by Yuri Ajin
Realizing that she was alone, Elize began to learn about the new world bit by bit to decide where to go next. She eventually learned that Jiang Dao had quickly become the Seventh Son of Niagala. She began to collect information about him and crossed the invisible line.
The imperial secret service became interested in the mysterious talented Exorcist who appeared out of nowhere. And when they got their hands on her, she admitted that she was also from another world. Then she finally met with Jiang Dao, managing to get his patronage in exchange for information about Kai.
Slowly sinking to the floor, she sat down for a few minutes, regaining her composure.
“It’s okay... It’s okay...” She breathed, and then, rising sharply, she smiled menacingly. “It’ll all be over soon.”
She approached the table, froze for a couple of seconds, and then took out a small wooden box from her Ring. The inner space of the artifact was isolated from the outside world by a unique array. The Belteise legacy she had found in Alkea. Even if Jiang Dao wanted to spy on her now, he wouldn’t be able to see anything. The Imperial-rank artifact wouldn’t allow it.
“I finally got to my target. There’s only one step left...” Scratching her finger with her fingernail, Elize allowed a drop of her blood to fall onto the lid. “Greenrow, you should’ve checked if your opponents were really dead. But you’ve done me a favor...”
The chest’s lid opened. Elize stretched out her hand, squeezing a large coal-black object, radiating the Force of Death.
It was a heart.
A heart that was still beating.
A heart with five multi-colored eyes in the center.
A heart that no longer belonged to a man.
Eria’s heart.
“Very soon you’ll get a new body...” She smiled. “And with your help, I’ll finally get my revenge. The same way I’m about to squash your heart now, I’ll squash the heart of the man who killed my family. I will kill Jiang Dao!”
Chapter 7
THE CLOUD ABODE
One hundred and eighty-three cultivators returned to the mountain plateau where the Cloud Trial began five days ago. The majority was either severely injured, or completely debilitated. Usually, in the distant worlds, the loss of an arm or leg put an end to further development, but here, in Nikrim, that could be fixed. Those who had been healed would still need to re-harden the restored part of the body, which would affect the speed of their development.
“Congratulations to all of you,” Airus’ voice boomed. So far, no one had actually seen him, but soon the Heavenly Spirit appeared in the air. “Today you managed to prove that you deserve to proudly bear the title of a student of the Cloud Abode! You’ve proven your will, confirmed your talent, and now you’ve finally passed the test of your fighting skills. All three stages of the Cloud Trial are over, and now, I just have to lead you to the place where you wanted to get to. It’s time to go to the Abode!”
At that moment, everyone present felt Airus’ power. Except it didn’t suppress them, on the contrary, it raised them up. With each passing second, the astonished cultivators flew higher and higher until they found themselves inside a huge air sphere, in the center of which stood Airus.
“You can’t get into the Abode on foot.” Airus chuckled, and a giant bubble, inside which the confused cultivators flew, began to rise to the clouds.
Even though he was at the mercy of Airus’ power, Kai realized that he could still move. The whirlwind that kept him in the air was ready to obey his mental commands and he decided to take advantage of it.
“Great Master.” He bowed deeply and stopped, waiting for an answer, touching his fist and open palm in greeting.
“Speak, child.” Airus nodded.
“My friend is badly injured. Can he be healed at the Cloud Abode?”
“Are you doubting the capabilities of the Abode?” Airus glanced sideways at Kai.
“I wouldn’t dare,” Kai answered without straightening his back. “But is it possible? And is it possible to do it now?”
“There are many possibilities where we are flying. Things you can’t even imagine. But everything has a price.” The old man grinned.
“A price? Are you talking about Cloud Coins?”
“A smart one... Yes, but that’s not all there is to it. Not everything can be bought with money. Sometimes, you need status as well. Status that comes with power,” Airus said. “There are many disciples in the Abode who are ready to sell their services. Including the services of a healer.”
“Thank you for your answer, Great Master.” Kai bowed again and then flew back to his team.
He, like An’na, Malvur, and Ailenx, didn’t know what awaited them in the Cloud Abode. He didn’t know if they’d find an experienced healer there and, if they did, would they be allowed to turn to them. Would there be new challenges upon arrival? Or would there be some free time?
Their flight lasted forty minutes until the air sphere finally approached a giant snow-white cloud. Kai, Malvur, Septus, and other users of the Forces of the Path of Space, were able to notice many oddities and see the cloud’s unique features much better than the rest.
Airus began to rise higher, taking the young cultivators with him. Finally, when the air sphere reached the top of the strange cloud, he stopped.
“We’re almost there,” he announced and lowered his hand.
A thin blue ray hit the cloud, disappearing into it. After a few seconds, the new students of the Abode noticed the changes.
A gigantic snow-white cloud stretched beneath them like an ocean. In its center, a large whirlpool had begun to form.
For several seconds, they watched the expanding mouth of the mighty vortex, until their air bubble trembled and began to descend. Everyone looked at Airus, and then sighed in relief.
Judging by his face, everything was going according to plan.
Soon, the air bubble plunged into the cloud.
It might’ve seemed that the students of the Abode had simply passed through the cloud, emerging below it, but, in reality, they arrived at a completely different place.
