Chapter 84: Quick Tour

"It's settled then." Elder Ramus clapped as he pulled a wooden token from his robe. "Janus, take this. I trust you still remember where it is?"

Janus accepted it and summoned his boat. "Yes. It was nice to see you, Master."

"Tell me when you leave. I will give you the Heart's Emblem then."

Janus nodded, motioning for Asmund to board. My guess? He was heading off to exchange the token for Asmund's reward.

As the boat lifted, stirring the air with its sudden ascent, Ramus turned to me just as Synthia silently stepped to my side.

"Let's get you to your quarters."

"You don't have to register us or anything?" Other than taking the test, there hadn't been any formalities. No paperwork, no oaths, nothing. It felt a bit strange.

Ramus shook his head. "No. The Ancestor Stone is directly tied to the sect leader. You'll be placed as a Core Disciple directly. However…" He gave me a pointed look. "If you don't live up to expectations, we'll remove you just as easily."

We had started walking, which I was thankful for. I was eager to get a better look at this place. "What kind of expectations? Oh, and the benefits."

Ramus let out a brief chuckle. "Good. It's good that you're proactive." He took a breath. "Generally, disciples are assigned tasks. They perform various duties to earn contribution points."

Ughh, I hate points.

"But Core Disciples are granted points directly… based on their ranking. Of course, you can still take on missions to earn more, but with the war, the danger is significantly higher."

"So basically, you'll sponsor me?"

He nodded. "The sect does."

"What kind of things can I get using contribution?" I asked instead.

"Various treasures from the treasure hall." Ramus gestured toward a tall, multi-leveled eastern-style tower in the distance. At its peak sat a golden lion, banners fluttering from the upper floors. Below, the structure was less ornate. Pale wood with layered balconies on each level, and traditional curved roofing.

"Techniques, weapons, even cultivation methods," he continued.

I nodded, then asked the bigger question. "And the Essence Realms?"

Ramus paused.

"We can discuss that," he said slowly, "after you explain your cultivation method, and how exactly you use your energies."

His voice had a faint edge to it, something too eager lurking underneath.

I really needed to start being more careful with what I told people. And something was bugging me. The book I had won during the trial battles which had disappeared, hopefully to the outside world. Would anything I obtained here physically come back to the real world?

We resumed walking.

"You'll also be given a residence," Ramus continued as we ascended a flight of stairs carved into one of the taller hills. As we climbed higher, more people came into view. Disciples moving through their routines, training awkward movements while stumbling around, or conversing, but they all kept their distance from the elder as we passed.

Synthia followed silently at my side, her gaze shifting as she scanned the environment.

I had a lot of questions for her. Not just about her cultivation or techniques, but also about the world we came from.

How had she survived in this world without a system? How many Bloodless were out there? And why had I never even heard of them in the State of Stars?

Still, another thought pushed its way forward in front of those. One about this place.

Who does something for nothing? "What does this group expect from me?"

Ramus lifted a hand, stroking his thin beard. "Support, when we ask for it, and you are not permitted to join another faction. When you make a discovery, you are highly encouraged to share it."

"What about Janus? He left."

"If you leave, you will still be under us," he explained. "Janus' group shares resources and takes on missions on our behalf."

We stepped onto a wide pavilion, and immediately, the atmosphere shifted.

It was alive with sound and the bustling of people.

"Used but still good! We have plenty of durable mail for you!"

"Meats of Spirit Beast! Need a boost in stamina? Get it here!"

The noise surrounded us. Stall vendors haggling, shouting deals, bargaining over prices. Voices overlapped, arguing over value, quality, and whether a piece of gear was actually worth the asking price.

"This is the Inner Court," Ramus explained, never breaking stride. "Sect members come here to sell goods from their missions, form alliances, and negotiate with one another."

"Just back from the field! The prices are high, but the treasures are worth it!"

Luna's voice slipped into my mind. 'Later, we should come here. Lots of these items are surrounded by energy.'

I quickly refreshed my True Sight, which had nearly faded during the long walk, and I found that Luna was right.

Every stall was surrounded by glowing particles of Force. Different attributes bent the hues slightly, flickering and twisting as they pulsed from various artifacts and materials.

They didn't seem particularly powerful but they did have more unique energies than the average objects of the world here.

