Chapter 447 (1/2)
Chapter 447
Chapter 445: A Certain State in Time
The ht pressing down into the surface of the soft blanket It was heavy, dull, and frustratingly blank, lacking any indication that this was soht Had I not received it fro worked through the long and frustrating process of unlocking the first two keystones, I iven it up as some aether-rich broken relic and si at the foot of the bed with her knees tucked up against her chest, gaze distant as it passed through the cube to focus on sohtly, a frown pulling down the corners of her lips She had been troubled ever since the broadcast, although she had kept her feelings close to her chest
Our journey back to the second level of the Relictombs had been relatively uneventful Sylvie hadn’t experienced a repeat of her first foray into the Relictoiant-tree zone and directly to the exit portal A contingent of Denoir soldiers had been waiting for us, along with hbloods, as no one knehere she fit into their strict caste syste her to do whatever she wanted—which apparently included pestering and bossing around entire squads of highblood battle groups
Our reunion had been short-lived, however, as I’d rushed to deliver my news to Seris That conversation, too, had been brief, as she had asked for time to consider what this meant for our plans Grateful for that, I’d retreated to a room in the Dread Craven to rest
After an hour of quietambient aether, I had found my mind too cluttered to be restful, and so, as I often had since being rewarded with the very first keystone, I found myself intent upon a djinn relic as a way to focusdown at it, I had to wonder what I had hoped to accomplish
Unlike the first two keystones, I couldn’t even fully enter this one When my aether imbued it, I feltinto the aetheric space—represented previously by a sort of wall of purple energy—I was pushed back
The frustrating itch frothe scar made the itch worse, and I couldn’t help but focus on it, ernails
Aether no longer lingered around the wound Aside from the scar, my core seemed to have healed completely, and I hadn’t sensed any effect on my ability to channel or store aether But that didn’ta small amount of aether from my core, I scratched at its surface to relieve the itch, but this did nothing The sensation didn’t feel like it was in my core, after all, but in the back of my mind The worst part was, I couldn’t tell if it was an actual physical sensation or just a thought that wouldn’t letit out and reabsorbing it, a building desperation to scratch the itch swelling in my chest, laced with frustration that the wound had left behind this scar, like arievous, I’d never been left with lingering pain or discomfort, not sinceon it is just ested
I had twin flashbacks to memories from both of my childhoods when my mother and Headworse in the long run
Sighing, I pulled my mind away from the sensation I needed to be intentional, purposeful in how I thought—or didn’t think—about it And so I forcedan atte to manipulate the aether of the keystone in a variety of ways Directly i aether into it drewthe interior keystone real at the inherent aether and mana within the relic made the internal structure quake in an unco it, but did nothing to open it to me or reveal its contents
“Not sure why I’ it, it’s like it’s already…broken…” I trailed off, realization wiping awayit with a sudden wary excitehter, watching ain as I activated it, pushi+ng mana into Aroa’s Requiem Aethericover theain I was pulled inward Darkness extended before ht
Then I was shunted uncomfortably back into my own body
“Did you feel that?” I asked, too excited to be disappointed “So was definitely different that tihtly closer “But why?”
“The Godrune letsback the clock on so that is broken” I considered the exit portal from the snowy zone where I’d met Three Steps and the other Shados Then I remembered the visions of a potential future I’d seen when atteht into that first keystone “Whether because ofor some natural limit due to my affinity with spatium aether arts, I couldn’t master it, not the way I did Realer to keep trying now that I’d ht I had
Activating Aroa’s Requieravitate toward the keystone on their own, not controlling the to be drawn into the keystone only to be forced out again, which would prevent ress
Aetheric particles buzzed over the keystone, so into it, but only just below the surface I felt the with suppressed purpose as my intention overrode the particles’ natural inclination
I felt certain that Aroa’s Requiem was the key, but some keys turned differently than others
My intent, I realized Just as I had to purposefully consider the scar in a certain way to keep it froh my conscious mind, I had to channel the Godrune with a specific intent as well Because it didn’t simply allow me to fix a static object, but manipulate the way time had worked on that object
That was the key The relic wasn’t broken or in need of fixing, but perhaps it had to be aligned with a certain state it had been in ti at the djinnthe Godrune in h the keystone I envisioned it not as repairing so back the hands of a clock, setting a series of cogs into s turned, I put pressure on the relic, trying to ease into the keystone realain And slowly, very slowly, the dark gave way to pluht pink, and finally I found y
