Harpers phantom trudged on through the snow as she sat atop its shoulders. She looked on to evaluate her surroundings. Small groups of huts that used to house small families of hunters that lived disconnected from society. Since very few people would or could adapt to such a harsh lifestyle, it made the perfect place for the Emissaries of Death to create a footing.
Harpers eyes transitioned into an even brighter blue as she activated her spectral vision. Dozens of glowing blue flas appeared in front of her, all scattered about hidden in shacks or in trees, so were even beneath the snow. Of course, each fla was the soul of a living being, aning that each fla represented a person attempting to hide from sight.
It is a trap, Harper muttered. Just to be sure she checked her notepad and it definitely warned against falling into traps.
Harper furrowed her brows to indicate her anger, but it was hard to read it as threatening due to her childish face. Her fingers glided over the cold tal baton sitting on her hip as her phantom slightly adjusted its course toward the nearest fla.
.
Bored. So bored. So damn bored. Ira laid on his bed while speaking aloud. After returning from The Great Forest, he went ho and imdiately realized there was nothing for him to do. Since the summit was close, he had to stay in the capital and he had no way of distracting himself until the ti ca for him to leave.
Ah...damn it. Ira hopped to his feet before pacing around the room. He went over a ntal list of people that could provide him with a distraction.
Lance, Sarah, and Valerie would probably ask him all about reviving Gerald and Zella which would be impossible without Harper who was off on a mission.
If Amy listened to his earlier advice, she wouldnt be in the academy so he would have to track her down. Aldis wouldve probably left too, and the chances of them working together were very high.
Rhys left no point of contact after they parted ways, so he would have to track her via sll which would be hard to do at this point. To sift through hundreds of thousands, if not, millions of scents to track a specific one would probably overload Iras senses.
Clark! Ira widened his eyes before shaking his head and going back into thought.
If Clark was still...himself, Ira didnt want anything to do with him. It would take a lot of effort to make Clark stronger. When Clark was still distraught over Amy losing her arm, Ira tried to push into a position where he would want to gain so type of strength, but he doubted that Clark could change that early.
Ira let loose a frustrated sigh and he flopped back onto his bed. Avery He mumbled.
There was no one he wanted to see more than her at the mont, but since she said her training could last until spring, so he didnt think he had a chance of seeing her for the next few months.
Finally, Iras mind found a person that he could definitely bother and for a good reason at that.
Charles it is. Ira hopped out of bed once again prepared to leave.
Charles Pov.
I understand that there are certain...truths...that wont or rather cant be comprehended by man, but is that reason to stop? The search for answers, the feeling of standing before a groundbreaking truth is intoxicating, but as soon as it's revealed the entire pursuit loses its luster and one should move onto the next one. That was the reasoning behind what others called my reckless behavior, but recently I'm inclined to agree. Ever since I laid eyes on the bloodline formula my thirst for knowledge has beco more of an addiction. An incredible urge pushes past obsession entirely and onto sothing else.
Im getting off track, I say to no one in particular before flipping the through my notes.
Ira. Ira was a walking truth. Sothing greater than all of my past discoveries and research topics. There is an unnad power that he controls that defies all past conventions. At a first glance, one would assu that he was extrely well versed in spatial magic. I assud it was to be so after I witnessed his teleporting first hand. Coupled with his brute strength, bloodline, and hidden stores of information that even he didnt seem to understand, he made for one abnormal individual but I assud it stopped there.
Ira has virtually no talent in mana and despite that, he is able to teleport. When I beca aware of that, my whole perspective on him changed. His strength definitely cos from his bloodline, that is indisputable. So where does his ability to manipulate gravity, teleport, transfer kinetic energy, and alter matter co from? His bloodline seems as if it's the very base of his powers, granting him strength and longevity and so physical resistance to most of his own abilities. Thats most likely why his skeletal structure doesnt seem to be affected when he manipulates gravity around himself or jumps through space randomly.
But what is that black mist? I question aloud.
The imdiate answer was the Black Pillar, but its only similarity was the color. No one had ventured to the Black Forest and returned alive so I could only assu they might be related. Without any evidence, it was hard to draw a solid conclusion, even if the chances of relation were high.
So what is it? As I thought further on, I failed to keep track of my unconscious mumbling.
The Origin Force was thought to be imnse according to the theory. Hundreds if not thousands of different things were linked to the Origin Force, but none involved what Ira was capable of. If Iras abilities stemd from the Origin Force, everyone would attempt to gain the sa abilities, and the God most compatible with that force would be likely to reign supre. Since that wasnt the case, did that an it was possible for Iras abilities to co from outside the
Youre making that face again Charles. The one that makes it look like youre unraveling sothing important. That sa one makes wonder if I should kill you before you end up finding sothing you shouldnt. The upbeat voice that interrupted was none other than Iras.
The hairs on my neck raised as I turned around and there he stood with a small grin.
Dozens of responses ran through my mind, but they manifested as a nervous stamring, Uh--Im not really--Its
As my throat dried, the volu of my voice fell, but my heart seed to pump loudly enough. A mont of silence passed as Ira narrowed his yellow eyes and held a look that told he was contemplating what he would lose by my death.