'Definitely coming back.'

We climbed another set of stairs, though not as high this time, until we reached a row of single-story wooden buildings.

Each had a small balcony out front, with windows that let in natural light.

"That one there—" Ramus gestured to the far-left building. "—is open. You'll stay there from now on. There are multiple rooms, but you can explore on your own, so I won't explain further."

He turned to me, his tone shifting slightly. "Be prepared. I'll return tonight to… perform some tests with your Beast Force. At that time, you'll explain your cultivation method and how you use your energy."

His gaze sharpened. "Then, we'll decide how much each piece of information is worth."

I guess I didn't get a say in that.

Ramus reached into his coat and pulled out a flat, black metal medallion, its surface gleaming under the light. "This is your identity, here." he said, handing it to me. "Do not lose it. And when you're in the sect, use the clothing inside your house from now on."

I nodded and took the medallion. The moment my fingers touched it, runes flared to life across its surface. I let out a sigh.

It was really annoying to face another script I couldn't read. It was, once again, the same or at least similar runes to the Ancestor Statue.

"What does it say?" I asked.

Ramus gave me a strange look. "It's an ancient text. No one fully understands it. These medallions have existed since the sect's foundation and are linked to the Ancestor Statue. No one can impersonate you while you're here. If you ever leave, you'll return it and receive a temporary seal in its place."

'This thing is odd too.' Luna muttered.

I could already tell.

A soft orange light bled from the emblem, dyeing my hand as I held it. Tiny shimmering particulates drifted away from its surface, all flowing in the same direction like they were being pulled somewhere.

'I wonder where those are going?'

'Let's look later.' Luna offered.

Still, it felt strange to rely on something so ancient that no one could even read it.

Ramus reached into his coat again and handed me something else. Something familiar.

"This will keep track of your contributions. It's not tied to you, so be careful flaunting it around. You'll start with one hundred points."

I turned the small point orb over in my palm. A familiar green glow pulsed from its center, numbers lining its surface. Exactly like the ones from the training camp.

Ramus rubbed his hands slightly before speaking again. "Take your time from here. I'll be leaving. As long as you don't enter others' rooms without permission, you're free to explore as you wish." He smiled. "As a Core Disciple, the sect is open to you."

He turned, his final words laced with something unreadable. "Unless, of course, someone with authority tells you otherwise."

Without another word, he rose into the air and vanished, leaving behind no trace of his departure.

"Thanks."

The soft voice startled me.

I turned to see Synthia standing there, watching me.

"Oh. Yeah…" She was really good at moving quietly. "No problem." I glanced toward my new home. "Want to go inside? We should talk."

She took a slow breath, like she was bracing for something.

It's not like I was going to hurt her. I just wanted information. But… I guess from her perspective, my track record wasn't great. I started with stomping on her friend, killing her former leader, and finished with humiliating her on stage.

Yeah. Not exactly a warm first impression.

I walked in first, letting the door swing open.

The entrance was simple, but the living room beyond was well-furnished. A couple of soft-looking couches surrounding a sturdy table at the center. Through a slightly open door, I could see a bedroom, and through another, a mostly empty space with plush cushions lining the floor.

"I guess we can talk here." I motioned for her to take a seat.

She hesitated for only a second before settling onto one of the couches. I took the other.

'Wanna fuse now?'

'Really? You think mid-interrogation is a good time?'

'...I'll wait. But you should practice seeing like me more. Even when there's a lot of energy, I can still make out what's going on.'

She had a point. What if I ran into something like those cave monsters again, but this time, the battlefield was flooded with Force?

'We'll practice later, for sure.'

Synthia shifted slightly on the couch. "Umm. Were you going to ask me something or…" She trailed off, her confusion obvious.

"Yes. Sorry, I was just talking with someone." I'll just ignore that look she's giving. "Are you from Voxter?"

She nodded.

"And… you're Bloodless?"

There was a brief pause, then another nod.

Originally, I'd thought about jumping straight to her abilities, but maybe building some trust first would be smarter.

"I'm sort of from the State of Stars," I said. "But I've never heard of Bloodless before. Do you know why?"

Her fingers curled slightly on her lap. "I—I only know what the kingdom has told us. And with all the propaganda…"

"Grain of salt. Got it."

"What?"

"Just explain, please."