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-oOo-Chapter 68-oOo-
“Sylvia Swallows and Esmeralda Vallenfelt, you come before me with vows of love,” Lenape spoke, his voice solemn. A miter sat on the turtle’s head, a white stole around his neck. Black robes draped over his colossal back. “It is not in my power to unite your beings, but through me, Yaalon listens. And through Yaalon, the Heavenly Will hears your words.
“With the aid of these great beings, a bond can be forged. Your vows can be writ eternal onto the Akashic Record. Is this your intent and purpose, knowing that if your promises are broken, your lost faith will never be forgotten?”
Sylvia and Emmy stood before the altar. Esmeralda’s emerald hair shone in the noon sunlight, a crown of flowers on her head and short cape draped over her back. Sylvia felt a tightness in her chest, a weight of emotions swirling inside of her like a whirlpool.
““It is our intent,”” Sylvia and Emmy answered as one.
Lenape’s huge, yellow eyes gazed down with kindness.
“Then, Sylvia Swallows, speak the truth of your heart without judgment. For the Heavenly Will judges only karma and commitment, while Yaalon, who oversees the Law of Wood in this world, has no objections to this union.”
Sylvia drew a deep breath. She could feel her heart trembling as she turned to the woman she loved.
“I, Sylvia Swallows, take you, Esmeralda Vallenfelt, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to love and cherish you always. To be your faithful partner. To stand at your side through thick and thin. And to support you and your endeavors with all my heart.”
As she spoke their true names, she saw images come to life. First, a flock of swallows bursting from a verdant canopy. Then, a beautiful flower blooming in a meadow, its petals capturing every color of magic. There was a faint stirring in the air. A rustle of Yaalon’s magnificent leaves.
“Your words have been heard,” Lenape said, his head momentarily bowed. Then the turtle’s gaze turned to the emeraldette. “Now, Esmeralda Vallenfelt, speak the truth of your heart without judgment.”
Twin nebulae of umbral green gazed into a universe of fractal pink. Sylvia could see Emmy’s happiness, her love and her devotion. When the lady spoke, Esmeralda’s voice was a trill of infinite sweetness that pierced into the center of Sylvia’s heart.
“I, Esmeralda Vallenfelt, take you, Sylvia Swallows, to be my lawfully wedded wife. I promise to love and cherish you always. To be your faithful partner. To stand at your side through thick and thin. And to support you and your endeavors with all my heart.”
Her mouth went dry. She could practically feel her cold, hard, crystal core thump.
After allowing them a moment, Lenape continued. The world turtle’s deep voice carried to the far reaches of the ceremony.
“When the soul is washed clean by Unus Mundus, all vows of love are washed away with it. For we are ever-changing beings, and thus, we have ever-changing hearts. But sometimes, love can endure through the cycles. So we ask that the Heavenly Will graces this union. Should their love hold true and faithful, let the vow between these two ladies be reforged with the turning of their lives. So we hope, until their souls melt forever into the one world.
“Now, let the vow be said thrice, so our commitment is clear and without question.”
Lenape’s head bowed, his giant eyes closing. Sylvia and Emmy bowed theirs along with him. When they spoke, they spoke as one.
““This we vow.””
““This we vow.””
““This we vow.””
Ether stirred. Sylvia could see a shimmer running up Yaalon’s trunk. All around her, the threads of fate shifted. Oaths to the Heavenly Will were not binding, but those made under the Law of Wood had greater weight. The true power, however, was in how their vow was written.
The Akashic Record was a psychic ocean churning on the surface of Unus Mundus. This was a deep repository of knowledge left behind when mortals passed into the netherworld and when demons awaited their rebirth. There remained an echo of every sentient thought that had ever existed since the dawn of time.
This record was not easily read. Only facts imprinted explicitly were efficiently searched, such as their latest vow.
Not that Sylvia had any need to consult the Akashic Record. If her partner broke faith, she’d know it instantly. Why? Because the Devil had added an appalling achievement to her status sheet.
Faithfully Married: since 8 seconds ago.Reach 25 years and earn the title: Silver Anniversary.
…
“Then, I pronounce you wife and wife,” Lenape finished cheerfully. “Which is an awkward phrase. Oh. And you may kiss the bride, whomever that may be.”
She didn’t need to be told twice. Dismissing the blue screen, Sylvia and Emmy wrapped each other in their arms. Both indulged in a deep, loving kiss. Cheers and applause roared around them.