It had worked, but I was not drawn through the aetheric barrier, nor could I push myself into it
But I knehat needed to be done There were four keystones Each was needed to progressof the aspect of Fate Since Aroa’s Requieled within the keystone, channeling aether into Realmheart took time My connection to the Godrune felt distant and tentative, but I was certain aboutto do
Dozens of white lines of pure aps in the barrier, invisible without sight of theforward, I drifted into one of the gaps It carved through the aether like athe trail of h And it appeared within what I could only describe as an aetheric lightning storm
Violet clouds of aether burst with bolts of hot whiteflashes co frequency Within in to ache and burn,drawn out of the keystone realrittedmy way forward
A bolt of mana struck me, and my mind lurched to a memory
“It’s okay I’m okay, Art”
Tessia’s voice Gentle Her hands, a soft caress…
I sank to the cold, hard floor Sobs ripped fro in Tessia’s lap
Her hands aric, easing the pain…
A second bolt struck one, leavingtechnology and ht look like in three, four, even five hundred years
Flash
Bile rose up in the back of my throat as my mind was yanked to the memory of a lecture on mana beast differentiation while I’d been at Xyrus Acadeht years old Adown at me curiously
“hello My na in this manor May I speak to theround: “Eleanor Leywin! There you are! You have got to stop running to the front door every time sofroirl, dazzling brown eyes gazing up at tails on each side of her head
Bolt after bolt struck, jerking ht, memory, or consideration to the next until it felt like o, and the keystone real with sweat
Sylvie was right next toto wipe my face “There you are I orried sick You went blank for a while, like yourin my chest, and the ache behind ht, my throat too dry to speak comfortably It was…different, this time Painful
“What did you see?” Sylvie proddedthe events within the keystone forward “Oh I see”
It’s a lock, I think To ht contained within—
“The ht it She shook her head “I assuhed and rubbed o for a walk?” Sylvie suggested, passing me the damp hand towel “I’m sure your sister would like to speak to you for more than a couple is's voice intruded from across the zone ‘Just because I’m stuck in a head in a jar and you can telepathically comesture wouldn’t be appreciated Plus, I think Iinto a pickle here’
I sainstslower, but this only brought attention back toscar across its surface The feel of it wiped the smile off my face
“Yeah, I better check in on everyone,” I ad?”
Sylvie shook her head before flopping down in the space I’d vacated “I’m sorry, Arthur What I learned e first stepped into the Relictoht now—I feel like I need some time to process it These powers don’t quite feel like ”
“I can help if you want,” I said, not really wanting to leave the rooave a sis help uess”
‘Sweet, soht to both of us
Understanding what she meant, I tussledmy hand away playfully—and left the s at the top of the stairs, and when they saw me appear they hurried over, bowed, and said, “Lady Seris has stepped out but wanted me to inform you that she has come to a decision and would appreciate the opportunity to speak with you at your earliest convenience She asked that I not disturb you, but wait until—”
I held up a hand, cutting thee received”
They bowed and hurried away, vanishi+ng down the stairs
I followedthe rooms around mine for Ellie, Caera, or Chul, but they weren’t present The taproouards Twoas I passed I considered asking about the others but realized almost imh the city, and I could sense Chul’sthe noise of repeated concussive bursts, I passed beyond the boundary of the ascenders’ neighborhood and found ht beneath the faux-open sky Fruit trees dotted the park, providing shade for tables and chairs where a handful of highbloods—their station clear frons Quarrel
A burst oflooks of ire fro the street that ran past this park, I soon found myself at a small outdoor arena Half- pit surrounded by a protective field ofin the stands in little pockets to watch as Cylrit and Chul faced off against one another in the arena below
The twodeliberately as he repeated aI wasn’t surprised Chul had sought Cylrit out for training and sparring When considering them purely on scale of power, Chul—a half-phoenix—far outstripped the Vritra-blooded retainer, but Cylrit was still likely the hter in Seris’s force, and he’d been actively fighting a hile Chul was hidden beneath the Beast Glades living the life of a pacifist
I kept back, half-hidden around one end of the stands, not wanting to interrupt the tarriors but curious to see the aether intoyourself out like a blazing candle,’ I see what you mean Your body is powerful, and because you know you can exhaust youryourself hard at the beginning of a fight And yet this only leads you to burn yourself out even , however, don’t doubt yourself in that regard However, you rely on theh to stand up to the raw strength of your first onslaught, this will ment instinct so that you are able to vary your tactics, especially as you seek to beco,” Chul said with a shrug of his broad shoulders