Timeless Prominence

Rein vision was hazy, and his mind drifted in and out of consciousness. He had heard many stories of those who had strayed too close to the grim reaper.

Many say the events of their lives flashed before their eyes. Some felt intense sorrow and melancholy. Others? A punishing burning pain.

Rein’s injuries were severe to the point where his mind’s mechanisms completely suppressed his body’s sensations to a dull ache.

He could only sigh at his own idiocy. Of course, the unspoken rules of the advancer world weren’t always followed. With him alone, a telekinetic advancer such as Bienze could crush him between thumb and finger like a breadcrumb with zero repercussions.

He could but accept that he would not be able to find if his younger brother still breathed, and he himself, a failure. So much for his origin ability and Dragonknight Zelli’s ‘plans’.

Yet, before his heart ceased its struggle, Wilo’s appeared before him, mysterious as ever.

The woman with all of her body covered with cloth and hooded robe, and a wooden mask upon her face, held a glowing golden needle in her gloved hand.

She opened Rein’s Halls’ robes and jet-black jacket to expose his chest, before stabbing the golden needle into his heart. The needle melted into a golden liquid and entered his body.

A warm feeling spread from his heart through his body, and Rein could feel a ticklish and tingling sensation throughout his veins, muscles, skin and bones!

“What…” Rein coughed as the vitality in his voice rose. “Why?” That golden needle must be some sort of life-saving treasure.

“Wake up, Rein,” Wilo murmured. “You’re not done yet.”

Wilo gripped Rein’s arm and pulled him to his feet. Rein discovered that his body had magically fully healed, his aurae recovered to the peak. He easily climbed out of the shallow tunnel that his body had involuntarily drilled after being casted into the chasm walls by Bienze’s telekinetic powers.

“You owe me,” Wilo softly said. “That was a life-saving treasure given to me by my mother.”

Rein could but nod. He felt nothing wrong with his body as he stretched his limbs.

“The treasure hoard!” A voice entered both Rein and Wilo’s ears.

“We must leave.” Wilo pulled Rein’s arm to get the man into action.

Rein stumbled for a few steps at the bottom of the chasm, still finding his feet after having nearly lost his life.

The two followed the whisperings of the wind to escape, desperate to avoid confrontation with Rein’s and the Halls’ enemies. Their lives are simply much more valuable than the treasure left behind by Darkendusk.

______________________________________________________________________________

In another part of the dwarven ancient ruins.

Jory gestured at her twin sister in frustration. Suey had communicated her plans immediately following the sound of the dragon’s roar.

“You can’t do this sister!” She hissed. “You’re playing with fate. If we lose you… our chances will worsen! None can save you if you choose this path!”

“It must be done!” Suey glared at her younger sister. “All of our previous mothers, aunts, grandmas, ancestors-- have had to make this choice to twist fate. The heavens have been pulling out strings for too long! This is the only way!”

“As our ancestors have done, you must leave and protect yourself. Follow the rituals and give birth to the next generation of twin sisters. The eldest must be taught to take on the mantle. The younger one must give birth to the next generation of twin sisters.”

“We must not give in. I have to take the risk. There will be no more discussion. This is my mantle!” Suey’s firm tone indicated that the discussion was final.

The twin sisters split apart in a huff, and Jory could only wring her hands in worry, concern, and a deep fear. She had cooperated with her older sister for many tasks, hoping to keep Suey in check. However, her older sister had only grown increasingly brazen with risky bets.

Jory removed her Halls’ robe and dressed herself provocatively in a thin crimson silk robe from her magical storage pouch, exposing a bare dainty shoulder.

She climbed to the middle level and swayed her hips as she approached the guards, her seductive art at the ready.

As for Suey? She stood at the opening of the spiral stairs connecting to the middle exit level.

Soon, Ailehr, still with her hands clasped around Xeeseir’s neck appeared, her eyes darting nervously about.

Suey instantly dropped onto her knees and bowed three times, her head bumping against the stone floor to display her subservience.

“What is the meaning of this?” Harvest Devil Ailehr felt a deep sense of urgency to escape this place, yet felt curiosity as to why a random woman of the inner realm was kowtowing before her. Then she realized-- this woman is part of the team around Xeeseir!

“I wish to offer my body for your possession!” Suey announced. “Your injuries are heavy. My only desire is for you to release the man in your hand.”

“No! Do not--” Xeeseir’s protests were thwarted as Ailehr squeezed his neck with her grip.

