The Beginning After The End 08

by Turtle Me

  “I have never seen aether manifest in such a way before.”

  My head snapped up and Regis whirled around toward the source of the voice, but it wasn’t coming from the entity I had just fought. It echoed out of the crystal floating atop the pedestal.

  “Forgive me for the confusion. As I no longer have a physical form, the test was performed within your mind,” the crystal said, each word accompanied by a pulse of radiant light.

  My brows furrowed. “So that entire fight… it didn’t really happen?”

  “The mind is a powerful tool that even asuras rarely exercise, choosing instead to hone their bodies and cores,” the crystal replied. “But you seem to be different—in more than one sense.”

  “Princess here is a bit of an oddball,” Regis agreed, nodding his head, his tongue lolling from the side of his mouth.

  Even I had to admit that my situation was anything but normal. However, I had many questions and wanted to move forward. “So what happens now? Have I passed your ‘final trial’ or is there something more?”

  “The fact that we are speaking means that you have passed,” the crystal answered. “That sparring session was as much to satiate my curiosity and boredom as complete the trial, and you have done a splendid job on all counts.”

  Whether it was the Indrath Clan or the Vritra Clan, asuras and these higher entities seemed to love satisfying their boredom without any care for those on the receiving end.

  “To think that you would be able to receive a rune, and of the spatium edict no less,” the crystal continued. “Tell me. How are you able to control the flow of aether within your body with such precision? Is it the asura’s physique that aids you?”

  My eyes narrowed. “I have no reason or incentive to answer.”

  Regis looked at me with a flash of panic. “Ar—Grey. What are you doing? Don’t disrespect the talking crystal.”

  “No. Your master is prudent,” the crystal said to Regis before addressing me. “No need to hide who you are here, Arthur Leywin. I have been in your mind. Earlier, you indicated that you wanted answers. What is stored within this aetheric remnant is something that I believe you’ll want. All I ask is that you satiate my curiosity for a few more minutes.”

  “You said that I had passed your trial. Am I not already entitled to whatever it is you’re going to give me, regardless of whether or not I answer you?” I rebutted, wary of any promises this talking crystal might make. Everything in this place had been a trap or a trial, everything had tried to kill me, and I had no way of knowing the true intent of this entity.

  The crystal paused, its glowing surface dimming for a few seconds, then it spoke again. “Very well. I can grant you one additional small boon from my people.”

  “Who are your people? Were you one of the ancient mages?”

  “We have… had a name. We were the djinn, and while we are what the asuras considered ‘lessers’, our aether arts allowed us to reshape the world. Still, I have never seen anything like what you have displayed today. Please. Tell me your story.”

  Exchanging another glance with Regis, I let out a sigh and began telling the talking magic crystal about my journey since arriving within the Relictombs. I told it about the chimera and how I formed my aether core, about how I had forged aether channels by dunking myself in molten lava, about learning the Destruction rune while navigating the platform puzzle, and finally about what lay ahead once I eventually got out of the Relictombs. I did, however, omit any of my relations to the Indrath Clan, for obvious reasons.

  “Fascinating! To think you were not only able to forge an aether core, but also forcefully temper your own internal conduits to control its output. Truly, this is a feat that could only be done with the physique of an asura,” the crystal said, its lights pulsating excitedly.

  “That’s what those runes covering your body are for, right? They’re used so you can control the flow of aether,” I said, confirming a theory I had formed while fighting the crystal’s projection.

  “Correct. Though the djinn mastered spellform in order to draw in and manipulate aether, true mastery and the organic appearance of godrunes—such as that branch of spatium you just received—only come through major insight.”

  “So this godrune signifies that I’ve gained insight into a certain aspect of aether, right? By who, or what?” I asked. “Is there a higher deity above the asuras that is bestowing these?”

  “That information is not stored within this remnant,” the crystal answered. “But aether is all around us, and can work in ways that are impossible to imagine. The path of obtaining authority over aether is different for everyone, and yours—by far—is the most different.”

  “How so?” Regis asked.

  “Our people were limited by our physical bodies. We struggled not with gaining insight, but rather in figuring out ways to allow our fragile bodies to handle the burden of aether.

  “I may be speculating, but I believe your new rune took on the appearance of lightning not because it is lightning, but because that was how you conceptualized the abstract nature of that specific branch of aether,” the crystal went on.

  “So the dragons of the Indrath Clan weren’t able to control aether like your people could, or like I am able to?” I asked. “They have the physique and aptitude to handle aether but not the knowledge and insights to conceptualize aether as their own, right?”

  I felt the hair on my neck stand up as a heavy pressure spilled out from the crystal. “Those beasts! Their greed for our knowledge, and fear that we might overtake their position as the true wielders of aether, led them to not only kill our people, but to take prisoner many of our most powerful mages, whom they tortured in a fruitless attempt to learn the secret of our abilities.”

  My eyes widened at the crystal’s sudden outburst. I didn’t know how much of what it said to believe, but if this was all true, then the Indrath Clan wasn’t so different from Agrona and the Vritra Clan.

