Awakening

With a huge smile on his face and slightly reddened eyes, Dane returned to the circular platform in the middle of the room. He sat down on the floor and took out five items from his spatial ring.

Elliot's inheritance was truly a godsend for any magician. It had everything to make you a genius and get rich in the process. There were tons of enchanted items and valuable things like precious metals, gemstones, artwork, etc. Of course, there were also ingredients for potions and materials for crafting. And they were pretty rare at that. Actually, there were even several legendary class items among them.

Of course, this was all good and well, but how did this help a magician with his studies when he does not know how to use them? The answer is, he looks it up in the —quite literally— ocean of magic books, theory books and spellbooks in Elliot's inheritance. There were even books the Thunder Tower's Library did not possess! Just these were enough for Dane to call it a great deal. He could actually open his own academy with these. But, obviously, he would not. Not for now, anyway.

Apart from all of Elliot's inheritance, there also was the possessions of the Darkness faction, which made everything even better. Knowledge in dark magic is very rare, and mostly forbidden. But now it was Danes'.

Beside all of this, there were the true treasures. Those kinds of things that were found but not sought after. Arthur had encountered one of this when Zeryann was a game. Yeah. These five items were among the true treasure Elliot. Some looked unremarkable while others looked like they were banished from heaven, but all of them were equally awesome. Better yet, there was more than one of each of these items. Which solver the Arthur's bloodline problem.

Dane looked at each of the five items before taking a deep breath and calming his emotions, which were still a bit messy. As he gave the mental command, five textboxes appeared out of thin air above each of the five items.

The first item was a rainbow-colored crystal the size of a fingernail. It reflected the light around it and created a halo that almost made it look holy. It was a very rare soul awakening crystal.

[Soul Awakening Crystal (Legendary)

Effect: To people with special souls or soul traits, this item is used to awaken this characteristic. As the soul affects the body, all other special traits will also be strengthened if this crystal is consumed. It is best used by absorbing it with mana.

Warning: The process is extremely painful, so use it at your own discretion.]

The second item was a drop of golden blood stored in a glass tube. It seemed to glitter every now and then.

[Drop of God's Blood (Celestial)

Effect: Almost all humanoid beings in the world are descendants of one of the ancient races that were once created by the Overgod. By using this treasure, it triggers the genes in the body to strengthen this remnant. If the genes are pure enough, it might awaken racial traits of the consumer. It should be poured directly to the heart for the best efficiency. As this reverses the genes to strengthen a strand of remnant race, it can also reverse and thereby strengthen bloodlines. It also hypermetabolizes the body, so every potion or elixir will have a better effect. Poisons will have a deadlier effect. Diseases will have a stronger effect.

Note: The tube is enchanted so it makes sure the blood travels straight to the user's heart in both the tube and the blood is in contact with the user's chest.

Warning: The process is extremely painful, so use it at your own discretion.]

The third item was a small, brown seed. It was completely unremarkable, and you might miss it if it was laying on the ground in a forest. However, it was a very valuable item.

[Seed of The Undying Tree. (Legendary)

Effect: As a seed of the mythical Undying Tree, this seed can help grow a new one or can be consumed to strengthen the body to an almost indestructible state. It the consumer has a special constitution, it will instead channel its energy to strengthen and awaken said constitution if it is strong enough. As energy leaks are to be expected, it can also strengthen a bloodline or racial traits in the user's body. It is best used when swallowed.

Warning: The process is extremely painful, so use it at your own discretion.]

The fourth item was a crimson crystal, and even though it looked pretty, it seemed useless. However, it was not.

[Blood Essence of the Storm Eagle (Legendary)

Effect: The user will gain the Storm Eagle bloodline. A mid to high concentration is guaranteed. Factors that affect the rate of absorption are health, affinity with magic, etc. The user will gain some traits of the Storm Eagle, depending on the absorption rate. In low-rate, the user will gain a high affinity with magic. In mid-rate, the user will gain an affinity with lightning. In high-grade, the user will gain a stronger body, strengthening dexterity, speed, vitality, and strength. In completion rate, the user will be able to spawn wings from it's back using mana. It is used by placing the essence inside one's body. The absorption rate depends heavily on the place used to absorb.