Ailehr felt shock in her heart. How did this weak ant have knowledge of her plight? Ailehr’s injuries against Bienze were severe and extensive. Though she currently suppressed her suffering, she suspected she would not live for more than two moons. Her path to survival was to possess another body.

Originally, she was to hand the captured Lyne of the Xuere Clan over to the second prince. Now, she planned to possess the young scion before handing ‘herself’ to the second prince, and take power in the royal courts of the Minhr Nation.

That plan has some flaws-- Lyne’s talent laid in her sword and icy arts, which was simply… incompatible with Ailehr’s methods. 

Lyne had also already become a shell advancer, meaning that certain aspects of her body had already been solidified in the inner realm. The path of her body, too.

Ailehr originally accepted that it was her best course of action given the present conditions. Until Suey’s present offer.

Ailehr wasn’t sure if this young woman before might be a trap, but she had to take the chance.

The Harvest Devil raised one hand, and aurae tendrils wrapped themselves around Suey’s body to examine her nature.

“How interesting!” Ailehr exclaimed. “A tinge of demon and devil-like aura, affinity with seductive and fate-related arts.” It was almost too good to be true! These unique qualities are compatible with her own ghostly arts! “What is your name?”

“Suxeire.” Suey answered subserviently with a lowered chin.

“Wait…” Ailehr’s further examination discovered the ‘Sole Cauldron’ Art upon the young lady. “You’ve been… enslaved?”

“Unfortunately,” Suey replied in fake sorrow. “But I have no doubt you can overcome such magic.”

Ailehr cackled as she blessed the heavens in her heart. She initially had doubts, but now it all made sense-- at least, in her head. This young lady must have been enslaved by some bastard, which was why she desperately desired some form of revenge, even if it meant losing control of her body!

“I only hope that the man in your hand will be freed. He treated me well. I promise I will not resist possession as long as he is freed,” Suey softly reminded Ailehr of the deal.

“Hm. Very well!” All the powerful advancers should be down at the bottom of the dwarven ruins. Ailehr believed that she would be just fine without the shield that is Xeeseir, with the exit so close.

With Suey’s agreement to not resist possession, this would ensure that Ailehr’s control over her body to be far more complete, avoiding potential long term issues-- Possession isn’t without risks. This is why some devils would repeatedly jump from body to body until they find the ‘right’ one.

Ailehr dropped Xeeseir to the ground. Xeeseir coughed, his head spinning from the lack of air. Ailehr had continued compressing his neck with her hand throughout the whole negotiation, ensuring that he would not be able to protest Suey’s offer.

Ailehr withdrew a transparent cube surrounded in dark wisps, and Suey did not resist as a force dragged her into another space. Once inside, Suey would spot an unconscious Lyne!

Xeeseir could only watch as Ailehr’s form flickered towards the exit of the ancient ruins. Without the presence of Bienze, those guards would be useless against a quasi-telekinetic devil. 

_____________________________________________________________________________

As they escaped, Rein’s mind repeatedly returned to the existence of Darkendusk. He recalled that Wilo has always displayed unique knowledge of the advancer world.

“Wilo. Do you know of the dark dragons?” he asked.

“Think of them as similar to the fallen devils of humankind,” Wilo explained. “They may seem normal in day-to-day life, but are defined by occasional moments of madness, often driven by their vices.”

“Most dark dragons are dragons who fail to completely control their initial beastly cravings, or drown themselves in worldly treasures. Thus, their magical arts and their very aura becomes infected by dark aurae overtime.”

“I see…” Though Rein trusted Wilo, he felt that Darkendusk seemed… rational for the most part. Or perhaps the dark dragon’s fear of the Allfather and his desire to survive tempered his deep desires?

Rein still lacked understanding of the advancer world, and could only hypothesize.

“Where are we going?” Rein eventually asked as he gazed about at the passing scenery of a meadow with lush grass ten feet tall. They had followed the sound of wind in that chasm, and traveled through a cave system that eventually led to an obscure crack in the southwestern tip of the Endless Mountains.

Since then, Wilo had led Rein southwest continuously.

“And why are we still running?” Rein was confused.

“We’re being pursued,” Wilo informed Rein. “They’re coming. Closer.”

How did Wilo know? Rein could not tell.

“Who?” Rein followed Wilo, their forms splitting the tall grass as the sound of insects buzzed in their ears.

“Your enemies!” Wilo rolled her eyes as she grumbled. “The Sun Sword Sect! That outer advancer named Jekcen!”

“Fuck.” Rein no longer doubted Wilo. He originally had some confidence, having relied on his uniquely powerful body to cause trouble for shell advancers such as those of Convergence Sect and Beincen.