  I wanted to argue—to say that not all dragons were like that. Sylvia and Lady Myre were some of the kindest people I had met, and they had taught me so much, but the thought of Sylvia brought on new suspicions. Based on her last message, it seemed as if even she had come to despise her clan. Were her own golden runes a byproduct of the Indrath Clans’ findings from these ancient mages?

  Biting back my arguments, I nodded solemnly.

  The crystal seemed to be studying me. It was silent for several long moments before it spoke again. “My apologies for my outburst. It wasn’t only my knowledge that was stored in this remnant but my emotions as well. As you have surmised, the Indrath Clan—along with many other asuras, fooled into believing that we were a threat bent on destroying the world—succeeded in their genocide, but not in their pursuit of our knowledge.”

  “Because of these Relictombs that you built to keep asuras away?” I asked.

  “Relictombs?”

  “That’s what the people who delve down here call this place,” I clarified.

  “How fitting. Yes. This place is the work of hundreds of mages adept in wielding aether of different edicts. Time, space, and life all work differently here, and this place, the… Relictombs, as you name it, has continued to grow and evolve since its inception,” the crystal said with a hint of pride. “While our civilization was being ransacked and burned, we created an ecosystem separate from that of the rest of this world, one that cannot be touched by asuras.”

  “I don’t understand how any of that was possible though. With hundreds of aether mages, how did you lose?” I asked, more confused than before. “And also, how was it possible for your people to create a place where only lesser beings were allowed when the Indrath Clan—limited as it was—still had the ability to influence aether?”

  “That is not for me to tell,” the crystal said. “I will say only that we were able to do so thanks to the efforts of many spatium mages.”

  Frustration flared in the pit of my stomach. Regis,
sensing it, hit my leg lightly with his tail.

  “Fine,” I said, recognizing a losing battle when I saw one. “What about the lesser beings scouring this place, looting everything they can in hopes of getting stronger and finding pieces of knowledge that you have stored here? So they can bring it back to the asuras they serve?”

  “As you’ve witnessed firsthand, we have devised safeguards for those contingencies to—”

  “Well those safeguards are slowly failing,” I cut in. “It may hold for some time, but, like I said, an asura of the Vritra Clan is already close to gaining insights into what your people knew about aether by using lesser beings to explore these ruins for him.”

  “You must gain insights into aether faster then. Compared to the asura, who is not even capable of traversing this plane, your unique physique and understanding gives you an advantage,” the crystal answered.

  “It’s not enough. Agrona has had hundreds—if not thousands—of years as a head start!”

  The crystal dimmed. “But despite all of that, this Agrona sees you as a threat, yes?”

  I frowned. “Well, yes. But—”

  “Then there is hope. It means that there is a realistic possibility of you succeeding.”

  My frustration boiled up again. Talking to this rock wasn’t getting me anywhere. What had its answers provided except for more questions?

  “My job is neither to guide you nor to reassure you. It is also not within my power to control the outcome of Fate, merely to tip it in our favor,” the rock said, as if sensing my frustration. “And it is why you will be receiving these…”

  Suddenly, the halos of stone revolving around the crystal halted and a flash of purple light enveloped me before I had the chance to react.

  A slight tingle radiated up my right forearm and down my spine, but even that lasted only for a second. The light dimmed and the first thing I noticed was a black rune drawn on the inside of my forearm. “What is this?”

  “That…” the crystal said, “is an extradimensional storage engraved directly onto your arm. You mentioned your regenerative abilities to me, so this rune will stay with you even if your arm is cut off, as long as it is eventually regrown.”

  “So no one can steal anything stored inside there?” Regis asked, pulling my arm down with his paw so he could get a better look.

  “Exactly,” the crystal replied. “This does limit the space within the rune, but it will fit a crate’s worth of anything inorganic or dead.”

  My eyes studied the complex geometric shapes that made up the rune running down my arm. “This—”

  “You also told me that this asura you’re fighting against has created a civilization of mages with basic spellforms running down their backs to aid them in magic. In order for you to better assimilate, I have engraved some useless runes down your back that roughly describes your aetheric spells as a rare subtype of pure mana,” the crystal explained. “I’m not sure how well these Alacryans are able to read spellform, but it should allow you to use your basic aetheric abilities without attracting attention.”

  “Wow. You’re totally an Alacryan now,” Regis teased, using his paw to lift up the back of my shirt.

  Shooting my companion a glare, I swatted his paw away.

  “Take caution. If you use an edict of aether, the godrune will shine above these faux runes,” the crystal warned.

  I nodded in understanding, suddenly guilty at my expression of frustration toward the entity. “Thank you, truly. Both these gifts will help tremendously.”

  “Don’t thank me just yet. The real artifact is within the extradimensional storage rune on your arm. It holds the insights needed to unlock another godrune.”

  My eyes widened as I hastily withdrew the single item from the storage: a small cuboid stone that rested in the palm of my hand. Aside from its shape and deceivingly heavy weight, it was unremarkable.

  Still, I was excited at the prospect of unlocking another godrune without blindly trying to gain insight.

