by Aaron Oster
“Just let her have her fun. She’s not going to stay like this-” Geon abruptly cut off mid-sentence, going utterly silent.
“Not going to what?” Roy asked, his curiosity piqued.
“Nothing,” Geon said. “Don’t mind me at all.”
“Geon.”
“Yes?”
“What were you about to say?”
“How little I enjoy your chattering when I’m trying to rest.”
Roy ground his teeth together, but tried again, taking a different approach this time.
“Why don’t you tell me what you were about to say about Ferry?” he asked coaxingly.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Geon said.
“Geon.”
“Yes?”
“You’re an asshole.”
“No, I’m not. I am a Dungeon Core. Not a hole for excretion. I don’t know how you can mix the two of those up. Are you feeling alright?”
Roy sighed, feeling his shoulders slump as he finally gave up. He was just going to have to wait and see what happened with Ferry, as it was clear that Geon was not going to help him.
“Ready to go?” Hermit asked as he and Aika came to the center of their now-cleared camp.
“Ready as I’ll ever be,” Roy muttered, adjusting the strap of his pack.
“Yup!” Aika answered, sounding far more chipper than he.
“Well, we best be going, then,” Hermit said, immediately taking off through the trees at a light jog.
This, of course, meant that Roy was following at his full speed, while using his Movement technique. He knew he’d be running out of Essence at some point, but right now, he didn’t want to think about it. This run was already taxing him, and they’d just begun. If he thought about the long hours that they had ahead of them, he might just quit right now!
***
Tonde Irusaru sat in a prison of his own mind. The Prison Capsule functioned much in the same capacity as many intangible prisons, trapping his mind in an illusion and thus incapacitating his body. While his wayward pupil might believe to have trapped his soul within this prison, Irusaru had been alive long enough to know the difference. A construct capable of trapping a soul would not fall into the hands of someone like Doragon. He was too weak and did not have the connections needed.
Even he, with all his power, could not lay his hands on something of that rarity. He doubted that even Kaeru, the leader of their clan, could manage it. If a Supreme couldn’t do it, he very much doubted Doragon could.
Aside from that assurance, Irusaru could see the cracks in this prison, spaces where his mind was beginning to slip. Doragon was probably neglecting to feed him, thinking that the Prison Capsule would keep him alive. If this truly had trapped his soul, then that would very much be the case, but seeing as he hadn’t, Irusaru was slowly starving to death.
He’d already been trapped in here for months, and though he’d initially railed and yelled, he no longer had the strength. Now, he simply sat in the center of his small cell, eyes closed and legs folded beneath him. His body was dying, of that he was certain, but this may very well afford him the opportunity to escape.
Prisons of the mind only lasted for as long as there was a live brain to sustain it. As soon as that brain began to fail, so would the prison. It would be a horrific and painful experience, but if he could just last long enough once he was back in his own body, Irusaru was confident he could escape back to the Tonde clan. Then, once he was recovered, he could head out after Doragon in force to bring the sniveling coward to justice once and for all.
His mind then drifted to his wayward granddaughter, and he wondered if she was still with that Herald Leroy. Roy had betrayed his trust, and Aika had gone along with him, likely seduced by promises that he wasn’t planning on keeping. He’d yet to send the full might of his clan after them, but as soon as he made it back, that lying snake would feel the wrath of his clan.
Irusaru began to laugh then, as images of his dead foes began to play out before him. Enemies of the clan had to die, and he would make sure of it personally. Doragon and Herald Leroy would both pay, and he would take the greatest of pleasures in ending their lives!
Had Irusaru been in his right mind, he might have realized that the long incarceration in the Prison Capsule had been slowly driving him insane. But that was the thing about being insane. By the time it happened, one would already be too far gone.
7
“Are we there yet?” Roy panted out between breaths.
“No,” Hermit replied, not sounding even the least bit winded. “And if you ask again, I’ll double our pace.”
Roy bit back an angry retort at that and simply continued plodding on. It was nearly dark out, and they’d been running for most of the day. Hermit had given them the courtesy of slowing down every hour or so, but it still wasn’t enough of a break in his opinion. He was completely drenched in sweat from head to toe, his muscles were on fire, and his legs felt like they were about to fall off. Either that, or they’d transform into jelly and no longer support the weight of his body.
Aika was a bit better off, though she was also covered in sweat. Her clothes didn’t cling to her quite the way Roy’s did, but they weren’t exactly fluttering in the breeze. Ferry was the best off out of the three of them, her bestial nature keeping her going for far longer than either of them, but even she was starting to look a bit worn out after the long day of running.
Now, instead of bounding along with the group, switching between Roy and Aika, she merely ran alongside him, her head drooping and tongue flicking out every few seconds to lick her chops. Hermit was completely unfazed and looked exactly the same as he had that morning. If anything, he seemed to be even more awake now than he had been when they set off.
They’d left the forest behind about an hour and a half ago and were now just running on open land. There was a clear road underfoot now, and every few minutes, they’d pass another orchard of trees that looked weird to him. The only reason Roy even noticed the oddity of the trees was because they didn’t glow, unlike every other plant he’d come across since leaving the Crater. They seemed to be some type of fruit tree, so he just had to assume they were here for the city where they were currently headed.
