On our visit to Klearon, I experienced a few great things the city had to offer. We had a sitting with a true knight, the protector of the sacred tree, even if he was in his ill-fitting attire the entire time. I had glimpsed squires sparring inside the empty hippodrome, which was as impressive on the inside as it was outside. Unfortunately, there were no cavalry runs on this visit.
Then it was time to bid goodbye to Aunt and return home.
I enjoyed every moment of the last two days, all the new experiences, and finally seeing the wider world. Unfortunately, I did not have the same outlook for the journey home. No, it was not because I was reluctant to leave. Unlike how Aunt travelled back through the mystic waygate, glittering with a large spectrum of light, we had a far more boring journey home. Not to mention the commute was more tiring than it needed to be.
On top of that, the coachman asked for more leafs when he saw the sheer number of books we would be taking home, enough to account for an extra person’s travel.
So far, the carriage ride back to Karmel was as uneventful and boring as the first time. I had no choice but to immerse myself in one of the books I had kept with myself. Sadly, the uneven pathways kept jolting me out of my reading every other moment.
Once again, the carriage tumbled over an outstretched rock, causing me to jerk forward. The carriage was moderately large, comfortably seating eight people, including one escort. Three other carriages like ours trudged along, along with a couple carrying goods. Mum had bought a good load of leather, metals, and rare gems for her crafting, whereas Father was happy with a few fine tunics and formal clothing.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the coachmen put the horses into one last stretch before finally bringing them to a halt. They were no Asturian stallions, but they were still fine-bred horses, able to make the long journey in only a night.
Soon, darkness blanketed the surroundings, and the borrowed light of the moon was never bright enough to be of any help. We passed along the portable light constructs among ourselves, as the caravan master set up a fire to ward against the chill and gloominess.
The six carriages stood in an arch on the south of the path, shielding us and the fire from the biting wind. Night in this part of the realm stretched over fourteen hours before the sun blinked into existence.
“Arilyn, do not wander off on your own,” Mum’s voice echoed in my ears as I crept into the darkness. Knowing my dilemma, she sent Father after me. The two-metre-tall man stood guard as I relieved myself.
I was not the only one who had received nature’s call. Men and women, even the escorts, took turns tending to their needs. I turned to my father, who did not seem to have the same issue, only waiting for me.
Although we had grown familiar, my interactions with him remained minimal. I was not sure if this was how a father-son relationship was supposed to be, nor did I know how to fix it.
“Are there bandits on the road?” I asked him.
“Maybe,” he returned, uncertain.
I forgot that he was not native to the Empire. Still, he was a grown-ass man; he should be sure about these things.
“There were none on our way,” he continued. “If some turn up, I am sure your mum and I can take care of it. You have nothing to fear.”
I perked up at the inclusion of Mum.
Father always carried his longsword around, even though I had never seen him unsheathe it. Even when he practised his stances in the yard, he usually moved as if imagining he were holding a sword. With his towering stature and wiry muscles, he still looked like a formidable figure.
Whereas Mum… well, she was Mum. I had never seen her carrying a weapon.
“You do not know,” Father whispered conspiratorially, “but your mum is one of the most daunting figures I have ever faced.”
I arched an eyebrow. Before I could even ask my question, the person in question presented herself.
“What foolish ideas are you putting into his head this time?” she asked, cocking an eyebrow.
Father’s expression wilted like a dead flower.
Now, I kind of believed him.
We sat around the fire along with the rest, our family gathered on the far side.
“Are you cold, pumpkin?”
It did not matter if I agreed or not, she pulled out a sweater from the duffel bag and forced me into it.
Well, it was chilly, and the wind bit through the fabric of my tunic. Only the bonfire provided a bit of warmth, keeping me from shivering.
“Mum, can I practise Unification?” I whispered to her.
“Now?” She raised an eyebrow, considering.
“I did not get to practise properly in the last two days,” I said. “Can I, please?”
“Hmm.” She glanced towards the caravan cook, who was cutting vegetables. “Fine, but only until the food is ready.”
Receiving her approval, I was ready to dive in right then and there, but she stopped me once again.
“You are going to catch a cold,” she said, handing me a meditation mat. “Here.”
I sat cross-legged and let the distractions slip away one by one. The conversations around me did not concern me, so they were easy to tune out. Next was the cold—the biting wind. Up until this point, the process was not much different from meditation, but the paths diverged from here.