  “Will this teach me how to create an aetheric weapon like you were able to do? Or maybe negate impact?”

  The crystal brightened. “No. This will be something far more worthwhile if you are able to decipher it.”

  “Decipher?” Regis asked. “So that rock isn’t just going to give Arthur a godrune?”

  “If that were possible, I’m sure that the Indrath or Vritra Clans would have long since taken control over the edict of Fate,” the crystal replied. “No. This is but a mind’s compass into gaining insights, and it’s one that even I was not able to fully unravel while still alive.”

  “Is it not possible for me to trade this artifact with another that would give me the ability I mentioned before?” I asked. “Learning to manifest a weapon or being able to negate physical attacks would be tremendously helpful in the fight to come.”

  “These two edicts are minor branches that I believe you can gain insights to on your own,” the crystal stated. “On the other hand, that artifact holds an edict capable of aiding you in your exploration of the Relictombs, and also to help you turn the tides in your upcoming battle.”

  I placed the artifact back into the pocket dimension, along with the bag that had Sylvie’s stone in it. “Fine, but you just said that even you weren’t able to decipher this artifact. If you could at least help me gain insight into manifesting an aether—”

  Suddenly, we were back in the laboratory, the two of us standing in front of the glass-like portal.

  “Did you really have to haggle with an ancient, sentient aether crystal?” Regis said, shaking his head.

  “I was able to get a few additional perks because of that, wasn’t I?”

  For all the trials of the Relictombs, for the knowledge and tools I had gained, the thought of crossing the threshold of the portal, of stepping out into Alacrya, was daunting. Even after everything I had gone through since arriving in the Relictombs, I didn’t feel anywhere closer to being able to face Agrona. In fact, I still felt weaker now than I had before my mana core was ruined. Still, Agrona wouldn’t stop until he succeeded in gaining insight into Fate, and I owed it to my family, Tess, Virion—everyone else I cared about—to keep trying.

  At least I had received some tangible tasks I needed to accomplish.

  “Damn,” I said as a thought came to my mind.

  “Language!” Regis said, his wolf’s maw split into a grin.

  “The crystal thing never told me what it meant by ‘descendant.”

  “Well, maybe if you wouldn’t have haggled so much, there would have been time for that.” Regarding me seriously, Regis asked, “How were you able to gain insight into another edict of aether, by the way? Seeing that lightning coming out of you was a bit of a shock.” My companion let out a bark of laughter. “Get it? A bit of a—”

  “Burst Step,” I answered with a smirk. “Turns out that the technique I developed a few years back was the first step into gaining insight into this specific edict.”

  Regis tilted his head. “Pun intended?”

  I frowned. “What pun?”

  “Step… never mind.” Regis let out a sigh. “So, what changed from the original Burst Step?”

  While difficult to explain using words, I described the sensation that I had felt when using Burst Step against the titanic beast guarding the portal out of the convergence zone. Instead of stimulating just the parts of my body needed to take that “step,” I channeled aether throughout my body. Different from when I used aether to strengthen myself, the knowledge that I had gained insight into guided me. It was almost like tuning the frequency of aether into a specific channel for a split second, allowing me to cut through space to a predetermined location.

  Regis looked more confused than before I explained it. Without the insights that I had gained at that moment, I probably would’ve had the same look. After gaining insights into both the edict of Destruction and this specific branch of space, I could see why Indrath’s a
ttempts at gaining insights into aether through torturing the ancient mages—the djinn—were fruitless.

  It’s not that they didn’t explain, it’s that they couldn’t. Even this latest edict was different from when I had fully used Sylvia’s dragon will. Back when I was able to use this pseudo-Burst Step, I was “folding” space and taking a physical step through that fold in order to cross an impossible distance.

  This, while having a similar outcome, was different. I wasn’t manipulating the space around me, but manipulating my body into this aetheric vibration capable of slipping through space at a near-instant speed.

  “So it’s like Burst Step 2.0,” Regis said.

  “It’s not true teleportation, but I’d say it’s on a much higher level than Burst Step.”

  Regis’s tail began to wag. “So like… Divine Step?”

  I let out a sigh. “Must you give a name to everything? Don’t you think it sort of belittles the technique?”

  “Only if the name sucks,” he responded. “Hmm… Asura Step?”

  I raised a brow. “Our enemies, the ones we have to beat, are asuras.”

  “You’re right,” he said, then his eyes lit up. “Ooh! God Step.”

  I thought for a moment before a smile crept up on my face. “God Step… I like it.”

  “Great!” Regis suddenly jumped, disappearing into my back. ‘Are you ready for Alacrya, princess?’

  Taking a deep breath, I faced the portal, staring into the scene on the other side. I needed to take it one step at a time. Starting with this one.

  “Of course.”

  281

  Maerin

  I stepped through the portal, not really knowing what to expect on the other side.

  What I didn’t expect—with my experience with the Alacryans both in Dicathen as well as in the Relictombs—was for the two guards standing on either side of me to literally jump in surprise and let out screams of terror.

  Regis chortled in amusement, but I honestly wasn’t sure what to make of the situation.