"Finally," Zac groaned with relief as the induced depression lifted without warning. The Beseechment Mountain loomed behind them, its aura of desolation covering it like a noxious haze.
They could have completed their descent in one day if they had put in some effort, but they had opted not to. Dealing with Memory Roots could apparently be quite lucrative, and it would be a waste to leave without giving it a fair shake. Dispersing the Beseechment Pavilion's lingering obsession had only weakened the ambient spirituality, but it had nothing to do with the mountain's origin.
While Vilari sought to placate the Daynight Dreamer's fear of death, Zac adopted a more direct approach. He had tried to forcibly disperse the despair with Void Energy and Killing Intent. When that failed, he tried to break into the mountain's core to destroy its spiritual vein. In the end, they never figured out a way to dissolve the lingering regret.
It wasn't the end of the world. It had given Vilari and him the chance to catch up and for Zac to try out some things now that his two bodies were back together. The most noticeable difference was that acting side by side had become significantly easier than before. The odd sense of vertigo was almost completely gone.
Which of his many gains throughout the trial was responsible was hard to say, but he leaned toward the relocation of his Soul Aperture. Having everything in the same place made him more centered.
The sky was already growing overcast by the time they stepped onto the sprawling grasslands that bordered Beseechment Mountain. Zac could sense the world stood at the precipice of a great transformation. Streaks of mist ran across the ground without any hint of wind, and flickers of unidentifiable energies kept going out in the corners of his eye. It was like a hidden world just outside his range of vision was emerging.
Vilari turned to him. "We could spend another day on the mountain."
"I'll have to face it sooner or later. Today is as good a time as any," Zac shrugged. "Besides, I think we'd have to ask our company."
"Oh? You're able to see us?" a voice echoed out of nowhere.
The next moment, three figures in matching outfits flickered into being right before them. Their robes were unfamiliar to Zac, but they were clearly some form of enforcers of Anima Court. All three were Monarchs, with their leader being at least a Late Monarch. Despite donning a smile while looking at them with an interested expression, Zac experienced a tremendous, intangible pressure when staring into his eyes.
Zac wasn't the least surprised to see them. Grand Arrays undoubtedly covered Anima Court's domain. He had probably been spotted the second he appeared atop the mountain without an Anima Court disciple token. The enforcers had simply not approached him until now because of the general policy of non-interference in the Outer Courts.
"How did you do it?" the leader asked.
"I couldn't actually see you. I simply sensed someone was observing me from nearby," Zac truthfully said.
"Very sharp instincts. Assassins would have a hard time with you, I imagine. I'm Castain Estruvo, a Guard Captain of the Enforcement Hall, and these are my colleagues," the guard leader said.
The two Monarchs standing at his side appeared startled at the introductions. Going by the nearly perfectly veiled spiritual fluctuations, they were poised to strike first and ask questions later.
"May I ask the young master's identity, and how you found yourself in our backyard?" Castain continued.
"I'm Jikasi In'Vela," Zac said with a bow before producing Jikasi's Soultaker token from his sleeve. He assumed it was the reason for the gentle treatment. "I encountered a setback inside some ancient ruins on my way to the Anima Court. I fell through a crack in reality and somehow ended up on this mountain. Miss Blackwood has appraised me of my whereabouts. I apologize for not entering through the intended channels."
The reasoning was flimsy, but it held enough truth to pass cursory scrutiny. Word of Jikasi's "accident" in the Methele Ruins should have reached the Anima Court by now, seeing as decades had passed inside the simulation. That was if the Anima Court even bothered investigating. No matter what, Jikasi was a Soultaker of Ultom, and the trial was highly connected to destiny. Since he'd appeared in the right place at the right time, he had already proven himself a qualified guest.
"You came here through the Lower Planes? That's a first," the enforcer said, turning his attention to Zac's Draugr half, who had silently stood to the side. "And this is? Hmm. Twinned soul?"
"Something like that," Zac said, the words coming from both his bodies.
"Is this related to the ruins you mentioned?"
"That's..." Zac dithered, neither confirming nor denying.
"I apologize. Simple curiosity, I assure you, and I believe I'm not the only one who'd find your condition interesting. You could earn some merit by participating in a trial with certain elders," Castain said with a smile that made Zac's neck hair stand on end. "I could introduce you to our Hall Master."
"Another time. I prefer not having people poking around in my head," Zac said.
He had expected some form of inquiry. If he wanted to avoid it, he could simply have stowed his other half inside the [Shrine of Kanba]. He didn't because he wanted to see how his two bodies were treated. By the looks of it, there was no way he could act as he did on the outside, pretending his bodies were two different people.
The Monarch had noticed they were one and the same with a glance. Most likely, the seal's disguise superseded his Duplicity Core's disguise because he didn't feel any probes or a drain on its arrays.
"Shame," the enforcer said before glancing at Beseechment Mountain behind them. "The Memory Root appears intact, yet you're leaving?"
