I was imdiately transported to a new location, one more... sophisticated than the wilderness.
"A house?" [Solace]
I expected more of a mansion, but I was taken to a log cabin of so sort. It was small. So small that I thought it would be impossible to house more than one person.
("He wants to stay here?") [Solace]
"This is my humble abode. Did you expect sothing grander?" [Elcrid]
"...A little." [Solace]
Glancing around, I noticed that we were still in the Misty Forest. I almost didn’t realize because the air surrounding the house was clear and sunny.
"Do you have so kind of magic to push out the mist?" [Solace]
The vampire-like person simply smiled.
"Now now, enough with the speculations. How about we head inside?" [Elcrid]
I followed him into the cabin, eyes widening as it opened up to an impossibly spacious interior.
"Huh?" [Solace]
I stuck my head in and out of the doorway to check if I was hallucinating.
("This is so weird...") [Solace]
I think I’ve seen sothing like this before at the academy, yet it felt even more surreal here.
"Are you coming in?" [Elcrid]
"Ah, yeah." [Solace]
I felt a little embarrassed acting like I didn’t know anything. In any case, the inside was like a giant library. Rows of books spiraled upwards, so high that I thought I thought I was inside a skyscraper. Thinking about it now, it was similar to Lapis’ moving tower.
"Your ho is a library?" [Solace]
"Sowhat." [Elcrid]
With a clap of his hands the room shifted into a small cozy living room. Dim lighting, a fireplace, a table, a rack of liquor, a beautiful carpet, and two recliners.
"Have a seat." [Elcrid]
Taking a seat in one of the recliners, he extended a hand towards the other.
"..." [Solace]
Still stunned by the shift of environnt, I took my seat.
"Before you say anything, allow to quickly re-introduce myself." [Elcrid]
Pulling over so liquor and cups using telekinesis or sothing, Elcrid poured himself a drink.
"I am Elcrid, and an ancient. I am an ancestor of vampires who has spent over a millennia in secular life. I am the creator of the Misty Forest, Elcrid the Immortal. Any questions?" [Elcrid]
I paused.
"...You made the Misty Forest?" [Solace]
Elcrid nodded.
"It was a necessary step to ensure I am to be left to my own devices during secular life. Before I made this place, life was... turbulent." [Elcrid]
"So you know nothing of the outside world?" [Solace]
"I know the holy war has ended." [Elcrid]
I had no clue what that was so I skipped over it. Instead, I spoke my mind directly.
"Why... did you ask to stay over here?" [Solace]
Elcrid took a sip of his liquor casually.
"Boredom." [Elcrid]
"...Boredom?" [Solace]
Elcrid emptied his glass, refilled it, glanced at , then offered it to .
"Want so?" [Elcrid]
"...I’m underaged." [Solace]
"What’s that an?" [Elcrid]
It appears legal drinking ages didn’t exist in his ti.
"Can you answer my question instead of drinking?" [Solace]
Elcrid rotated his cup, allowing the dim lighting to illuminate the liquid.
"After living for so long, you tend to get bored." [Elcrid]
"So I’m your source of entertainnt?" [Solace]
Will he kill once he gets bored of my presence?
"A bit. It’s not everyday soone has the courage to co into the Misty Forest." [Elcrid]
Elcrid sat up.
"I would like to hear your story." [Elcrid]
"...And then you’ll let go?" [Solace]
"If you so wish." [Elcrid]
With a snap of his fingers, a silver tray of cookies appeared on the table.
"Help yourself." [Elcrid]
I wasn’t exactly hungry, but I ate one anyway.
("...This isn’t chocolate.") [Solace]
What I thought to be chocolate chip was actually raisins. Putting that aside, I told Elcrid my story. Only from when the hero’s journey began though.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
"Interesting... I feel like I’ve heard of your master once." [Elcrid]
Elcrid rubbed his chin as he tried to recall.
"Ah, he must be the one that put Jukhan in prison." [Elcrid]
"You heard of it?" [Solace]
"Yes, it was big news. Before Jukhan was known as the mage killer, he was called Lordbane." [Elcrid]
"Lordbane?" [Solace]
"It ans all the Lords were afraid of him. Wherever that man went, lord-doms would fall." [Elcrid]
Guess Jukhan was a walking country demolisher.
