Chapter 6 - The Druidic Arts Were Made For Druids

"Where am I? What just happened?" Veil looked around at the encroaching darkness,

"Relax." A voice said.

Veil jumped a total of 5 feet. He may have just awakened, but he rarely works out. Ab-freaking normal.

"Who goes there?" He shouted into the darkness. He added a hint of authority into the sentence to make himself sound bigger than he truly was. A trick he learned from his father. 'Surprising it came from her and not me.' His father once said. 'I'm the one that has used it the most.'

"Me." The voice sneered. A candle lit up in the back of the room. Right after, candles on both sides of the room flanked all the way around the room. 

Veil didn't see anyone in front of him. Even though the voice sounded cruel in nature, logic told him he would be dead already. The simple fact that the lights turned on meant that, whoever this mysterious person may be, wanted to reveal himself. He stretched his body and slowly turned around. "Di you have to do the jump scare? That's just rude." He said to the 15ft tall otherworldly monstrosity behind him.

It was pitch ink-black with streaks of red blood coursing around the outside. It's face was wolfish in nature but the body had scales. The wings were feathered and a ruddy shade of brown. The feet were crocodilian and eight arms were akin to a gorilla. It was wearing a cloak of flame, and red, flaming suns towered behind it. It was a weird beast. Having no recourse left, Veil raised a single eyebrow at the towering beast.

The beast didn't reply, but about 5 seconds later it turned into an unkempt, aged man holding a cane. "Interesting!" The man crowed through the teeth of his unkempt, twisted beard hairs. "The gates have finally turned, have they?" He picked up a long smoke pipe. He used no lighter, but it immediately caught flame. The same blood-red flame the monster had used.

Veil stayed silent. If the man wanted to speak, he would.

After 2 minutes of smoking, the old man relented. "You're the second man not to question my ability, young one. The first led my people to great trouble."

"But did he stay silent?" Veil asked.

"No, no he did not. Sit. I will tell you a story." All of a sudden, the world around him changed. Veil was sitting near a campfire, and the cave he had just been in... disappeared. Smiling, Veil sat down on the wooden stool. The old man was sitting on top of a tree trunk opposite the fire.

"My name is Kubble, and I am the last of the Druids. Our people come from a world called Druidia. It is said that, once upon a time, our people were the strongest of all. This is true, for I have seen us at the top of all worlds. A single name forbidden by the populace to utter, for the possibility that a Druid himself might just be among them."

Veil began to immerse himself in the story.

"Our people were strong. But so are the heavens. ...When a man creates an enemy, it is always for something. He will not create an enemy that gives him nothing in return. While it may be revenge: for some people money, treasure, and ultimately power can guide more twisted minds down a darker path.

It was so with us. Many many years ago, I, the last of my kind, escaped to a lower world, the world you call Faera. With no recourse, I used a secret technique to create an inheritance. An inheritance you now proudly wear. "

Veil thought of the ring on his index finger.

"Even if it's on the wrong finger!" The druid berated him. "Put it on your left fourth finger, you mongrel!"

"No way! I'm saving that for a woman I love!"

"What does a woman have to do with it!?!? It's a damn fine druid tradition, and I aim to see it kept!" Kubble looked at Veil's stubborn face. "Do you want my inheritance?"

"What kind of inheritance even is it? You haven't even told me yet!"

Kubble coughed and stammered. Veil couldn't quite make it out.

"Well, let me share it then." Veil held his breath. He was a little confused seeing him give up so easily. Kubble didn't seem like that kind of man.

"Originally, Druids were a group of old men gathered around who all shared a special mutation. It was called the World Assimilation Body trait. This trait is extremely special. In the opening stages of cultivation, it allows an Awakener to merge his body with that of his contracts. In the latter stages of cultivation, it becomes infinitely more powerful.

These men knew their power, but they also knew that their power could corrupt minds if given the chance. Due to the powerful soul-links that can occur with the awakened and the beasts they held, they knew that any young man, and many young men, that came before them could cause rampant death and destruction from the corruption their ability causes.

As such, they developed a group of people who could use this ability in a strong, efficient, trainable manor for the sake of humanity and all the people around them.

Over time, the group grew larger and they were collectively given a name: Druids. As the known skills of the elders grew, the adepts of their enclave grew in both status and power. The only thing that could ever defeat them, it seemed, was themselves. And this, too, proved true.

Within you, Veil, resides the World Assimilation Body trait. If anyone knew who knew of the trait, your life would be rent from your hands... Immediately. This is the only reason you now speak with me, as well as the only reason your ring has activated.

I cannot offer you an escape from the path that such knowledge brings. But I can offer you a stronger path of knowledge to defy that which will come after you.

Yet you have not one, but three traits. The Assimilation Body lets you raise your affinity with all things. In return, no awakening will give you an affinity.

But your innate affinity is just as important. You have an affinity for primordial origin energy, which even the World Assimilation Body cannot touch. What an implausibility! Finding any primordial origin energy here on Faera, though, is a mere impossibility. It's not important for now.

For the sake of concealing your power, you'll have to run around assimilating your spirit allies' affinities as your affinities: not the other way around. But as I said, you have three: your innate affinity and two special mutations. Did you know that this would happen? "

"No, I was not aware. Besides, how do you know these things?"

Kubble straightened his shoulders and lifted his head like a noble. "When your muscles are as powerful as mine, you'll find the answer to your question."

Veil looked at him with disdain.

"Kids these days..." Kubble muttered as he coughed on his smoke pipe.

"Your third ability is one of the most useful self-defense tools against assassins and the like. It's called 'Emotional Contact Eyes'. Basically, you can sense the emotions of those around you. It will give you an edge in survival, but it also helps in, well, all of life. Congratulations, Mongrel. You've hit the awakener's genetic lottery.

So, most people get one innate affinity and one ability right? But you have two. So what is causing that? Have you ever wondered how contracts work? Let me explain the horrifying nature of the World Assimilation Body.

Each body can only have one master soul. One, no more, no less. If someone tries to invade another's body, not only will they be seeking death from the heavens themselves, but the two minds are fighting for a master/slave contract. Until one of them is subordinate to the other, the two souls will begin to disintegrate in tandem. Often, the one being invaded will not agree to the invasion. As such, the souls will both explode, leaving nothing but an empty husk.

The World Assimilation Body lets us steal and appropriate the affinities of the things around us. One of these affinities is Soul. Once we have the affinity, we can assimilate the souls around us. This is one of the major causes of corruption among my people. While we can assimilate souls, we are assimilating the power and destroying the soul itself.

As for you, you have two souls working in tandem. Neither is a master to the other, but they are working together as if they have perfectly merged. While I have never seen something like this, it is something that will help you greatly on your journey. It is also something, I assume, that gave you your dual mutations.

You have been given much power! But with great power comes greater responsibility. And against that greater responsibility comes even greater foes. Against them, you are weaker than a mere cell against an entire race. But sometimes a mere cell can survive, adapt, and conceal itself to rule over all. In the vastness of the universe, it has indeed happened. Many moons ago, in the form of a spirit virus, many civilizations were swept under. Such an aberration has long been banned. Any civilization worth their salt knows the differences between a poison affinity and a spirit plague. Few in power have the corrupted mindset to allow this, and as such it rarely shows itself. But when it does, be warned: Many, many, many people: will die.

For now, I will give you the knowledge and tools you need to overcome your current dilemma. I will summon you back here when you are ready for the next steps."

Kubble teleported right in front of him and place his hand on Veil's forehead. A soft, blue light appeared between them. Then, Veil found himself sucked back into reality.