Their wedding took place on the south side of Yaalon Lake. Stone walkways and stunning piers had been erected along the shoreline for the event. These amenities would remain after, for future celebrations and for those who wished to enjoy a day at the park. The crowd of onlookers was large. Among them, Sylvia saw many familiar faces. Silas Wells, Henry Taylor, and Governor Sanchez. Piper, Brianna, and Josephine. Zoe Marshall, Dianna Sable, and the rest of Esmeralda’s retainers.
In addition, Sylvia spotted Tiffany Lowe hanging out near the back. No doubt, Nimbus Weekly would soon release an article covering the scandalous union between a two hundred year old witch and the plane’s precious princess.
There would be much gnashing of teeth.
But what struck Sylvia the deepest was the price tag for their ceremony. 400 gold. 400 sorrowful dragons, lost forever in frivolous pursuit. The guests. The amenities. The dresses. Why, why, why? What despairing sadness. Dragons were an endangered species, you know.
“Emmy, little sis,” Belkis greeted, eyes filled with tears. “I’m so happy for you.”
“Mmm,” Esmeralda hummed in agreement. “It’s like a dream come true. I even got to marry a princess.”
“Tch,” Sylvia sounded, disdainful. “That’s nothing. Not only did I marry the most beautiful girl in the world, I also stole the heart of a Laureate of Magic.”
“How accomplished,” Emmy teased. Her shadowy green eyes twinkled. Unable to resist, the emeraldette leaned forward for another kiss.
“When you’re the strongest, such things come naturally,” Sylvia returned, with exaggerated arrogance.
“Well, I’ll have you know, my darling princess is far more adorable than your wife,” Esmeralda challenged impishly. “And, I think, slightly richer than the lady you married, too.”
“Both of you are so, so beautiful,” Belkis gushed, ignoring their byplay. “Oh, and I love the dresses. They’re gorgeous. And, little sis, what you did with your hair, it’s adorable.”
Sylvia blushed. The silver-haired girl shyly toyed with a stylized tress.
For their wedding, Esmeralda had prepared western dresses. The base fabric was pure, shimmering white with layers of gossamer silk pooling around their ankles. Over their backs, was thrown a short cape. Sylvia’s was pink while Esmeralda’s was green. Elegantly embroidered was the symbol of their house. For Emmy, a quill and wand crossed over a star. For Sylvia, the branches of Yaalon.
Neither girl wore a veil. Instead, each lady had bundles of flowers in their hair. This symbol of life and beauty was often used in Fey weddings. To the delight of her wife, Sylvia had added pure girlish embellishment. Her twin tresses were woven into chains of hearts. She’d even been so bold as to throw in the pink sparkles Emily had loved so much.
The way Emmy’s eyes had lit upon seeing it had been worth all the effort she’d put in.
And, well, it wasn’t like Sylvia could damage her reputation at this point. She was already a princess. Everyone expected her to be the girliest girl in the whole wide world.
“It’s a good thing you love the dresses,” Sylvia said dully. “We paid 100 gold for each.”
The enchantments weren’t quite as good as Spring Blossom’s, but they were better than any other dress Sylvia owned. And she was only going to wear this once! If Emmy wanted to stuff her in something cute, it should at least have good stats and be usable in future combat.
“Shush, my dear,” Emmy spoke. The emerald-haired woman flashed a smile. “You look lovely and this memory will be engraved in our hearts forever.”
Oh, this mix of pain and sweetness, Sylvia couldn’t forget it if she tried.
“Mayor Vallenfelt, Princess Swallows, congratulations on your marriage,” Governor Sanchez greeted, inserting himself into the group. Joshua wore a handsome smile, looking like the suave politician he was. “Or, is it Princess Vallenfelt or Mayor Swallows, now?”
“We decided to keep our surnames,” Esmeralda answered, making small talk. “And what’s this I heard about the purchase of a second astral trade ship being delayed?”
Business already? Sylvia gently nudged Emmy’s hand. Through the connection of their rings, she sent a private message. “I’m going to go say hello to Riley.”
Emmy turned back, sharing a smile. “Enjoy yourself, my love. I’ll meet once I finish my rounds.”
“A simple matter of priorities,” Joshua Sanchez replied. “Parliament doesn’t want to allocate the funds for another ship until we’ve done more to develop the Pyrinas region.”