Having flown dozens of miles, the cultivators were finally able to see it.
Hidden among the clouds that resembled snow-capped peaks, there was a giant hovering fortress, divided into many levels.
It was breathtaking. Even Malvur and the aristocrats of great families couldn’t contain their awe, although they saw many amazing things in their lives. Only Kai remained unperturbed, due to the Cold Void, which had started to feel like an illness.
An illness that needed to be cured.
“Awesome!” An’na exclaimed, smiling. “I couldn’t even imagine that the Abode was so incredible! And so huge! Who could build such a wonder? What do you think, Kai? Was it the Gods?”
Having heard his name, Kai, who had just checked on the still unconscious Shacks, turned to An’na.
“Possibly.” He shrugged.
“What’s the matter now?” An’na frowned. “Do you think I’m being childish again? Look at everyone else! Even those who are seriously injured can barely hide their smiles. You’re the weird one! You have the emotional range of a rock!”
In response, Kai tried to smile, but he was only able to squeeze out a wry grin.
“Idiot!” she muttered, and then flew off to the side, continuing to look at the Abode.
“Those of you who have passed the test, but haven’t yet achieved anything else in the Abode, have the right to be at its first level, which is where I’m taking you now. You’ll have the opportunity to climb higher, where you’ll find rarer resources and better techniques. There, the energy of Heaven is much stronger, as well as your potential opponents. But getting there isn’t easy. It all depends only on your talent and strength.”
“Energy of Heaven?”
“Oh, I haven’t heard those words for a long time,” Rune’Tan chimed in. “This is how prana is sometimes called. But that’s very rare... It seems that this Guardian... Well, the Abode itse
lf... Is older than I imagined. It turns out that they’re almost my age.”
“Wait, but you spent hundreds of thousands of years sleeping in an underground city. How could this Guardian survive for so long? Do Spirits live longer?”
“No, that’s not it. What do you know about Guardian Spirits?”
“Nothing much.”
“I see. Then I’ll start from the beginning... Usually, Spirits are born in random clusters of Forces of one element. They begin their growth and live as long as people of a similar level. But there’s another type of Spirits — the Spirits of artifacts. Simply put, if there’s some powerful artifact filled with a huge amount of energy and Forces, then a Spirit can be born inside it. Actually, the Spirits of Swords or other weapons are usually born this way. And such a Spirit has two options. To leave the artifact and become free, or to stay, and turn into a Guardian. Well, since those who create artifacts need Guardians, then every powerful and important thing often has such a protector. So, as long as the object stays intact, the Spirit will also live. They’re technically immortal. But only technically since even divine things are subject to the passage of time. And, on top of that, Guardians have limited development. They can’t outpower the artifact they’re guarding, since they are its heart.”
“So the Cloud Abode is some kind of an artifact? But why is there no System description of it?”
“Don’t be silly.” Rune’Tan chuckled. “To get a description from the System, you need to look at the entire object. Can you look at the entire Abode with one glance? If you want to know, it’s of Imperial rank. Peak quality. It just has thousands of times more energy and features than a regular artifact.”
“Hmm...” Kai thought. “I understand why a Spirit hasn’t awakened in my weapon, since this takes thousands of years. But why is there no Guardian in the mask that I’ve found in the mountains?”
“Who knows?” Rune’Tan chuckled again. “Maybe the Spirit was killed without the artifact suffering any damage. Or maybe it left. But, most likely, the answer is even simpler — the Guardian in the mask hasn’t been born yet. When creating an artifact, the master doesn’t necessarily want someone to appear in it. And, sometimes, it isn’t necessary at all. Therefore, the creator of the artifact can make it so that there is no chance for a Guardian to be born. After all, some Guardians can betray their creator. Just remember what the mask is called...” Rune’Tan smiled.
“Mask of the Great Liar...” Kai realized.
By the time they finished talking, the flight had ended. One hundred and eighty-three cultivators flew into the Abode together with Airus, descending in the center of the first level. The students didn’t have time to react, when a pink opaque dome suddenly appeared around them, fencing them off from everything. A long stone suddenly appeared in its center.
“This is the Stone of Laws,” Airus said loudly. “Read the text on it carefully. Memorize the laws of the Cloud Abode, and then touch the stone. As soon as you say ‘I swear,’ you’ll confirm to become a disciple here by tying yourself to the Abode with a spirit contract. After that, you’ll officially be considered students of the Abode. You may begin.” Airus clapped his hands, and the symbols carved on the stone shone gold.
“What if someone refuses? Or changes their mind later?” An’na asked.
“I heard that in this case, you’ll immediately return to where you came from. And if you want to change your mind, you’ll need to come here and loudly announce that to the Guardian. But once you do it, there will be no going back. You’ll be expelled, banned from using the knowledge you’ve gained here, and you’ll no longer have the opportunity to return,” Ailenx explained.
“So you knew something about the Abode.” Malvur looked at him.
“Yes, but not much.”
“And what will happen to Shacks? He hasn’t regained consciousness,” Kai asked.