"My path has some connection to this particular obsession, so I hoped to discover a hidden opportunity on the mountain. Unfortunately, I realized it wasn't fated upon arriving. When Lord In'Vela appeared, I decided to cut my exploration short and guide him down the mountain," Vilari said.
"I see. If you discovered any leads to resolving the root cause, you can report it to the mission hall. You can claim a partial bounty in case it leads to further progress," Castain said before adopting a more official expression. "Everything seems to be in order, but we can't have people wandering the inner reaches without the proper credentials. We'll bring you to Soulwrest Chapter. You can apply for official discipleship there."
While Castain took out a large Flying Vessel, Zac had his Draugr half walk over. The next moment, his undead counterpart disappeared in a flash.
Zac initially couldn't quite understand why Esmeralda had bothered altering the [Shrine of Kanba] after regaining her power. It would be one thing if she had closed it down to avoid being tracked in case Zac was captured by the old Supremacies outside. Instead, she'd renovated the space, expanding it a few times over.
Esmeralda had joked that it would be a shame to demolish such a quaint little summer home. Seeing the satisfied expression on her face as her clone lay submerged in a mud bath, Zac almost believed her. Of course, the added space wasn't the only difference. It had grown sturdier, and its disguise had been improved.
The important part was that Esmeralda had turned the shrine into a portable object. The only limitation was that it needed Zac's energy to be sustained. In other words, he could freely move it between his bodies. While a small detail, it made things much more convenient. Having his Draugr half be the carrier wasn't always the optimal choice.
Like now. Castain and his colleagues wouldn't notice anything unusual unless Zac started spewing out Miasma. However, a Draugr would stick out like a sore thumb to his fellow trialtakers. Meanwhile, his human side should be able to move about freely without causing any significant stir.
Soon enough, they were zipping across the lands, moving ten times faster than Zac could on his own. Zac took in the unfamiliar vistas, or rather the peculiar transformation it underwent as twilight approached.
"The lower deck is warded against the fae night," Castain offered.
"I'll stay and have a look," Zac said upon seeing Vilari's inquiring look.
Vilari nodded and settled nearby, entering a meditative state. She had already explained that she needed to guard against the shift. The fae night was extremely dangerous to mentalists, especially those who cultivated the Dao of Emotions. On the other hand, those who could endure the emotional eruption could reap significant returns.
Zac was neither, and he was confident he could resist the rush of emotions on his own. If all else failed, he could enter his Void State and seal himself away long enough to get below deck.
Suddenly, the setting sun went out, yet complete darkness didn't arrive. A new world bursting with saturated color erupted wherever Zac looked, as if he'd fallen into an abstract painting. The streaks of color were in constant movement, clashing or fusing with their neighbors. Every streak held meaning; every dance conveyed a story. They moved with such intention that Zac suspected the myriad lights were a unique type of spirit.
While Zac witnessed the spectacle, he felt his Soul Cores grind to a screeching halt. Even the nebulae stopped spinning, and his Soul Sense went dark. As it did, Zac's heart stirred. Both familiar and foreign emotions sprouted in his heart, replacing one another in a never-ending stream. He was being led away, his mind guided into uncharted territories of the human experience.
A deep thud, and the chaos settled. [Void Heart] had taken a bite of the Emotional Energy that had seeped into his body. Without it, the effect of the fae night's alluring spirituality lost most of its attraction. He could still hear the night's mesmerizing beckon, but it was more like a soothing sonata than a siren's song. With his state settled, Zac turned away from the railing to inspect his fellow travelers.
Vilari was in deep meditation, surrounded by a small field of utter desolation. She was like a black hole that absorbed vast amounts of the fae energy before grinding it all into ownerless energy. Even so, her display was nothing compared to the two enforcers, who had become veritable furnaces that ran on the night's essence. Only the captain kept his eyes open, spectating the scene just like Zac.
"Beautiful, isn't it?" the captain said with a satisfied smile on his face. "Two hundred thousand years later, and it still takes my breath away."
"It's unlike anything I've seen," Zac said frankly. "Have you lived here your whole life?"
"I was born inside one of its subsidiary realms," Castain said with a smile. "You could say I'm a legacy hire. My ancestor is Anima Court's fourth Grand Elder, and my grandmother is the Enforcement Hall's Hall Master."
"Your clan has worked hard for the Empire," Zac flattered. "Then Lord Castain should know the Anima Court and its opportunities quite well?"
"Naturally," the enforcer nodded, glancing at him with a raised brow. "Why, are you looking for a backer?"
"I was hoping you could clear some doubts for me," Zac said. "Part of the reason I fell into that spatial quagmire was that I discovered a supreme ancient pill. But after I seized it, I realized its spirit is so fierce that consuming it borders on the impossible."
"It houses a true spirit? Not bad," Castain offered in a tone of an elder placating a child.
Zac felt a bit embarrassed, yet he pressed on. This captain was a blue-blooded elder with extremely deep connections. Seeing that he was also easy to talk to, it wouldn't hurt to ask.