“Reasonable position,” Esmeralda agreed primly. “Though, I would remind, these matters take time and the Cloud Island Wilderness is growing swiftly.”
Permission granted, Sylvia slipped away. She didn’t retire as governor just to get dragged into government affairs. Not that she could avoid schmoozing on behalf of Swift Brooms and its affiliates later. Ah, the trials of a rich lady.
Freed, she filled a plate with all manner of tasty treats. Before she could head over to Riley’s table, she was interrupted by an acquaintance.
“Congratulations on your wedding,” Faith greeted. She smiled, pinkish-purple hair spilling down the back of her pastel green dress.
“Thank you,” Sylvia accepted with a polite smile. “And how are things going for you these days?”
Faith was one of the girls from the Sunday Course. Back in the Beginner’s Village, Sylvia had hired the blue-eyed asteri to set down ether channels in various locations, including in the plane’s first dungeon. When business had turned Sylvia’s attention to Starport and Viridian City, she’d lost track of her fellow asteri.
“I joined Fantasia,” Faith explained. “I splurged on gnostic ambrosia last year and entered the second consolidation. Instead of transmigrating immediately, I figured I should set aside a few years to collect money and merit points.”
Faith was a girl with terrible luck. She’d failed her first consolidation right before the Young Demon’s Tournament. Then, to make matters worse, she’d succeeded in her second attempt six months before they moved to the Cloud Island Wilderness. This meant Faith had to reach the second consolidation before fully integrating her System.
Which wouldn’t have been so bad if the plane had appropriate cultivation resources. But it didn’t. Like so many of the high-level witches, Faith had been trapped at the bottom of the first consolidation until Emmy invented gnostic ambrosia. Gnostic ambrosia was an astral resource. The digestion rate was worse than astral amber, achieving a mere 600xp per day. However, the production efficiency and taste were far superior. The latter, in particular, had left Sylvia thrilled.
To refine gnostic ambrosia, they grew a flower called scholar’s bloom in the artificial caverns cut into Cape Moonlight. These caves acted as a loose chaos reservoir for the gate network. Realm magic consumed void and space ether in great volumes. As a result, causality was left abundant. The flowers feasted on this atmosphere, growing like foolishly fertilized kudzu.
Also, the flowers were pretty. Emmy had chosen them because they were pretty.
“Oh my, if it isn’t the so-called cutest ‘girl’ in the Cloud Island Wilderness,” a sweet voice interrupted. “Congratulations on your wedding.”
Faith frowned.
Eyes of fractal pink turned to the latest arrival. The woman in question wore a blue dress, her sparkling pink hair done up in an adorable style. She had a heart-shaped face with beautiful, violet eyes. The girl was a bit taller than Sylvia too, though not by much.
“Lily,” Faith said, her tone tinged with disappointment.
“What? I gave ‘her’ a compliment,” Lily said, stressing the pronoun. She flashed a smile that was as pretty as it was fake. “I’m Lily Patterson, Faith’s senior in Fantasia. It’s an honor to meet the most accomplished ‘woman’ in the Cloud Island Wilderness.”
Lily’s words held so much venom, Sylvia would have to be deaf to miss it. Then, as though in challenge, the pinkette thrust out her chest, making clear she had the larger bust.
…
This girl must have spent days in front of the character creator.
“I rather think it’s my wit and strength that’s worthy of praise,” Sylvia said blandly. “Although my fans obsess over my appearance, I wouldn’t have nearly so many if I weren’t the number one ranker for level and merit. I know the guild master of Fantasia, Tara Rogers, is climbing the lists, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen your name.”
Lily’s expression turned ugly. “Don’t be so proud just because you died first,” she said snidely.
Without allowing a retort, Miss Patterson turned then left. Silently, Sylvia watched as the pink-haired girl ingratiated herself with her guests.
Faith shifted, looking uncomfortable. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Sylvia waved off. “It’s been good meeting you, Faith.”
Faith smiled. “And you as well.”
She stepped away. As Sylvia crossed over to Riley’s table, her fingers flickered, subtly weaving a chain of one hundred and sixty-three runes. Into this cup, she poured the element fate. “May Lily Patterson embarrass herself terribly.” Just like that, fated request was cast into the wind.
Was she a petty person? Oh, she was definitely a petty person. Eyes dancing, Sylvia pulled back a chair.