"I’d like to et your master so ti." [Elcrid]
"Knowing Master’s personality, he might want to et you too." [Solace]
"I look forward to it. Anyway, I now know why I could sense several curses on you." [Elcrid]
"You could sense it?" [Solace]
Elcrid scratched his nose.
"The imnse scent of |Divine| and |Demonic| power over you is more than just a telltale." [Elcrid]
I think that was the first ti I learned that soone could uh... sll power. Well, we learn sothing everyday.
"I don’t think anything can be done with the curses, however, I think I can do sothing about your manaless syndro." [Elcrid]
I shot up in my seat.
"You can?!" [Solace]
"I researched it a while ago. I got bored so I decided to cure every known illness that ti." [Elcrid]
I think I just hit the jackpot.
"I can’t say it’s a perfect fix though. There are side effects." [Elcrid]
"Like?" [Solace]
"Your mana will be much lower than previously. If it were to be addressed in a nurical sense, I’d say it would drop to a single digit." [Elcrid]
To summarize, I think he ant that my stats would go to one.
"Can I reaccumulate it?" [Solace]
"Not right away. Little by little in order not to break your mana core again. It would take several months to rehabilitate." [Elcrid]
That’s not even a problem. Knowing this, I stood up and lowered my head.
"Elcrid. Please, cure my manaless syndro." [Solace]
"Hm... Why not? I do have one condition though." [Elcrid]
"That is?" [Solace]
"You’re... a spirit, right?" [Elcrid]
"? A spirit?" [Solace]
Even if I was trying to hide it, I’m pretty sure my expression just gave it away.
"Looking at your mana structure you’re not human." [Elcrid]
"What?" [Solace
Did the Unseeing Sword’s mana structure editing go away already?
"There’s evidence of it being tampered with. I’m assuming that you’ve t the Unseeing Sword?" [Elcrid]
"How did you know...?" [Solace]
"I taught him that. What, did you expect not to see through his work?" [Elcrid]
"...The Unseeing Sword is your disciple?" [Solace]
That ant this man raised quite the murderer.
"Not exactly. He has an ability to identify soone’s strength and potential which he uses to pick fights. When he first t he tried to kill ." [Elcrid]
"...And I’m guessing you beat him?" [Solace]
Elcrid grinned.
"I’m not called the Immortal for no reason. He didn’t possess a weapon or skill capable of killing , so I won of course." [Elcrid]
"Oh. So, you’re like... immortal immortal? Or just mostly immortal?" [Solace]
"Immortal as in I quite literally cannot die in any possible way." [Elcrid]
"I thought you were an ancestor of vampires. What about garlic and stakes through the heart?" [Solace]
Elcrid chuckled.
"We’re not the sa. Vampires are descendants of ancients mixed with mortals. Their weaknesses appeared because human hearts are their weaknesses, garlic is simply an allergy, and sunlight is deadly because the goddess of light just abhors them." [Elcrid]
This was kind of destroying my view of mythical creatures.
"We’re getting off track. You must be wondering how I know you’re a spirit specifically right?" [Elcrid]
I nodded.
"I just reverse engineered what the Unseeing Sword did to you. Well, more like envisioning it in my head." [Elcrid]
Ah, I see. I’m in the presence of a genius.
"The thing is, spirits are the only race without a set mana structure. How I deduced you were a spirit was because your original mana structure did not match any existing creature known to man. Or rather, what I’ve researched." [Elcrid]
This guy might actually be insane. How can he even rember all that?
"So your condition is...?" [Solace]
"To study you." [Elcrid]
It appears that I’m dealing with another Lapis.
("What’s with all these bookworms wanting to research ?") [Solace]
"You won’t... harm , right?" [Solace]
"I’ll ensure that you won’t die." [Elcrid]
"That’s not a very good answer." [Solace]
What if he just tortured on the verge of death?
"If you lose a limb, I will regrow it for you. With here, you will always remain in pristine condition. I’m literally the greatest... Well, everything. Any profession, you na it. What’s there to worry about?" [Elcrid]
That was a sowhat convincing argunt. I leaned back in the recliner and sighed.
("Do I even have any other choice?") [Solace]
There was the option of waiting for Nakros, but the possibility of him finding sothing to cure is slim. Plus, the cure is right in front of .
"...Condition accepted. Please treat ." [Solace]
Elcrid reached over, grabbed my hand, and shook it.
"It’s a pleasure." [Elcrid]
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