All of a sudden, Ira chuckled and shook his head, Im just kidding. That intense look from before was nowhere to be found and I was once again safe to form whatever thoughts I wanted in my mind.
Ira ignored and walked around my workshop and examined my tools.
Oh! He clasped his head in an exaggerated motion as if he had forgotten sothing important. Harper can sift through thoughts and mories. He said as he turned to before continuing. She can even create new mories or alter previous ones.
My heart dropped at his words. Was it a threat? A reminder? A warning? Did he plan to alter my mories so I forget about his powers? I felt sick at the thought of having knowledge stolen from when I was on the cusp of a revelation.
Woah...You look kinda pale. Ira said with an intentionally fabricated worriso tone. Its just sothing I rembered is all, but maybe Ill have her take a look. If its nothing big going on in your head then who cares, right? But if its sothing I dont like, then Ira took a second to think.
Maybe Ill have her use you as a practice dummy. Imagine it, every week you get to rember a new life. One day youre a chef the next youre a bird. Stuff like that. He explained.
I-I was only thinking of where your power ca from, I swear. The words burst out of my mouth before I could stop myself. It was easier to admit what I was doing before any chance of that chilling future could co into play.
Charles, co on. Im joking. Really, as long as it doesnt have anything to do with the bloodline enhancent I could care less. Ira once again laughed at and then went back to going through my stuff.
So everything you said about altering mories was just a joke? I asked as I cald my heart.
Oh no. Thats all real, Harper can do all of that. Ira answered nonchalantly as he tossed so papers over his back before he continued to sift through my things.
I see I would like to believe that I had nothing to worry about, but my mind couldnt help but contemplate certain topics on its own.
Are you looking for sothing in particular? I asked as Ira continued to go through my things.
Wait! Ira raised his head. If Harper can alter mories, why didnt I just change Clarks traumatic mories so that he wouldnt be scared of picking up a sword?
I didnt recall ever eting a Clark so I guess his question was more to himself rather than to .
Nevermind. Thatd be too easy right, Charles? Ira peered over his shoulder to look at .
Not knowing how to respond, I asked my own question instead of answering. Are there any new developnts, regarding your abilities?
No, Ira responded almost imdiately as he went back to rooting through so of my old papers.
Are you sure you arent looking for sothing specific? I asked once again. While everything in my...workshop...would appear to be disorganized at a glance, everything followed a detailed a specific placent.
Actually, why dont you have any instructions on how to work an index? Ira tossed a stack of papers away before standing up.
Well, the Kingdom keeps them under close watch so very few people are able to interact with them, I explained with an odd sense of expectation.
Ira waved his hand and from thin air, a large glass cube standing on three limbs appeared in front him. In the center of the cube was a rectangular slot that was most likely for
Thats a...How did you get an actual index?! I shouted.
.
I asked for it very nicely, Ira responded before producing his status card and placing it in the index. He waited for a few monts, but nothing happened. The index showed no signs of activity.
I assu it needs mana to be activated. This had to be recovered from the expedition, but I heard they only recovered six. Charles said as he moved closer to examine the cube.
Mana? Iras face flashed with a look of disappointnt before it lit back up. He could visit Avery under the pretext of delivering the index since the Valkyries were able to use mana and Harper was still out on a mission.
Ira...do you know what an index ans to a country? Charles said with an astonished look.
Nope. Ira shrugged.
Its the lifeblood of a country. I dont even need to be in the Kingdoms inner circle to know they plan to trade five of those indexes to other countries in exchange for sothing precious. There are seven countries on the entire continent and only six indexes recovered. If one country doesnt receive an index they may engage in war with another in order to take one. Did you realize by withholding the seventh index you are acting as a possible stimulant to war? Charles stumbled into a chair as he realized just how important that seventh index was.
You really think this Kingdom would share these evenly? Ira gave a cynical chuckle as he shook his head.
During his ti in the void, the Wolf had shown him the nature of the races and it was safe to assu that they would descend into violence no matter what. That being so, Ira didnt view violence negatively but rather passively. From his viewpoint, it was just the natural order and killing people reinforced his place in that order. While many peace-loving people would disagree, they couldnt deny the fact that all peace was built through the deaths of others. After all, if people are pushed just enough, peace is reduced to being a single word. Well, those were Iras views on the matter.
Ira stored the Index away before sending a questioning gaze toward Charles. Charles, I hope youre not gonna...you know, go around telling everyone about my index.
N-No. I may not agree, but I value my life and my mories above all else. Charles stamred.
Good. If you did, I think Id have Harper make you think you were a bird first. That be kinda funny to see, right? Then after that a chef instead of whatever it is you're doing now and after that...Id probably kill you since it would get kind of old after awhile. Ira nodded before turning to leave.
Would it be alright for to research your abilities? Charles called out behind him. Even though he said he valued his life, he valued the pursuit of knowledge even more so. That was the reason why he was willing to risk Ira killing him.
Thats fine with . Ira shrugged as he exited the workshop.
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