Meditation sought nothingness, whereas I needed to seek unity.
I had been practising regularly since last week when Mum taught me the Way and had made considerable progress in essence sensing as well as unification. I had no trouble drawing my essence anymore. Will and visualisation were all that were required.
Soon, under my control, my essence wove through my pathways, circulating towards the centre. My circulation pace had increased by leaps and bounds, and the amount of essence had doubled since the first time.
I still failed to detect my Aether Root—the ethereal thread that supposedly connected me to the spirit realm. Books described it as being similar to essence threads but different in nature. Mum had told me that most individuals never managed to detect it in their entire lives, and I was not even awakened. I should not be discouraged.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Regardless, essence unification was a marathon, not a sprint.
Time blurred in my mind as I lost myself in the repetitive process. Warmth spread throughout my body, and finally, as I reached my twenty-seventh circulation, the familiar sensation crept up on my left palm.
Only then did I open my eyes, and found my back damp with sweat.
[Congratulations! Way of Essence Unification II (25/25) is complete.]
[+3 Unallocated points.]
[Essence Unification III (25/50) is now accessible.]
The first layer of Essence Unification had been arduous, but that wasn't the case anymore. My lips curved upwards, considering the sheer number of unallocated points I would rack up in the coming days. But then surprising me... the Spell spoke into my ears once again.
[Congratulations! Way of Perseverance II (25/25) is complete.]
[+4 Unallocated points.]
[Perseverance III (25/50) is now accessible.]
Right, I almost forgot about that. Well, considering it was the way that depended on the completion of the others, I had no reason to keep it in mind. But I was delighted to find the unallocated points doubled from Layer I.
I told Mum about my accomplishment. She smiled, ruffling my hair. “Do not think I will let you practise Unification more just because of that.”
“When will you let me?”
“We will talk about that after you accomplish the fourth layer.”
Counting that I got one point in the Way daily, that was ninety more days. Not too long for me to whine, nor short enough for me to be excited over. Well, the process was still stressful enough, even with all my familiarity.
A delectable smell wafted in the air. It appeared the food was about ready as well, signalling the end of my practice.
The meal was simple—roasted chicken along with bread, curry, and some vegetable side dishes. There were forty-odd people in the caravan. While one party got their plates, the other remained on watch. Father and I were in the first party, while Mum talked with some other passengers.
The chicken tasted poorly compared to how it smelled. I guessed that was what you could expect from a full-time travelling escort and part-time cook. Still, it was tender enough that none of my teeth fell out. I was off that age, after all.
Halfway into his meal, Father suddenly faltered as he turned on his rear. His eyes peered into the darkness, looking for something.
“Ashlyn?” he called, rising to his feet, his arm clutching the scabbard.
Mum was nearby. With one look into Father’s eyes, she seemed to know what to do and swooped me up in her arms. Sometimes I forgot that she had super strength. She had no trouble keeping me in her arms, even though I was three times the size I had been when she used to cradle me.
“Mum, what—”
An eerie, high-pitched screech cut me off.
Goosebumps crawled up my arms as Mum turned me over. Following her gaze, I found the owner of the screech.
A long, serpentine-like creature shot from the darkness towards the person at the very edge of the group. However, before it attacked the horrified man, a figure appeared between him and the monster.
My father, who had been standing next to me a moment ago, somehow crossed ten paces in the blink of an eye, thrashing his foot into the head of the creature.
I finally saw the creature for what it was. It was no serpent. The dozens of appendages gave evidence against that, though its form was three metres long, its body segmented and covered in a deep brown carapace, gleaming in the bonfire’s light.
Centipede?
The monster thrashed under the weight of Father’s foot, yet its head could not move an inch. Then Father unsheathed his blade. It was a straight, long sword, simple in design. And he swung it equally simple form.
The blade flashed in an awfully slow arc, yet somehow beheaded the monstrous centipede easier than a hot knife through butter. Ghoulish blood sprayed into the air, along with the horrifying screams of the people. Father turned away from the creature.
Chaos ensued in the camp of forty people. Although I had witnessed it all, my mind barely registered the sequence of events.
“Everyone, get behind us,” said one of the escorts as more screeches echoed from the darkness. “Blight and ashes, do not run! We cannot protect you if you run.”