Note: The bloodline gained can evolve further.

Warning: The process is extremely painful, so use it at your own discretion.]

The fifth item was a ruby-like crystal, but on closer inspection, it was just a white crystal that had a deep red object inside of it. It was just that the light made the entire crystal look red.

[Bloodline Talisman (Legendary)

Effect: The Bloodline Talisman is crafted by the gods. It contains perfectly pure blood. If used as a catalyst, it can increase the purity and concentration of a bloodline in any biological being, including plants. If the user does not have a bloodline, a random one with a random concentration will be gifted. It is better used by making it be in contact with one's blood. As it evolves a bloodline, it affects other physical factors like race, constitution, and physique. The higher the effect on the body, the stronger effect the talisman will have on the soul.

Note: This talisman was made by the God of Beasts before his fall to raise an army of demihumans. Unfortunately, the talisman's effects failed to create a demihumans and helped humans gain benefits reserved for beasts and monsters without sacrificing a bit of humanity. As such, he hid them in the physical plane hoping for them to be lost forever. After his fall, his hiding spot was uncovered, later discovered by magician Elliot, who used a heavy number of talismans to gain a bloodline and raise it to its limits.

Warning: The process is extremely painful, so use it at your own discretion.]

For Dane, these five items were a custom fit. He had an unweakened soul, constitution, and race. Also, he very much wanted a bloodline. Especially a useful one. Tentatively, the Storm Eagle bloodline was the one Elliot gained back in the day, so he had a piece of condensed essence. Also, the talismans would help strengthen it, so it was a perfect fit.

Of course, Dane was quite conflicted over the five warnings he read. One thing was painful, and a completely different thing was extremely painful. Imagine five extremely painful things and then suffer them simultaneously. Of course, this was not on his bucket list.

And this was adding the fact that of the five items, only 3 were guaranteed to work, so he was having second doubts about the pain thing. Who would want pain? A lunatic. Still, he would have to suffer this sooner or later, but he was planning on spanning it over a year or something. However, he changed his mind after reading the effects carefully.

The soul strengthened the body. The racial and constitution awakenings benefited each other as well as the bloodline absorption, and these three were in turn strengthened by the soul awakening. Then, the talisman actually boosted the effect of the three above, and any energy leakage would strengthen the soul, which in turn would once again strengthen the body. This was a perfect combo to pass out of. By using the five of them simultaneously, the effects would be a lot better.

But still, he did not want the pain…

Dane knew the process. He had gone through it once, while everything was still a game and he awakened his constitution, race and soul. But the pain in-game was just a slight headache and soar muscles. Everything else was just the system doing its work. The mana was used automatically, so he did not have to concentrate on it. And the endurance to pain was determined by a willpower check, which was a hidden value. Dane did not want the pain but did not fear it either. Extreme pain was a completely different matter, though. Especially fivefold extreme pain. Extreme pain could even damage the body, so Dane hesitated.

Still, it was empty hesitation. He could not let this opportunity slip by. Pain? He would endure it, hopefully long enough for him to completely absorb the soul awakening crystal. If he passed out after that, it would not matter that much. As for the physical repercussions of the pain, as long as he didn't die or got crippled, he could be slowly healed. And he was in the main energy pool room, with six pretty big energy pools to help him restore his energy and heal faster. It was almost certain he would not die. Dane looked at the five objects in front of him and made a wry smile. After that, he laid on his back and closed his eyes.

"Shera." Dane spoke in a low voice. What was impressive was a voice answering him, reverberating all over the room.

"Yes, master. Do you need any help?"

"Have the pools in the main room work at maximum capacity for a day and keep an eye on my condition. I will probably pass out soon, so don't worry too much and, most importantly, unless I am about to die or get heavily injured do not open the door until a day has passed."

"Yes, master. As you command."

"Great. Also, don't tell Randwen even if I pass out, but be ready to lead him to the main pool room when the situations I told you before happen or in the case I am still unconscious 24 hours later."