“Don’t worry,” Airus said, suddenly appearing next to him. “This young man has proven his right to be here. Therefore, I grant him exactly one year, like all others who came to the Abode without wanting to, to take an oath.” He touched Shacks’ forehead, after which an ancient symbol appeared on it, and looked at his teammates. “Who’ll be his guide?”
“Allow me, Great Master.” Kai bowed.
“So be it. But know that if he doesn’t come to his senses in a year, he’ll have to leave the Abode.”
“I understand.” Kai nodded, after which Airus touched his forehead. The “guide” symbol appeared on his skin and was immediately hidden.
“Now go.” Airus pointed to the stone.
“Once again, thank you, Great Master.”
Airus nodded and then disappeared.
Turning around, Kai looked at the stone.
Cloud Abode Laws:
1. It is forbidden to harm the Abode! The punishment is death.
2. A student cannot use the energy of Heaven and Forces on another student unless they have been given consent. The punishment is exile.
3. A student cannot kill another student unless they have been given consent. The punishment is death.
4. A student can stay in the Abode for no longer than five decades.
5. Upon becoming an Elementalist, a student must leave the Abode.
6. Only those students who are included in the List of Ten Thousand can climb above the first floor.
7. You can enter the List of Ten Thousand only on the first floor by passing the First Guardian’s Test.
8. Each free student must give ten Cloud Coins a year to the Abode. The penalty for evasion is exile.
9. If a student leaves the Abode for more than five years, they will be expelled from the Abode and deprived of the right to return.
After reading the laws, Kai nodded and put Shacks back in the Night Space. The other students, meanwhile, were finishing their oaths, so Kai’s team was one of the last to do it.
Walking toward the stone, he suddenly felt someone’s gaze filled with bloodlust on him. Turning his head to the left, he noticed an elf with a bandaged face. Only one eye was visible under the bandages, and it was burning with anger.
Kai met Bane’s snake-like gaze with an icy glare.
Soon, the figures of the other students hid Bane from sight, and Kai didn’t try to find him in the crowd. So far, nothing threatened him. Starting a fight out of the blue would be a mistake.
Shaking his head to chase away unnecessary thoughts, Kai took the last step to the stone, and then put his hand on it. Inhaling, he spoke calmly.
“I swear.”
The Stone of Laws accepted his will, and energy and Forces burst into his body. The wonderful patterns formed a chain. At first, it approached Kai’s soul, but then, as if not noticing the Soul Shell, they invaded and surrounded the Spark itself. The spirit contract was formed.
“Interesting... I haven’t seen anything like that for a long time,” Rune’Tan commented.
“And what makes it so special?” Kai asked.
“The fact that you didn’t have to pour energy into it. If you remember, for ordinary spirit contracts, you need to pour a grain of energy into the artifact paper to confirm the agreement,” Rune’Tan explained. “This Stone heard your will, which poured out from the Soul Spark. Such a contract is even stronger than the regular one. I don’t know if there’s a way to break it by force without harming the soul... An ordinary spirit contract can be forcibly terminated, although it requires a lot of effort...”
“I don’t think I’ll need it,” Kai replied, making way to the Stone for other students.
Walking toward his teammates, he examined the mark on the back of his left hand. Initially, there was just a coin there, the number on which reflected the number of Cloud Coins he had (he now had about a hundred). Now the mark looked different. There was a small snow-white cloud in a black circle.
But what caught Kai’s attention the most was the number inside the cloud.
Zero.
This wasn’t an indicator of the number of Coins,
though. He felt them being where they were previously.
What is this? Kai wondered, but he didn’t have the faintest idea.
All the newcomers had sworn in, learned the laws of the Abode, and now it was time to leave.
The Stone of Laws disappeared, and Airus left before anyone else.
Finally, the newcomers were able to see the first floor, which turned out to be a city. Quite a beautiful city.
No one was in a hurry to look at the sights, because they were more worried about the crowd that surrounded them after the appearance of the dome, which they now noticed. There were at least a thousand Exorcists gathered here. Among them, five stood out.
A short teen elf with dark green hair and lilac eyes, dressed in silvery clothing was the first person everyone noticed. He stood closest to the newcomers, giving them a contemptuous look and a grin. Behind him stood a half-elf clad in artifact armor. A little further were a few more servants.
A few steps to the left was a sylph with bright blue eyes and hair, dressed in simple wide pants and a light cape.
There were also two dorgan girls with them — one with tiger features and a slender one with horns — the daughter of the Wise Forest clan. A large entourage of dorgans was crowded around both girls.
The last figure was a stocky, red-bearded dwarf, whose skin was cast in bronze. Several more members of his race stood beside him.
“Blah blah blah...” The elf winced when the newcomers finally noticed them. “In general, this is your new home. The Abode. I’ll get straight to the point. Thirty of you’ll be honored to join the ranks of one of our factions. I think the smarter ones among you know what I’m talking about. Now my servant will read the names. You have the right to choose which of us you’ll join. But I advise you to choose by race. Elves to me, sylphs to that trash.” He nodded at the blue-haired guy, who didn’t even raise an eyebrow, continuing to pick his ear. “Dorgans to those two. The dwarves go there.” He nodded toward the bearded man.