“The lady of the hour,” Riley announced, a broad smile on her freckled cheeks. “How does it feel, being a wife and a princess?”
With a clink, Sylvia set her plate on the table. Then, gracefully, she swept back her skirt before sliding into her seat.
“I’ll have you know, I’m the very definition of an alpha male,” she replied with arrogant authority. “Who else keeps the two most beautiful girls in the world in their bed every night?”
With her absurd declaration made, Sylvia slipped a tuft of fluffy spider meat into her mouth. The delicate flavor was complemented by a delicious, creamy, butter sauce. Back in the day, Sylvia had called these creatures land crabs. She hadn’t known how right she’d been.
“Settle down there ‘mister’ arrogant,” Riley laughed. “And you better not let Emmy hear you say that.”
Tch. Did Riley think Sylvia was afraid of her wife? The worst Esmeralda would do was take a strict position in the bedroom to remind Sylvia that she was, indeed, a lady.
Which sounded rather exciting, actually. Maybe Sylvia should tempt her wife? A little spice for their honeymoon.
While she considered the merits, a tall and lanky figure emerged from the crowd. Henry Taylor came bearing two plates. He set one in front of the blonde tomboy. Riley’s bright green eyes flashed up, showing her thanks.
“How are things in Axis?” Sylvia questioned, changing the subject.
The lanky barbarian pulled back a chair before sitting beside Riley. There was no denying it. Those two were a pair. Some day soon, Sylvia would hear wedding bells ringing for her old friend. Time never stopped passing.
Not that Henry was a barbarian anymore. He’d graduated to warlord quite a few years ago.
“Well enough,” Riley answered. “When I’m not working with the tamers, I’ve been doing quests with Henry. There’s three skill books out there with my name on them.”
The freckled blonde suddenly looked hesitant, as though she wanted to say more. Henry read the mood and spoke on her behalf.
“We’re planning to take the quest on Earth,” the warlord asserted, his sky-blue eyes firm.
Sylvia set down her fork. Closing her eyes, she took a moment to settle her emotions.
“You’re talking about the Shadow Agents quest,” Sylvia stated. She sucked in a breath. “I heard that anyone who takes it has to stay for at least ten years.”
“That’s right,” Henry confirmed.
Sylvia’s smile turned pained. Riley reached across the table, patting her friend’s hand.
“Sorry. I didn’t want to tell you while you were planning the wedding. And now?” Riley sighed then scratched a freckled cheek. “I shouldn’t put it off any longer.”
The silver-haired girl nodded, a storm churning in her gut. Sharp, pastel pink eyes turned up, gazing into Henry’s blue.
“And you’re okay with this?” she asked. “With the Viridian Blades and all?”
“I am,” Henry answered. “When I made the Blades, I did so hoping to put my strength to good use. But the future belongs to the Awakened. It’s time for me to step aside.”
The brown-haired warlord didn’t say anything more. He didn’t have to. Sylvia could read between the lines. Henry had faced himself, his soul suspended in the moment between life and death. Then he had failed. Whatever contradiction remained wasn’t one he could resolve easily.
Perhaps, it was a regret Henry could only solve on Earth.
“And you?”
Her eyes turned to the blonde. Sylvia’s heart longed for Riley to stay. Riley was a friend. Her best friend. The deepest, truest friend Sylvia had ever had. Since the Academy, their paths had diverged. If Riley left for Earth, the bond would be stretched further.
Which hurt. She wanted the best for Riley, but it still hurt.
“I want kids, Sylvia,” Riley said bluntly. Her intense green eyes gazed back, unwavering. “I realized that when I was taking care of Luna. I want to be a mother. I can’t do that here. This is my best chance.”
“I see,” Sylvia murmured. It’d be a lot more than ten years then. “You do realize they won’t be yours. Not biologically.”
“Sylvia, a word of wisdom: any child you raise is yours,” Riley stated. The blonde flashed a grin. “And don’t give me that look, we’ll be a phone call away. I’ll even throw up a video screen for you, so the little ones can see their adorable aunt.”
A little light burbled in her heart. The pain of separation didn’t seem so bad.
“I’m sure they’ll be lovely,” Esmeralda interjected, pulling back a chair to sit beside the silver-haired witch. “When will we be attending your wedding, then? I assume you’ll be holding it here, in the nether.”