"Yes, master. I will be monitoring your condition closely."

"Great." "Dane took a deep breath and once again sat down on the floor. "Remember Shera, 24 hours, not any less. If you see I am in a stable condition when the time ended but still unconscious, just leave me here. If I am still out when the energies in my body had calmed down and the energy pools aren't doing much, then take me out of here. But still, the precondition is that my condition is stable."

"I will remember, master."

"Great." Three deep breaths. "Set the pools at the maximum operating capacity." "Dane took out an enchanted dagger from Elliot's inheritance and took another deep breath. "Shera, now".

As soon as he said those words, the fire pool got hotter, the wind pool got wilder, the darkness pool got emptier and the light pool got holier. All the energy pools started to release that much more energy, and Dane placed his dagger against his left thigh and made a deep cut.

His forehead twitched, but he cut wider and deeper. Seconds later, blood started spurting out from the wound.

He very quickly swallowed the seed that was between his lips. He dropped de dagger and stuffed the bloodline essence deep into the wound. All the way to his femoral artery. At the same time, with his other hand, he placed the crystal tube with the God's blood against the left part of his chest.

The pain was starting and he had not even started absorbing the soul crystal.

Seconds later, he could feel the blood enter his heart as it gave a loud thud. Dane dropped the tube and took the crystal. He moved his mana to reach it and started absorbing it.

His lips were already twitching.

After the bloodline essence was in its place, he took out the talisman and started to place it beside the essence. Inside his femoral artery as well. Blood was still gushing out.

Dane now only had to focus on the soul awakening crystal, but it was a hard task. From the time he first cut his leg, only fifteen seconds had passed. The crystal was being absorbed.

The good news was that the absorption speed for the crystal was getting faster. The bad news was that as the speed increased, the pain increased too.

His forehead was dripping cold sweat and his teeth were grinding.

The pain caused by the seed started in his stomach, but then moved to all of his body. It was like being crushed by a huge rock.

The pain the god's blood caused did not even need to start in the heart. It instantly disseminated to all of his body. Blood, muscles, bones, skin, organs. Every single place of it's body was in pain, as if being burned.

The bloodline essence and the talisman, though, were the same type of pain and had the same origin, so Dane felt it as one type of pain. But still, it was painful. Very painful. Like a thousand needles stabbing deeply into his body. First, his wound. The, his whole leg. Soon, all of his body.

But still, the worse pain had to be the pain on the soul. It was not physical, so Dane could not concentrate in something else in order to avoid it partially. It was the pain of his soul, his entire existence. It was a pain that would not subside. And it was getting stronger and sharper. Tolerating it was getting harder.

"Mother Fucking Fucker…" Dane did not even know what he was saying. He was just outing the pain. 90 seconds had passed since he first cut his leg.

"HmmmmMMMM"

He moaned. Not in pleasure. Two minutes.

"Ergh..."

He groaned, in extreme pain. Five minutes.

"AAAARGHHH"

He screamed, in complete desperation. Fifteen minutes.

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

"He screamed and laid on the floor, agony was the perfect word. Thirty minutes had passed and the soul crystal was almost completely depleted.

Dane started to see double, then triple, then he could only see shadows. Dane's vision blurred and it was starting to get dark.

He did not even have the energy to scream anymore.

All the six energy pools were making sure he lasted longer than he should've, but he was still fainting. At times for a hundredth of a second. Other times for a tenth of that. But still, one thing was obvious. He could not last any longer.

35 minutes. Dane was still absorbing the now dim soul crystal. Even though he was in pain and laying on the floor, he held the crystal in front of his eyes.

The light was almost extinguished, but Dane did not manage to hold on that long. He finally closed his eyes and drifted into the darkness, where pain would be forgotten. His arm started falling to the floor with the crystal still in his hand.

But, midway through, right when his elbow was about to hit the floor, the light in the crystal completely vanished and the crystal itself turned to dust. The dust fell on Dane's face and body but disappeared soon afterwards.

Of course, Dane knew nothing of this, as he was already unconscious.