now. What about Sorin?”
“He’s fine,” Gareth answered for Sorin. "He just exhausted himself fighting the floor boss, that's all. How about you? Are you fit enough to scavenge alongside Lawrence and Stephan?"
Daphne rolled up her sleeves. "I won't say no to more spellbook money in this economy."
"Aren't you rich?" asked Gareth, perplexed.
"Every little bit counts," said Daphne, shooting him a wink.
52
BLESSING
With the death of the three-star floor boss, it didn’t take long for the remainder of the cores to get snatched up. As for the entrance into the second level of the catacombs that appeared after the floor boss’s death, the corruption there was so potent that even the three God Seeds didn’t dare enter.
Administrator Pollen was there to greet the surviving Heroes upon their return. “The Chief Oracle is currently recuperating from breaching the barrier, so it falls to me to preside over this year’s blessing,” said the demigod from his perch atop the shrine. “You all have ten minutes to decide on the allocation of cores among your party members.”
Sorin and company quickly took out their cores and tallied them up. They’d gathered a total of ninety-five Cores of Corruption during the delve, excluding the three-star core fragment.
“We should trade this thing for more Cores of Corruption,” Sorin immediately said. “Our entire team deserves credit for slaying the creature, but this is only useful for one person.”
Stephan shook his head. “A powerful blessing isn’t something we should pass up on. It’s far better for the rest of us to get a lesser blessing in exchange. Whichever party member receives the empowered blessing will be able to carry us through the next trial more easily. For the record, that won’t be me. I know my limits.”
“Nor me,” said Astley. “I’m just a tagalong.”
Gareth was the next to speak. “My potential is limited, so it shouldn’t be me. So is Lawrence’s.”
“Hey!” said Lawrence. “You know you’re basically insulting my entire family by insinuation, don’t you? But yes, he’s right. I’m the strongest Holt that ever was.”
Daphne was the only one on their team that was conflicted by the decision. “I think it’s clear by now that I have a history with the White Tower Group and that Bast and I have a bit of an antagonistic relationship. We’re first cousins, see. He’s from the Purelight branch of the White Tower Group, while I’m from the Eternal Flame branch. Relatively speaking, I’m very untalented; my parents sent me away to study in the middle of nowhere so I wouldn’t have to deal with politics and the like.”
“This core… it could change my destiny. That being said, getting my bones fully unsealed would have a similar effect. I won’t accept less than silver bones, Sorin. Otherwise, I’m taking a loss.” She stepped away from the core fragment. “The fragment is yours.”
“Ree!” added Lorimer.
Sorin wasn’t surprised and had expected this development. “I won’t let you down. The same applies to you, Lorimer.” He reached out to the three-star core fragment, which was too large to pick up without a storage treasure, and branded it with his spiritual sense. The rest of his team did the same for the remaining ninety-five cores, with Astley volunteering to keep five less than the others to keep the numbers round—just in case there were thresholds.
Lorimer, being a familiar, wasn’t entitled to a blessing.
“Since you’ve all decided on the allocation, I now beg for Lord Hope to descend upon this ancient shrine,” intoned Administrator Pollen. “Lord of Humanity, Bringer of Salvation, Light of the Lost, please look kindly upon these lacking Heroes and strengthen them so that they may better accomplish your will!”
The demigod then raised his hand and tore open the sky. A channel appeared above the shrine, through which Sorin could barely glimpse the figure of the chained Evil, Hope. White fire gushed out of the channel and split into portions according to their share of cores. It then proceeded to fuse with the Cores of Corruption to create a platform for each qualifying participant. Those who didn’t make the mark instead received items as consolation prizes.
The platform’s lowest grade was an emerald, which corresponded to those who’d collected the bare minimum. Emerald platforms were ten feet tall and allowed anyone who sat upon them to tower over their unqualified competitors.
The next grade was a sapphire for those obtaining ten Cores of Corruption. This platform was twenty feet tall, double the height of the first.
Those lucky enough to obtain fifteen Cores of Corruption obtained a forty-foot-tall ruby platform. In Sorin’s team, it was only Astley who was stuck with one. As for the others Sorin excluded, they were able to condense a sixty-foot-tall bronze platform covered in silver runes. Each of these runes corresponded to their paths, making it clear that they qualified to receive a tailored blessing.
Standing just twenty feet taller than the bronze platforms were twenty silver platforms. Only those who’d pooled fifty cores on a single individual were able to attain this powerful blessing.
Last came the five golden platforms. These platforms were a hundred feet tall, and of the five, three were occupied by God Seeds, one was taken by a hidden God Seed—Sorin—and the last was occupied by Bast Phillips, the inheritor of the White Tower Group’s Purelight Corona Art.
With a wave of the demigod administrator’s hand, the Heroes were teleported to the peak of their respective platforms, where they were immediately bathed in golden light. Each platform, despite their disparate grades, gave off potent God Light, which immediately began remolding its owner’s blood, bones, and soul.
Tiny imperfections and injuries were cured. Cultivation mistakes and trauma were fixed. Even the trauma Sorin had suffered to his meridians from having his cultivation crippled, something that three-star physicians had agonized over, was healed.
More surprising to Sorin was that the God Light tried to heal over his crippled mana sea. For a second, he held out a sliver of hope, but in the end, the God Light turned tail and fled upon sensing the vast amount of corruption caged in its place. Unable to improve upon his divine-grade cultivation art, the God Light settled for the next best thing: improving Sorin’s genetics.
Sorin felt something inside himself shift. His alignment with the Ten Thousand Poison Canon grew manifold. His Abberjay bloodline rapidly reached a purity that hadn’t been seen in his family in decades.
The transformation of his blood and genetics was quickly followed by a transformation of his bones. Even between bone grades, some runes were better than others; with the God Light’s help, Sorin’s became more compact and potent.