“Henry and I haven’t decided,” Riley replied, glancing back at her paramour. “But I’ll let you know when we set a date.”
“If you’re looking to save money on a dress,” Sylvia inserted blandly, “I have a magnificent one you can borrow.”
“Nonsense,” Emmy denied, shooting her wife a look. “I will provide one that suits. For free.”
Grrk. Sylvia clutched her chest. In the background, Yaalon Lake shimmered. Surely, those stately waters were the tears shed by a dying dragon. Though, if Sylvia’s wallet were wounded further, perhaps they’d instead be cried by a princess.
“So what’s this about going to Earth?” Esmeralda continued, ignoring her wife’s exaggerated pain. Thoughts and feelings passed through their rings. “Don’t be difficult, my dear. You’ll make Riley uncomfortable.”
“They’re taking the Shadow Agents quest,” Sylvia supplied, immediately relenting.
At the end of the day, it was only money. She was practically made of it. Even if one-time dresses were a complete and total waste. The princess was crying. Crying deep inside her heart. Crying for the poor dragons.
“And what precisely does that entail,” Emmy questioned. “If you are allowed to answer.”
“The quest is pretty light on the details. Speculation is: we’ll be keeping an eye on those with a System to make sure things don’t get out of hand,” Riley offered. Her bright, green eyes turned toward her silver-haired friend. “I was hoping you could clarify, actually.”
“Mmm,” Sylvia grunted, pointing at her mouth.
She was chewing a bite of blink lizard flank, the meat’s juices filling her mouth with succulent flavor. The warmth was complimented by a sharp, fiery spice then the chilling cold of Hrimthur's Bite – a pepper sourced from Helheim and grown in bulk by Harvest Doom.
Over the years, the cuisine of the Cloud Island Wilderness had improved greatly. Chefs had changed their focus. Old dishes were no more than inspiration. Skilled cooks sought new flavors, making better use of the ingredients found here in the nether.
“Based on the skill books required, I expect there will be some wetworks involved,” Henry noted, while they were waiting.
Sylvia swallowed. She sipped her wine to wash the rest down before speaking.
“The System respects free will,” she explained. “At most, you’ll get a quest to send misbehaving gamers to the Cloud Island Wilderness early. If you don’t want to do it, just say no. You weren’t explicitly informed of any wetworks, so they aren’t mandated by the Shadow Agent’s quest. At worst, the System will assign the task to someone else.
“And don’t worry. The System will have quests you’re willing to do. You wouldn’t be a candidate otherwise.”
Riley gave a look of relief, while Henry frowned. Maybe, deep down, the warlord knew he was a wetworks kind of man.
“That’s good to hear,” Henry grunted into his wine cup.
Riley glanced at her beau, a light flickering in her eyes. “Do you really think there will be quests to kill people?”
“Absolutely,” Sylvia smirked. Did they think the Devil was a nice guy? “Remember, sending souls to the netherworld can be a way of protecting people, too. And, when many lives hang in the balance, sometimes somebody has to go. But, if you’re thinking you’ll be agents for an evil organization, I expect you’ll be disappointed.”
“Let’s not stain our wedding with such heavy thoughts,” Esmeralda interrupted. “Riley, I overheard you saying you wanted kids? How many were you thinking?”
Riley grinned, green eyes flashing to the brown-haired man beside. “I figure we’ll start with two. Then we’ll decide whether we want more after.”
“And will you be staying on Earth until all of them pass?” Emmy questioned after.
“I thought we were avoiding the heavy stuff,” Riley returned, looking a bit uncomfortable.
“I apologize,” Esmeralda said. “Then allow me something lighter. Have you considered names for boys and girls?”
While the ladies shot the breeze, Sylvia polished off the rest of the food on her plate. She offered Henry a pitying look. In some ways, Sylvia was more a girl than Riley would ever be. In others, her heart was more akin to a man’s.
Standing, she kissed her wife’s cheek then spoke. “If you don’t mind, I’ll do my corporate duty and schmooze with the bigwigs.”
Riley laughed, waving her off. “Go right ahead. And you can head off, too, Henry. You don’t need to sit here while Emmy and I argue about room decorations and gender appropriate toys.”
Henry gave a thankful nod before departing. With a little laugh of her own, Sylvia headed for familiar faces. Silas Wells, Benjamin Turner, and Brianna Schultz were gathered in a group. Or maybe she should say: Captain Schultz. Brianna was now the nominal head of a government-sponsored enterprise called Stellar Transport.
