The next morning, we sat in Lylia's laboratory, with several artifacts surrounding the reinforced walls. In the center was a desk buried under towers of papers, and Lylia was sitting there, holding a quill. Kristen stood behind her, helping her with her work.
"Good morning, did you get enough rest?" she asked softly.
"We did."
"That's great, a well-rested body helps you recover faster and keeps your mind sharp and alert. It's not wise to push your body too much after all."
She put her quill down, her gaze meeting ours. "Then let's begin the session. You can ask anything you want before we proceed with your training."
I hesitated, then glanced at Zei. She gave me a small, reassuring nod, and I reached into my coat and pulled out the scroll containing the Rune.
"Actually, there is something we wanted to ask," I showed her the scroll that Icarus gave us the previous night. Lylia examined it carefully, her brows frowning slightly.
"Where did you get this from?"
"It was a parting gift from Miss Alina's childhood friend, Icarus, he seemed to view us in a favorable light and gave it to us."
"I see." She set it down gently on her desk, her fingers brushing against the intricate and complex rune inscribed in it.
"This scroll contains a Rune of Ignition. It releases a surge of Ember when unleashing your attribute, which enhances your body and core temporarily during battle. The Ember sealed within this Rune is very refined, your body might get damaged if you use it right now."
Kristen let out a low whistle.
"Such scrolls are difficult to acquire. Whoever this Icarus is, he must have a powerful backing to get his hands on something like this."
"Should we discard it then?"
"That depends on you," Lylia answered calmly. "The rune itself poses no harm, and learning to use it is straightforward enough. In a battle, such things can be extremely crucial, making the difference between life and death."
"Then we'll hold onto it for now." Zei replied, without hesitation, "Our battles will only get harder in the future, it's better to have such things in your arsenal."
"That's a wise decision." She gave an approving nod.
"Then let's begin your training."
Kristen stepped forward and handed us both a chalice of Liquified Ember.
"I have diluted the Liquified Ember you guys had been taking with Spring Essence," Lylia explained. "It will be less painful than before, and its effect will be more potent and efficient."
I took a deep breath and poured the chalice down my throat. This time, it was sweeter and carried a subtle warmth through my body. My control over Ember had improved sufficiently after last night. Without wasting a second, I directed the flow of the Ember towards my core.
"You're doing great," Lylia's voice echoed in my ear. A cold sensation crept up my arms, like frost searing through my veins. Ember poured into my body like a river stream, and a surge of energy flooded my body.
I closed my eyes, and the endless void unfolded before me, vast and silent. Countless white motes drifted through the darkness like snow falling from the sky. As if drawn by an unseen force, they began spiraling towards the center, where my unformed core was situated, and vanished as if swallowed by the abyss.
My body felt heavy, as if something was being forged at the center of my heart. Each passing moment felt like days, but I persisted. A chill seeped into my veins, spreading through each nerve, every fiber of my being. Soon, my entire body was enveloped in frost, devoid of any warmth.
I could hear muffled voices echoing in my ear, urging me to stop, but I pushed them aside.
At that instance, something else stirred within me. Something ancient and inscrutable, it was for a mere moment, but I felt it, like a creature emerging to make its presence known.
All I could do now was endure.
I could hear muffled voices echoing in my ear, urging me to stop, but I pushed them aside.
Just when I thought it was over, an agonizing pain swallowed my entire being. My heart started to beat rapidly, blood streamed down my mouth, and my head felt like it was about to burst open.
After an unknown period of time, the pain subsided. Silence settled over the void, leaving me gasping for air. Silver runes flared to life on my skin. A cold yet comforting feeling settled in my heart.
Reality lurched yet again before I could process what was happening.
"It seems like you finally crossed the threshold." It was Azier. He looked at me, seemingly amused at my state.
"I told you that you will succeed in due time."
"I… succeeded?" I managed to utter.
"Indeed," he gestured behind me, "look for yourself."
I turned around, my gaze fell onto the horizon beyond the Eternal Snow. In the distance, a radiant orb hovered in the sky, gleaming with silver light, permeating the entire space with its radiance. Glancing at it from a distance, I felt a strange connection resonate within me, as if it were calling for me.
