After being let inside her abode, Sanvra and Lassim sat in the small, cozy living room of Sanvra’s ho; a table between them littered with maps and scrolls. The morning earthquake had left both of them with a sense of urgency that was hard to shake, which was the reason for the tense look on Sanvra’s face when she had opened the door.
Sanvra sighed, her fingers tracing the lines on a damage report she received from one of her assistants that updated her daily on the various village’s situations. "[The earthquake this morning was quite strong. We had one ho partially collapse and a line of barrier poles fell over. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, and repairs are already underway.]"
Lassim nodded, relief visible on his face. "[I’m glad it wasn’t worse. The earthquakes have been getting more frequent and stronger lately. We need to figure out what’s causing them.]"
Sanvra agreed, her expression serious. "[These quakes are becoming a major concern. If they continue to increase in strength and frequency like they have, they could pose a significant threat to our settlents.]"
Lassim leaned back in his chair, his thoughts drifting to the progress they had made over the years. "[I’ve been having to travel further and further from the main settlents to find more corruption. I believe they’re definitely related to the amount we’ve been able to cleanse. However, I think it’s ti I pushed through and spent the next few months heading toward the borders of the plane.
We need to clear up the rest of the corruption as soon as possible. It might make the earthquakes more intense, but this is our only shot at a way out of here.]"
Sanvra nodded thoughtfully. "[I’ve been thinking the sa. In fact, I believe I have a good idea where the actual source of the corruption might be located. I’ve been getting these flashes of what I can only describe as "Pain" and an object in recent days. If you’re willing to wait, I can use my prophecy technique to channel Khaalseru’s power and give you a detailed map of the route to that object.]"
Lassim’s eyes widened with interest. "[That would be incredibly helpful. If we can pinpoint the source, it could save us a lot of ti and effort now that we’ve cleansed nearly everywhere else.]"
Sanvra stood up and moved to a clear area in the room. "[Give a mont, my star.]"
Lassim watched as she closed her eyes and began to chant softly. Her snow-white markings began to glow, radiating a bright, ethereal light.
Suddenly, the light shifted to a dark black void color, as if the very essence of night had consud her markings. They were both there and not there, like the space between each edge was both fractionally miniscule but also more imnse than the entire known universe. Her eyes underwent the sa transformation, turning into two dark voids that seed to swallow all light around them.
Lassim felt a shiver run down his spine and had to glance away, the void of her eyes threatening to trap his gaze and pull him into an endless abyss. It was a powerful and disconcerting display that occurred every ti she used a bit of Khaalseru’s power as their High Priestess.
After what felt like an eternity, the glow faded, and Sanvra’s markings and eyes returned to their normal state. She opened her eyes and took a deep breath, reaching for one of the maps on the table.
"[I have seen the path,]" she said, her voice slightly shaky from the exertion. "[The source of the corruption is deep within the plane, far from our current settlents. This route will guide you there.]"
She spread the map out on the table, her fingers using a piece of charcoal to trace the route she had seen in her vision. "[Follow this path, and you should reach the source. Be careful, Lassim. The closer you get, the stronger the corruption will be. But if anyone can do this, it’s you.]"
Lassim studied the map, committing the route to mory. His ti in the realm had given him a pretty good sense of direction and the general layout of things to not need to bring it with him. "[Thank you, Sanvra. With this, we can finally put an end to the corruption and hopefully escape this prison.]"
Lassim set off early the next morning, his mind focused on the task ahead. His spirit companions, Mari and Zaphy, were ready for the journey as they began their journey.
The initial days were relatively uneventful, with the light snow creating a serene, almost picturesque landscape, had it not been his ever present warden for the last 5 years.
However, as Lassim ventured further from the safety of the settlents, the snow grew thicker and the wind more biting.
After nearly a week, the conditions quickly escalated to near-blizzard levels, the swirling snow obscuring his vision and the cold biting through his clothes. But Lassim was no longer the boy who had stumbled into this plane years ago.
With a casual wave of his hand, he conjured a sturdy [Aegis] barrier, its shimring surface providing a shield against the harsh wind and heavy snow. His control of the mana in the air and the water mana particles was strong; more superior than the winds and clouds of the plane.
The barrier allowed him to travel with relative ease and unperturbed calm, the blizzard raging outside unable to touch him at all.
Yet, as he pressed on, he noticed a disturbing change in the snow around him. What started as white had transitioned to a faint pink hue that deepened with each passing day, eventually transforming into a sickly red. The air grew heavier too, the corruption more palpable. It left a stinging and almost bitter taste like eating a spicy pepper with every breath he inhaled.
Three weeks into his journey, Lassim finally reached the edge of the plane.
The land itself abruptly gave way to an expanse of nothingness, an endless void that seed to stretch into infinity. It was his first ti seeing it, but he rembered Sanvra’s descriptions of her previous attempts to find an escape.