Another centipede, only half a metre smaller than the first, bolted from the other side towards us. My heart lurched inside my chest. I almost shut my eyes and only had the courage to look when I felt warmth rising in Mum’s body. My Arcane Acuity detected the sheer amount of Essence surging through her—it was practically sizzling, urging her to unleash it on the poor creature.
She did not need to.
An arrow flew from our right and struck the creature in the eye. My eyes flashed to the archer and found a diminutive figure in a headgear and simple leather adventurer’s attire. She was the escort from our carriage, the only adolescent among them. She had remained completely silent throughout the journey, as far as I was aware, but now she held her bow tall, her eyes blazing with a yellowish light.
She drew a couple more arrows. The first was deflected by the tough carapace, while the second dug deep into the monster’s maw, ending its scream. Another escort, a middle-aged man with a gruff beard, jumped onto it and finished it with a couple of swings of his axe. His procedure was not as clean as Father’s, but it got the job done.
The archer girl crept closer to us, believing she needed to protect us.
“Three more coming. Two from east, one straight!” Father alerted as he appeared before the line of escorts, sword in hand.
“Four,” Mum corrected. Well, I could see nothing in the darkness and had to take her word for it.
After exchanging a look of understanding, Father’s figure blurred once more, this time into the darkness. I could only glimpse the dim shimmer of his sword flashing in the air a couple of times before he returned to us. On the other side, three escorts encircled a centipede. High screeches followed their battle until it ended with minimal to no injuries.
They remained vigilant, even though the four enemies Mum had called out were slain. Even the archer did not lower her bow.
“Scolopede,” Father muttered. “Did not think they were common here.”
“They are not,” Mum said, still keeping me in her arms. The sizzling power inside her veins had calmed down, however.
“That could only mean one thing,” Father said.
“You think there is a rift breaking somewhere nearby?” the archer asked, her accent foreign, as though she had learned the language recently.
“The evidence,” Father pointed at the bloodied corpse of the monster with his sword, “suggests the chance of there being one.”
I imagined her to be horrified at the implication, but she merely frowned, her eyes tracing the blade Father finally sheathed.
“We should leave as soon as we can,” someone shouted from the back. “If more of those suncursed creatures come, we may not be able to leave without a loss.”
Shouts of agreement followed until the caravan master, a portly, middle-aged man with a longbow of his own, came forward. His presence calmed the passengers. Although he did not make the final decision there, he asked everyone to collect their belongings before calling all the escorts for a discussion.
Unsurprisingly, he asked Father to join as well, after thanking him for his timely intervention.
“What do you think we should do?” he asked. “The horses have barely rested. I do not think we can go far enough to escape if more of those creatures decide to chase.”
“These are merely tainted creatures,” Father said, arms crossed over his chest. “Probably fled through the cracks when the rift appeared.”
“Maybe some of us should go scouting,” the archer girl said hesitantly. “If a rift goes unchecked—”
“No!” the caravan master cut her short with a glower. “There are soldiers, guilds for that. Your job is merely to protect the folks.”
The girl nodded curtly and remained silent for the rest of the discussion.
“I can go and take a look,” Father suggested, before his eyes found Mum and me. “But…”
The portly man shook his head. “I commend your bravery, but there is no need to risk yourself,” he said. “I will send a missive about it as soon as we reach the next town. For now, if everyone agrees, we should move out from here.”
Before anyone could answer, Father’s head turned once more. The air of the group grew sombre, but thankfully, only a couple of humanoid figures in plate armour came into sight. The lack of army insignia suggested they were from some guild or squires in training.
“Praise Earth, none of you got hurt,” said the frontrunner, his eyes drawn to the corpses. He sighed in relief, as though a great weight had lifted off his chest.
The people once again burst out at the appearance of two armoured warriors.
“Everyone, calm down,” said the leading man. “Yes, we are clearing a rift, but you can rest assured everything is well under control.”
That would have been easy to believe if a bunch of monsters had not attacked us out of the blue. But their duties went only so far before they moved on to track any other creatures that had escaped their watch.
The caravan did not remain there waiting for more monsters, either. The exhausted horses barely trotted at half their pace, all the passengers quiet, clinging to one another in worry.
I, for one, did not hold the same anxiety as them. Even if those suncursed creatures gave chase, I felt reassured with my parents by my side.