However, his brush with death had shown him that telekinetic advancers, and perhaps even some outer advancers, could crush him in the blink of an eye. If only he had been given a few ‘Spears of Heaven’ javelins by the Halls…

Should he employ his origin ability to escape? Yet… revealing such an ability would cause untold future trouble. He recalled Dragonknight Zelli and Master Yirn’s words.

“We have to reach that marker to the southwest!” WIlo increased her speed as they burrowed through the surrounding vegetation.

“I… what marker?” Rein had still to fully dispel the surreal feeling that clouded his mind from his brush with death.

“The marker at the beginnings of the Rabid Wilds-- the mysterious jungle to the west.”

Had they exited the Endless Mountains that much farther to the west? 

“Down!” Wilo commanded and Rein trusted her words. She clearly had some unique ability that allowed her to sense their pursuers.

As Rein dropped to the ground, a huge fiery sword a thousand feet long, formed by the sun’s energy, horizontally swiped and dissected a huge area of tall grass. Jekcen had caught up to these two escaping ants, and flung a sword projection at their location!

“And you just had to make an enemy of one of the sun swords,” Wilo stonily commented as they leapt back onto the feet and dashed forward.

Rein recalled that Wilo seemed to have a deep dislike for fire.

“You two still think you can escape with your lives? After making a fool of me?!” Jekcen’s voice echoed through the expansive grasslands, joyous at finally having the opportunity to clean up for his supposedly ‘lost’ descendents, House Larne.

As Rein continued southwest, he withdrew his staff from his storage pouch, and began activating the water droplet skill through the inscription.

A number of fiery swords formed from pure flaming aurae pursued and surrounded the two.

Rein released the large and glimmering water sphere formed above his head, and large waves cascaded outwords. A sizzling noise sounded as the sun sword projects’ bright flame faded, causing drifting tendrils of steam to rise into the sky.

Rein felt deep gratitude towards Master Yirn, for the outer-ranked water art engraved upon this staff. It has proven itself useful quite a number of times already.

Unfortunately, he would not be able to continue the usage of this skill. Jekcen’s aurae reserves are simply much deeper than his, due to him being in only the inner realm. And-- the skill worked by gathering water droplets in his surroundings. Of limited use.

So it was that the two soon found Jekcen descending upon them from the skies above. The man raised an arm.

Both Rein and Wilo understood that aurae tendrils, invisible to the two, must be extending themselves to entangle their limbs. As such, the two subconsciously zigzagged, hoping to at least make it somewhat difficult for Jekcen.

Rein sighed as he felt an all-encompassing heat behind his back. It seemed to him that he would be forced to employ his teleportation skill to escape, after all. The air became incredibly dry, and he knew that it was not possible to activate that water droplet skill a second time.

Then a voice sounded through his Halls’ robes. The mysterious lady’s voice! The watcher! The Halls had come after all!

“Two arms to the left.”

Rein side-stepped.

“Tilt your head to the right on one.”

“Three… Two…. One!”

Rein tilted his head as a javelin, traveling at a speed he could not track, grazed his jaw and pierced towards Jekcen!

“Huh?!” Jekcen was taken by surprise as a javelin suddenly appeared before his eyes upon Rein’s head tilt.

He gathered all his sun sword projections into a single blade in his hand. A large and dense blazing aurae blade barely connected with the javelin in time.

For a heartbeat, Jekcen thought he had defended against this ambush, only for his blazing aurae blade projection to shatter, forcing Jekcen to move his feet in an odd rhythm, employing a movement art that caused his body to rotate midair under a mysterious force, barely avoid the path of the javelin.

The javelin then flickered and a hundred hovering javelins now surrounded Jekcen!

“Who dares to ambush me?!” Jekcen seethed. He was so close to cleaning up the man who had caused his descendants in Green Trout City no small amount of trouble.

“Truly respectful. You… an outer advancer hunting down two inner followers of ours,” a drawling voice drifted over the grassland as burning patches of smokey tendrils rose to the sky here and there.

A figure drifted into the sky from a patch of coherent tall grass. A figure dressed in regal purple robes decorated with zigzagging jet-black lines. Supreme Huhrz! One eye carried a crescent moon, the other, a blazing sun! The most secretive of Supremes of the Halls, and said to be the most powerful of them all!

Supreme Huhrz raised his right arm, his demeanor relaxed and confident.

“Allow me to give you a taste. The sun-moon revolution!” Then he snapped his fingers.