"Do not worry, Commander Izroth. Whatever happens, I will take full responsibility." Aurie said reassuringly.
"While I appreciate the sentint, I don’t plan on doing anything that you will have to take responsibility for, Commander." Izroth said as he faced toward Kalsia.
He then continued, "For what I have in mind to work, I will need so of your life essence. It would have been better if you were a High Born, but it should suffice. Captain Kalsia, are you willing to trust ?"
A trephasia’s life essence was precious and a highly sought after resource that had wonderous healing, protective and restorative effects. Of course, if it were just that, Izroth had plenty of materials that could provide the sa thing.
’If I want to completely remove the mark of corruption in one go, I have no choice but to rely on the life essence of a trephasia. Still, this request... It feels sowhat shaless to ask. Unfortunately, there is no ti to be subtle.’
The life essence of a trephasia was not sothing that one could buy even if they had all the money and treasures in the world at their disposal. This was due to the simple fact that, for a trephasia, sharing their life essence was no different than very intimately sharing a part of themselves with another person.
In other words, Izroth’s request was no different than walking up to a human woman and asking them to share a bed. To a trephasia, a race at the pinnacle of what it ant to be reserved in such a worldly matter, such a request was foreign.
"Commander Izroth, your request is a bit... Do you know what you are asking of ?" Kalsia questioned as her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink.
Kalsia knew that humans were straightforward and more open about such matters; however, she was still caught off guard by Izroth’s abrupt request.
"I understand the unusual nature of my request; however, I assure you, it is necessary to save Lady Nova. So, I ask you once more—are you willing to trust , Captain Kalsia? If not, although it’s a sha, I will have no choice but to try to think of a different thod." Izroth said calmly.
’If she is unwilling to give up her life essence, I will have to revise my original plan.’
"If it will help save Lady Nova, handing over so of my life essence is a small price to pay. I will place my trust in you, Commander Izroth." Kalsia said with a look of clarity in her eyes.
"Kalsia..." Aurie uttered softly.
If it were anyone else making such an absurd request, Aurie would have stepped in. However, since she also decided to place her trust in Izroth, how could she prevent Kalsia from doing the sa?
The next mont, Kalsia closed her eyes and placed her hands together. Not long after doing so, a calm surge of mana gathered around her location.
A light green marking that resembled a tree appeared at the center of Kalsia’s forehead. The instant that marking ford, the area around Kalsia beca rich in life energy.
Kalsia opened her eyes as she moved her right hand upward and placed her index and middle finger against the marking on her forehead.
Shiiing..!
When Kalsia made contact with the marking, a low noise rumbled that mirrored that of leaves blowing in strong winds. As this wind appeared, Kalsia slowly retracted her fingers from her forehead. And, as she perford this action, a single deep green bead exited the marking on her forehead and hovered around the index and middle finger of her right hand.
At the sa ti, Kalsia’s face gained a bit more color and a look of mild exhaustion ford on her face.
"W-Will this do?" Kalsia inquired as she avoided looking directly at Izroth as she extended her hand with her life essence outward.
"This amount is perfect." Izroth said as he carefully accepted Kalsia’s life essence and took a mont to examine it.
’I only read a few books that ntioned a trephasia’s life essence. The more noble one’s blood, the greater the life energy contained within their life essence. Yet, despite coming from a Child of the Forest, the life energy inside of this small drop is more than triple of what I anticipated. Are there different levels of bloodlines even among the Child of the Forests?’
Izroth was curious about a few things; however, he quickly pushed them to the back of his mind. Right now, he had to focus on keeping the promise he made.
’During the last battle against the shadahi, the mark of corruption accounted for roughly 30% of the total deaths. But, in reality, the actual number is closer to around double. I read that those afflicted with the mark of corruption saw it as an absolute death sentence and often volunteered to be deployed to tough battlefields as the vanguard. It was typically there that they t with their death.’
Ever since his run in with Nekrostalnos, Envoy of The Netherworld, Izroth had been thinking of ways to overco the shadahi’s innate ability to adapt at a frightening rate. However, since it was not a deal of great urgency at the ti, he did not give it too much thought.
But, after his recent discover at the Night Lord’s Crypt of a portal connected to the Shadahi Realm, Izroth believed that it may be too late to stop what was already in full motion. Even though that portal was not fully functional, there were still shadahi that managed to cross over into the Mortal Realm without the use of the Tempest forbidden spell, the Gateway of a Thousand Bloodless Hands.
That’s why, on top of trying to uncover whether or not there were any more portals that connected to the Shadahi Realm within the Mortal Realm, Izroth also wanted to prepare for the worse.
’A cure for the mark of corruption does not exist. If the Mortal Realm faces the shadahi again under such circumstances, the number of lives that will be a heavy blow. I have to take this chance to study the mark of corruption. Only then can I start to develop a way to prevent or cure it.’
In truth, Izroth would have liked to take a sample of the mark of corruption; however, it was far too dangerous to carry out into the world.
’For now, I will just have to rember the effects and the way it interacts with my thods.’
Izroth sat in a ditative position on the side of the pool of liquid where Nova drifted upon a giant leaf.
In one swift motion, Izroth removed three items from his inventory—a tree branch, a strange fruit and a vial of liquid.
If soone were to see these three things in a shop, they would walk by it without batting an eye. However, any one of these items were enough to cause those who knew their worth to gaze with eyes of greed.
A Branch of the Ancestral Thousand Blossoms Tree that has been alive for tens of thousands of years. The Young Wing of the Ambrosia Tree, a mythical ranked ore capable of providing effects of longevity. And, the Vial of Immortal Nectar—an item on par with a Mature Wing of the Ambrosia Tree.
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