Lassim approached the edge cautiously, peering into the void.
Above him, hanging in the air, was his target—a giant shard. It oozed a dark, red substance, and its surface seed to pulse with a malevolent energy. He couldn’t tell if it was made of tal, crystal, or so other material entirely. It was very oddly shaped too, almost like it was so sort of fragnt of a weapon that had shattered sohow.
As he stared at the shard, a sharp pain lanced through his head, forcing him to look away. He shook his head, trying to clear the disorientation.
"[What is that thing?]" he muttered, his voice barely audible over the howling wind. The corruption in the air was thick, almost suffocating.
Mari materialized within the barrier and swam closer to him as she glanced up at it as well for a brief mont, her golden scales glinting faintly. "[It’s definitely what we are looking for,]" she said softly. "[Whatever it is, it’s connected deeply to the source of the plane’s affliction.]"
Zaphy fluttered beside him, her feathers crackling with residual static. "[We need to be careful, brother. That thing is dangerous.]"
Lassim nodded, his expression grim. "[Yes, I felt it. We’ll all be careful together Zaphy. Well, at least we don’t need to understand it fully to clear away this corruption. First, let’s try and see if we can neutralize it. Let’s set up camp here and observe it for a while while we clear out our surroundings.
Maybe there’s sothing of a weakness we can exploit to get rid of it.]"
Mari and Zaphy agreed, and Lassim began to set up a temporary shelter, his [Aegis] barrier expanding to create a safe and wider space for them to rest and plan their next move.
As they settled in, the ominous presence of the shard lood over them
Once they were settled, Lassim wasted no ti in addressing the overwhelming corruption surrounding their camp. The air was thick with a malevolent energy that seed to seep into every crevice, making the task ahead feel almost insurmountable.
He began by channeling his lightning mana, focusing it into a concentrated stream aid at the corrupted air around him.
However, even with his superior Spirit Transformation level 5 power, it felt like chiseling away at a stone wall with a spoon. The corruption was dense and resistant, each attempt to cleanse it t with fierce opposition. It reminded him of the ti when he first entered this realm and tried to access the mana for the first ti, resistant at every attempt.
Lassim’s brow furrowed in concentration as he continued to push forward, his determination unwavering despite the slow progress.
"[This is tough,]" Lassim muttered, beads of sweat forming on his forehead despite the cold.
Zaphy, sensing his struggle, swooped down and perched on his shoulder. "[Brother, let help,]" she offered, her voice crackling with energy.
She spread her wings wide, amplifying the lightning with her own power. The combined force of their lightning began to make a noticeable difference, the corruption starting to recede, albeit very, very slowly.
Yet, an interesting surprise had been given to the trio.
Every bit of cleansed mana that Lassim purified and absorbed felt incredibly potent and powerful, unlike any he had absorbed from the cleansings before. The previously already superior and potent mana was nearly a third as dense as the sa energy in this location. It ca from the sa source, he felt, but sothing about this spot made it even more incredible.
It coursed through his veins with a raw, intense energy, invigorating his entire being.
"[This... It’s so powerful,]" Lassim remarked, his eyes widening as he felt the surge within him.
Mari swam closer, her golden scales shimring with a renewed brilliance. "[I can feel it too,]" she said, her voice filled with awe. "[It’s unlike anything I can even imagine. This mana is so pure. It’s almost intoxicating. Absorb as much as you can, my child.
Do that sa as before, as this is a rare opportunity!]"
Encouraged by Mari’s words, Lassim intensified his efforts. The potency of the mana was like a drug, its powerful essence coursing through his mana pathways and cultivation.
Every bit he absorbed seed to amplify his strength, enhancing his lightning’s cleansing and destructive power further.
Motivated by the surge of power, Lassim powered through the arduous task, chipping away at the thick corruption piece by piece.
He took his ti with every circulation and rotation of his cultivation technique, ensuring that the old, corrupted mana was ticulously replaced with the newly purified energy. The process was slow, but with each cycle, the air around him beca clearer, the oppressive weight of the corruption gradually lifting.
Hours turned into days as Lassim continued his relentless effort. The progress was incredibly slow, but steady.
The once overwhelming corruption in the five ters around him had begun to show signs of retreat past his barrier, the pure mana creating a pocket of clean, non-spicy air amidst the tainted atmosphere.
"[You’re doing great,]" Mari said, her voice steady and reassuring. "[Keep going. We’re making progress, bit by bit.]"
Zaphy fluttered nearby, her eyes gleaming with excitent. "[We can do this, brother!]" she cheered, her enthusiasm infectious.
With their combined efforts, Lassim felt further inspired. The challenge was imnse, but so was their determination.
The source of the corruption lood above, a daunting presence that would require all their strength and perseverance to overco. But for now, they focused on the task at hand, chipping away at the darkness one tiny piece at a ti.
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