“Congratulations on your wedding!” Benjamin said, smoothly taking the lead. “Esmeralda is a beautiful woman. You’re lucky to have her.”
“It was a long time coming,” Silas agreed. The redheaded hunter raised his drink. “Mr. Turner here was expressing his interest in buying a few airships and starting a transport company.”
“Most people are running goods up north from Mountain Point along the river,” Benjamin explained. “But that means you have to get your goods to the river first. A few flyts could cut transport costs by a third and open up territory to the east and the west.”
Brianna shook her head.
“Not without ballistas on those boats and gamers to man them,” the white-haired asteri disparaged. “You’re underestimating the amount of trouble hiding in those skies. I’ve spent a lot of time with Louise Carter, Captain of the Cumulus. They deal with phantasms every run, north or south.”
“Which makes the numbers less favorable,” Silas agreed. “Opening a transport company is quite a risk.”
“Without risk, how can there be business?” Benjamin laughed. “Those fools from Access Railways certainly aren’t going to accomplish anything. What do you think, Mrs. Swallows?”
“Access Railways recently paired with Freedom Wings to develop hover carts,” Sylvia noted. “Unlike their former idiocy, the idea is workable. At least for short range transport. They’ll lose out to airships for longer distances, though.”
She’d been tempted to undercut them. Hover carts fit well with Swift Brooms’ expertise. But the System had threatened her with an egregious tax if her monopoly on transport expanded any further. So she’d kept her fingers out of the pie. Recently, she’d been forced to shift some of her investments Earthside as was.
For now, she’d let them have their fun. It’d be a miracle if Access Railways didn’t go belly up, regardless. They’d burned all their capital already and were bleeding interest. How could a company survive with expenditures and no revenue?
If she was lucky, Freedom Wings would take a hit. If not, Sylvia would snatch up a few loose assets on the cheap.
“Perhaps the idea is a bit early for the market then,” Benjamin Turner mused, stroking his well-trimmed beard.
“I wouldn’t say that,” Sylvia broke in. “Piper’s Sky Scouts have mapped entire sections of the Three Sister’s Archipelago. There’s plenty of novel resources to be found there, and the territory can only be exploited with few good flyts. Right now, only the Viridian Blades have access, and you know how guilds treat money.”
Benjamin Turner laughed. “And that, right there, is why you’re the wealthiest woman in the Cloud Island Wilderness.”
No. The real reason was that Sylvia had married her only competitor. Her eyes turned lovingly to the emerald-haired woman who was chatting animatedly with her best friend.
She was a lucky girl.
-oOo-
Realms of Ki
Inner Flow
Inner flow is the manipulation of ki within a dense vessel. Normally, this vessel is the user’s own body. However, a weapon or another physical object can also act as a vessel. Flow through objects cannot extend infinitely, generally reaching 25 cm to 200 cm, multiplied by Strength: Scaling. The variance depends on the ki compatibility of the object and the traits of the warrior.
Virtually all denizens of the netherworld achieve inner flow. This level of ki manipulation is used throughout daily life, mostly to keep disrupted objects from experiencing dissolution. In combat, inner flow can be used to concentrate strength, producing an effect akin to an extreme version of mortal martial arts. This allows immortals to hit about half again harder or reduce the impact of a blow by around a quarter. For movement techniques, it can extend speed by around a third.
Externalization
Externalization is achieved when a denizen can create a solid, stable ki shape outside of a vessel. This realm allows the manipulator to form a variety of shapes with their life force, which can provide useful structures for specific scenarios.
A simple use of externalized ki is forming an aura around a sword to extend it or to transform it. This way, a sword can become a club, or a club a piercing pick. There are numerous externalization realm techniques. Spring step, for instance, makes use of externalization to unwind a coil of ki beneath the user’s feet, flinging them toward a target.
In most cases, forming an aura slightly improves the power of an attack while moderately increasing armor penetration. The improved reach, however, is generally considered more important. Inversely, auras can be used to form a protective layer to enhance defense.
Externalization is expected of warrior-class bloodlines. Nearly all immortals reach this stage within five years of crossing the first consolidation. Magical bloodlines, however, often struggle to reach this level, with few achieving it prior to the second consolidation. While this realm is common for warriors, mastering externalization remains a challenge. The preeminent test is to seamlessly hold ki armor in place while simultaneously executing a combat technique.