"I was wondering if the Anima Court has some ways of dealing with my problem?"
"I can think of three methods off the cuff. The cheapest and safest solution is renting a cultivation chamber with nourishing arrays and a C-grade seal installed. The Pill Spirit will not be able to escape, and you can extract its spirituality piece by piece. The arrays will help recover your Mental Energy when you run out of steam, ensuring you'll win in the war of attrition."
"Won't that method lead to significant losses? The spirit will be damaged if I absorb it in batches," Zac said with a frown.
"Exactly, that's why it's only the lowest solution," Castain said. "The second method is exchanging for a spirit-subjugating mantra. If the pill is valuable enough, it's worth spending a decade learning the method and taming the Pill Spirit. That way, you can absorb it in one go with very little loss."
"There's still loss when going that far?" Zac said with surprise.
"You will not be able to fully erase its instinct for survival. Even when subjugated, it will rail against its bonds when facing death," Castain said.
The second solution was decent despite the downside. While Zac didn't have a decade to waste studying a random mantra, there should be pockets of the Lost Era's corruption somewhere nearby. If not, he was still headed for the Ultom Courts. He could use its enlightenment to learn the method at record speed, before the pill could lose too much spirituality.
"And the third?" Zac asked, sensing Castain was saving the best for last.
"There's a location called [Well of Forgetfulness]. Entering its waters will obscure your emotions. The deeper you delve, the stronger the effect. The well is very effective for cultivating various emotion-related methods, though it carries significant danger," Castain warned. "Delve too deep, and the forgetfulness will take over."
"Wouldn't you just stop before the pressure becomes too much?" Zac asked.
"It's not that simple. The well obscures all emotions and impulses, including your survival instinct. You might think you can keep going when you're already a living dead."
"What happens if you lose control?"
"The well claims you as its own. Even if we fish out your body, your soul will remain," Castain shrugged.
"So how can it help me?"
"A friend of mine discovered a Natural Treasure similar to your pill. He consumed it inside the well. He said that the key is finding the optimal depth, where the Pill Spirit has forgotten its survival instinct without having its essence scattered."
"This method will allow you to consume the pill without it putting up a fight. Of course, this plan only works if your resilience is stronger than the pill's. If it's the other way around, you may end up staying forever while the pill flies away. It might even replace your Cosmic Core and control your body like a puppet. It would be far from the first possession in our court."
"This method won't harm the efficacy?" Zac asked to confirm.
"On the contrary. You will not only enjoy the full benefits of the pill; the well itself holds enough refined Mental Energy that even I could stand to benefit. It's much better than any Cultivation Chamber the court will open up for you youngsters," Castain said.
"[Well of Forgetfulness]," Zac mused, slowly nodding with satisfaction. "Thank you for your guidance, senior."
"Don't mention it. Ah, how about a drink?"
Zac looked over, realizing Castain was holding out a small mug. It was filled with a shimmering liquid whose radiance resembled the spectacle outside. Just looking at it made Zac's stomach churn with hunger, and his stalled Soul Cores began to slowly rotate once more. Even his Heart Realm showed signs of spontaneous expansion just by taking a whiff.
This was no simple drink. It was a supreme tonic that had to be made from at least some C-grade Treasures.
"I can't help but feel uneasy about receiving such unwarranted favor," Zac slowly said, making no move to accept the elixir.
"You're quite cautious," Castain said with a helpless expression.
"Well, my elder brother did just push me into a spatial quagmire," Zac shrugged.
"So that's what happened?" Castain laughed. "Then you must look forward to informing him about your stroke of fortune."
"I am. Although currently, I'm more concerned about the hidden barrier you put up around us."
"Your senses aresharp," Castain said with surprise.
This time, it wasn't really Zac's accomplishment. Esmeralda warned a wall had enclosed him and the Late Monarch. Only then did Zac vaguely discern something. Rather than a Spatial Bubble or Illusion Array, it appeared to function based on emotions. It blended nearly seamlessly into the fae night to create an isolated enclave.
"The barrier is there to protect my companions," Castain said.
"Your..." Zac's voice trailed off. The response wasn't what he'd expected. "Protect against me?"
"In a way. Hearing some things will do them no good," Castain sighed, a flicker of sorrow appearing in his eyes. "I should know; I'm one of the few who's aware."
"Aware of what?" Zac asked, though he already had an inkling.
"What you are. What we're hoping to accomplish," the captain answered with a carefree smile as he took a swig from his own drink. "Even in death, I can enjoy delicacies and beautiful scenery. As far as afterlives go, this one's not so bad."
"You're an observer," Zac said. He couldn't be bothered to continue playing his role. "Are you really supposed to approach us outsiders like this?"
"The end is approaching and some of our bindings no longer apply. Every year, I remember more of what was. Of what needs to be," Castain shrugged.
"So, what are you after?" Zac asked, fighting the growing hunger.
"Nothing much. I want you to kill someone."