“We’ll stop here for the night.”
Roy was so tired that it took his brain several moments to register what Hermit had said. As soon as the words penetrated, Roy was able to put the brakes on his running. He leaned forward, placing his hands on his knees and panting hard. His cycling rhythm had abandoned him hours ago, and despite his best efforts to replenish what he could, he’d been unable to do much. His Core was completely empty, which would mean hours of cycling and refining.
Well, he would have had to do that, but he could cheat. He still had plenty of Power Cores left and would use them to replenish the lost Essence. The Essence inside the Cores had the added benefit of already being as pure as he could make it at his Advancement level, so it would save him the hours of work he’d otherwise need to do.
“Why are we stopping here?” Aika asked.
Unlike Roy, she was standing straight-backed, though by the slight tremble in her knees, he could tell she was just about ready to drop as well. She might be a full Belt above him and have a Core-Body, but there were still limits as to what a person could endure, especially when running at the speeds they’d been going all day.
“I can see the walls of Light City,” Hermit said, moving off the road and towards a copse of the fruit trees. “We don’t want to approach at night. They won’t let us in if we do. Plus, you both look disgusting.”
“I wonder whose fault that is,” Aika muttered.
Roy was too tired to complain, merely shuffling after the man and into the trees.
“There are several large streams in the area that are used to water the Shukka trees,” he said as they headed in deeper. “You can wash up in those, but make sure the water is not at all stagnant before you do. We don’t need you corrupt
ing the source.”
“Your kindness knows no bounds,” Aika said sarcastically.
“Why did we have to run like that all day if we’re just going to stay the night outside the city?” Roy asked, his breathing recovered enough to talk by now. “Couldn’t we have just taken it easier and arrived tomorrow afternoon?”
“Morning is the best time,” Hermit replied. “There are generally no patrols out this late, and I’d rather get to the city gates without having to be escorted there. Getting into the city along with the morning crowds will be far easier.”
“But won’t you be recognized? You did say you were part of the head family,” Aika asked.
“I haven’t been here in a while. The only people who would recognize me are far too important to be watching the gates,” Hermit said, stopping, looking around, and then nodding to himself.
“We’ll set up here for the night. Just follow the sound of running water to wash up. Roy, you go first. Aika, stay here and help me set up camp.”
Roy was glad that Aika didn’t argue. It was clear by the way he was slumped that he was the worst off. He was also the weakest of their little group – Ferry included – and so, was the most likely to drop.
He dropped his pack to the ground, only taking the time to snag a new pair of robes and headed off in the direction of running water. He was surprised when Ferry came along with him, sliding her shoulder up to his and pushing her head beneath his arm to support him.
“Thanks, girl,” he said, patting her lightly.
Ferry let out a tired squeak in response but didn’t otherwise say anything else. She knew he was tired, and Roy appreciated the sentiment. With Ferry’s help, he soon reached the bank of the running river and was amazed by its sheer scale. When Hermit had told him there were streams back here, he hadn’t exactly expected something like this. He’d thought it would be a small stream, perhaps a couple of feet across, or maybe even a few streams that connected near the trees.
Instead, he was greeted by a literal maze of interconnecting streams. A single one ran before him, flowing fast and deep, and on the other bank was another copse of trees. From the stream, hundreds of smaller streams flowed off, disappearing into the darkness. Roy wanted to look around a bit more, and had he not been so exhausted, he might have. Despite his curiosity, he began to strip out of his robes, dropping the sodden garments to the ground.
Much to his surprise, Ferry actually turned her back on him until he got into the stream, but Roy was too tired to think much of the odd behavior. Instead, he focused on simply enjoying the feeling of the lukewarm water washing over his sore muscles. He’d never had to deal with such an intense day of exercise before, and had this been three months ago, Roy was sure he’d have dropped about an hour into their run.
Exhausted as he was, Roy knew that tomorrow would be far worse. If he took the time to cycle a bit of Essence through himself before he went to sleep, it would mitigate the damage somewhat. There was a loud splash as Ferry jumped in after him, her sodden head emerging from the water just a foot from his face and spraying water all over him.
“Some day, huh?” Roy said as she paddled around him, shaking her head and thrashing about to get clean.
“Tired,” Ferry’s voice came to him, sounding quite tired indeed.
“I would imagine,” Roy replied with a chuckle.
“Fun,” she said, her tone indicating that she’d enjoyed it, nonetheless.
“Maybe for you,” Roy said, scrubbing at his hair and body to get rid of any dirt.
He knew that Aika was hurting as well, and that she would need to wash up after him. Taking his time wouldn’t be fair to her, and besides, he knew that if he stayed here for too much longer, he might just drift off here, and it wouldn’t be very beneficial to his health.
“She says you should do it more often,” Geon said, piping up for the first time all day.
He’d been oddly silent during their run, and Roy got the distinct impression that he’d been sleeping. Geon’s behavior still greatly confused him, but as time went on, there were some things he was beginning to pick up on.