Manifestation
Manifestation takes a concept or an idea then manifests it into the world. This stage is made obvious by the visual cues that emerge with the art. Thus, the waltz of flowers will display a shower of petals while the art gale pinion will reveal feathers of wind with every leap.
Imbuing a technique with a concept improves its overall quality. This means offense arts will hit harder while defensive arts deflect more effectively. The real gain, however, is the concept itself. This adds an ‘option’ or ‘bonus effect’ to the ability. For instance, the art mountain crusher has improved knockback and penetration.
Any ki ability that crosses into the manifestation realm is called an ‘art’. Prior to this, they are ‘techniques’. Only 1% of the netherworld population ever reaches the manifestation realm, as it usually takes thousands of hours of concentrated and schooled effort to manifest the first concept. For this reason, such individuals are called: ‘experts.’
Note: some people find entering the manifestation realm incredibly easy, grasping concepts after a few weeks or sometimes a few hours of effort. Such deviant geniuses represent around 0.01% of the overall population, making them painfully common to those who struggle with the realm. Inversely, half the population will never achieve manifestation without assistance from a jade scroll.
Transformation
The transformation realm involves transforming the conceptual into the real by cultivating an internal organ. As with manifestation, this improves the art’s basic characteristics. That said, the major gain is almost always the supporting trait.
Cultivating an organ demands a seed. Traditionally, seeds are extracted from phantasmal beasts, with the animal organs directly implanted in the practitioner's body. Unfortunately, the benefit of transformation is lost after death. Thus, it is rare for netherworld denizens to pursue transformation before the third consolidation.
Adding organs puts a strain on the body and soul. Typically, an immortal can support 2 to 7 transformation realm arts at once. This ki-burden is cumulative with the one imposed by martial equipment, meaning that warriors must consider which organs to form carefully.
Enlightenment
Enlightenment is achieved when an immortal’s ki is more real than reality. Reaching this stage lets one touch the intangible. Thus, a warrior can punch, cut, or pierce such esoteric notions as fate, gravity, hatred, or even speech.
In addition, enlightenment allows the study and application of ‘rules’. Unlike the concepts in manifestation realm arts, these rules may be added arbitrarily, albeit only one at once. Thus, the study of rules provides much needed versatility to warriors, who’d otherwise have to master scores of arts.
The enlightenment realm is divided into two stages: true and false. False enlightenment arises when a powerful warrior, usually a Transcendent, forcefully overcomes reality with the weight of their soul. With this, the individual is able to touch the intangible by expending huge amounts of stamina. Learning rules during false enlightenment is extremely difficult.
True enlightenment is achieved when overcoming reality consumes no extra energy or effort. Reaching this realm is nearly impossible without first experiencing false enlightenment. Enlightenment realm warriors are called masters. The adage that an expert mage will always beat an expert warrior begins to fray when reaching this level.
Domain
Anyone who crosses into the domain realm is considered a grand master, with less than four hundred such persons found throughout the entire netherworld. Domain demands imposing the self upon the world through the process of enlightenment. Very, very few souls have reached domain without first achieving Apotheosis, as having a providence grants great insight into the realm.
Domain realm warriors can extend their aura to extraordinary lengths. Normal, externalization realm warriors can stretch their life force: 1 meter Scaling. However, grand masters can stretch their ki: 50 meters Scaling. This improved reach is the most direct and immediate advantage of reaching the domain realm.
Domains can be used to stir the local ether. With this, battlefield scale arts finally become possible. While the intensity of those attacks is weaker, the sheer breadth makes them a terrible threat even to the largest of titans.
Truth (Dao)
The pinnacle of ki mastery, where one transforms their will and intent into an undeniable truth. There are only 6 recognized saints who have entered the truth realm in the entire netherworld. Truth solidifies mastered arts, slightly increasing their strength. Beyond this, it moderately increases the power of the ‘concept’ and the ‘rules’ imbued into that art.
This, however, misses the core benefit of the truth realm, which is the durability and irrationality which can be applied to any art. If a saint thrust his sword through his foe’s heart, they won’t just die immediately. They might stay dead for years, decades, or even centuries. If a clone’s head is chopped off, the original might well die in the same way. Truth imprints upon the ethereal universe a commandment which is not so easily shaken.