"Few people ever get to witness their core with their own eyes," he murmured.
However, before I could say anything, the entire space started to tremble violently. "W-what is it now?" I stammered.
From the fabric of reality emerged a second orb. It slowly rose onto the opposite side of the horizon. Its presence felt much more powerful and vast, like something that had been slumbering for a very long time had been awakened.
"That's my core," Azier said quietly. "With our souls merged, the moment yours was born, mine was also manifested into existence in this world."
"Does that mean…. I'll have two cores in my body?" I asked.
"Unfortunately, that won't be happening." He shook his head. "Your body is far too feeble and weak to handle two runic cores simultaneously. It will create an imbalance in your body, which can result in permanent damage or even death."
"So, what are you going to do?" I asked, getting worried.
"I'm going to use runic sorcery and create an enchantment to seal my core and conceal its existence so that nobody will be able to tell there are two runic cores inside your body. If the word gets out, your life will be in danger."
"You know runic sorcery?"
A faint smile curved up his lips. "We Remnants were proficient in various fields aside from combat as well, that's why we were feared after all."
"Won't it be harmful? I mean, sealing your own core."
"As long as I reside in the Garden of Swords, it shouldn't cause a problem. I can simply sustain myself from your core, so you don't need to be worried about it."
"That's good then," I nodded.
"Once I activate the runic circle, you will lose consciousness for a while, your body is already exhausted from earlier."
"That's fine by me."
"Rest well, you have made remarkable progress today, more than many make in a year. It will only get harder from this point on."
"Thanks for the kind words."
Silver runes flared to life on Azier's wrists, a colossal runic circle manifested in the sky, numerous runes shimmered across the sky, forming a circle. Soon, the runes circumscribed the core.
"Beautiful," murmured, feeling my consciousness slipping away, and before I knew it, the darkness consumed me.
I opened my eyes to an unfamiliar ceiling, and the pleasant smell of herbs permeated the room.
"Where am I?"
"You passed out."
I turned to see Zei sitting idly on a chair, holding a book in her hand. Her gaze met mine. A displeased expression was etched on her face, but she quickly suppressed it.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"I'm fine, it's just the formation of my core took a toll on my body, and I collapsed." I lied. "How much time has passed?"
"You were unconscious for an entire day," she said quietly.
"....A day,"
"Kristen said it's the consequence of you trying to push yourself beyond your limits." She placed her book down, her gaze meeting with mine, anger visible in them.
"Lylia told you to stop. You didn't listen. If she interfered, it might have been dangerous, so all we could do was observe." Her voice trembled despite her attempt to stay composed. "You started bleeding out of nowhere, and Kirsten had to heal you constantly. Then suddenly you lost consciousness."
Silence hung between us as she finished explaining what had transpired earlier.
"I told you to take it slowly, didn't I?" She said quietly.
"I'm sorry."
"Why do you keep doing this?" Her voice latched with anger this time. "Why do you keep pushing yourself to such extremes?"
"Because I'm afraid," I placed my hand above hers to calm her down. "I don't want what happened in the past to ever happen again, Zei. Every time I look at myself, I am reminded of my own inadequacy." My grip tightened around her soft hand. "You had already awakened your attribute and formed your core, and here I was struggling to control Ember properly. It was frustrating."
She stared at me for a few moments before letting out a sigh, "You idiot…" Squeezing my hand gently, she murmured, "You don't have to carry all the burden alone."
Her gaze softened.
"You aren't weak or powerless, Rayne. If anything, you have more courage than I could muster up. "
"I know you're afraid. But if something happened to you… I'm scared of that happening, so cherish yourself more, okay?"
Her hand trembling slightly in mine.
"I understand," I said quietly.
All of a sudden I was pulled into a warm. The comforting feeling eased the pain in my body.
"Congratulations on forming your core. I'm glad you did it, but try something reckless like this next time, and it won't end well for you."
Before I could say anything, Zei had already gotten up and left the room.
"Haaah..." I exhaled, running my hand through my hair.
"I hoped it lasted longer."