“Do what?” Roy asked, already knowing that Ferry was using him to communicate what she couldn’t.
“Run together. She says it’s been far too long since the two of you have really spent any real time together, and she misses that.”
“You do?” Roy asked, looking into the ferret’s small, glittering eyes.
Ferry nodded slowly, leaning in, and bumping her nose against his cheek.
“Miss. Roy.”
“I’ve just been so busy with training lately, I guess I haven’t really had time,” he replied, pressing his hand to her snout.
“More. Time. Soon…”
Roy’s brow furrowed at that, but before he could ask Ferry what she meant, the large beast pulled herself from the water and began shaking herself dry. Roy took this as a sign that he should probably get out as well.
“You should really fill me up with more Essence,” Geon complained, sounding a bit cranky. “I don’t like feeling so empty.”
“Since when does a lack of Essence bother you?” Roy asked.
Realizing that he forgot to bring a towel, he shook himself dry as best he could. He then started to put on his new robes.
“I’m not sure. But seeing as you haven’t been this empty in months, I have to assume it started at some point between the last time and now.”
“I’ll ask Hermit for one of the Cores when we get back then,” Roy replied, sticking his arms through the holes in his sleeveless robe.
The shimmering Orange-Belt with a single green stripe flowed from Roy’s Core then as he called upon it. No matter how many times he did this, the sheer wonder of seeing the Belt never faded. For all his life, he’d been a freak. He was a weakling, without a shred of Essence in him. So now, whenever he called upon his Belt and drew it forth from his Core, it was a testament. It represented not only how far he’d come since meeting Geon, but also the fact that he was no longer helpless.
He still wasn’t nearly as strong as Aika, nor was he likely to be anywhere close to the level of power of anyone in this city where they were headed, but he was getting there. It wouldn’t be too much longer before he moved up to the next Dan, of that he was certain. He was starting to get the very distinct sense of being full, for lack of a batter term.
It was like his Core had nearly expanded to the maximum it could at his stage of advancement and that once he reached that point, his advancement to the next Dan would happen automatically. It was very different from the feeling of pushing for an advancement, like this would happen naturally and far less abruptly. And though he couldn’t be one-hundred percent sure about it, Roy was pretty certain that once he advanced, there wouldn’t be much room to expand his Core before the next one came along.
Perhaps that was why Hermit had insisted he keep working on widening and deepening his Core now, because it would be much harder later on. Geon had told him that Aika, despite being far stronger than him, actually had a lot less to work with, which was quite surprising, given their differences in both advancement and ability. If anything, he would have assumed Aika’s Essence would far outstrip his.
Apparently, that wasn’t the case. However, Aika was far more efficient in her use of Essence due to her years of training and ability to use Qi. Whenever a technique was used, there was always some Essence that would escape, and for Roy, whose control still wasn’t the best, he found that he lost a lot more than she did. Aika, whose control was nearly perfect, barely lost any at all. She also generated the same amount of power using far less, as her techniques were polished and refined. Roy, on the other hand, had to pour nearly twice as much in just to make them work.
After all these months of constantly deepening his Core, Roy had Essence to spare. Well, he actually had nothing at the moment, but that was about to be remedied.
He shuffled back into camp and saw that his bedroll had already been set up. Aika and Herm
it were sitting around a small Beast Core and eating from clay bowls. Roy assumed that the Core was being used as a light source instead of a fire due to their proximity to Light City. And though he couldn’t see it, Hermit could, and he trusted the man’s freakishly good eyesight far more than his own.
Hermit could probably sense the gathered power in the city as well. Roy’s ability to sense other’s Essence was limited to perhaps a few feet, and that was only if he were really trying. Geon was helping him with that, but it was a slow process.
“Good, you’re back,” Aika said, giving him a weary smile.
It came off as quite sinister, as her face was lit from the bottom by the glowing red Core.
“Here,” Hermit said, holding out a bowl as Aika rose to go bathe.
“Can I have one of the Power Cores?” Roy asked as he took the cold bowl and sat down to eat.
Hermit dug into his robes and removed the gem-like Core glowing with golden light. Roy took it with a grunt of thanks and placed it in his lap before beginning to shovel down the contents of his bowl. It seemed that Hermit had made his specialty — cold, plain rice. Roy didn’t care, wolfing down every last bite in just a couple of minutes. He took a long draw from the water bottle that Hermit handed to him, then stood and headed to his sleeping mat.
He quickly got into his cycling position and reached for the Core clutched between his fingers. This Core had come from a Beast in the mid-Purple stage and was brimming with Essence. There was also something else in there, a small knot of condensed power that he could sense at the very edges of his mind. He knew this to be Qi, but until he understood it better, he’d be unable to access it.
Besides, as far as he understood, one had to already be a Green-Belt to create their own Qi, and he was still some ways off from achieving that particular goal. Warmth flooded his body as he pulled the Essence into his own Core. Had he been less exhausted, Roy might have taken the time to fully replenish his Core. As it was, he barely managed to pull in any at all before his mind began to shut down.
