Chapter 352: Zach

Chapter 352: Zach

Wardens

Zach sat on the prow of their airship as they made they left the Dragon Heart Sect. They had accomplished all that they had set out to do there, but now they were needed elsewhere. Hitor Fah Storrah had asked both Zach and Naha to join in their war, and they had agreed. The taken and the dome monsters had to be dealt with.

They had been tasked with finding the Wardens and trying to have them join the fight as well. At the very least getting someone who knew the city of Emaros intimately. They were heading to a city near the coast, one where the Wardens had an outpost. Neither of them knew if it was still there, or the situation in the kingdom that it used to be in, but it was the closest one that they could check.

Naha was currently teaching Hiro about surviving, how to hide, how to be aware of his surroundings. They were going to try and give him a Class that was tied to shadow, at least for his second evolution. Zach still wanted to try and replicate his own Class with him, and he suspected that the early evolutions didnt matter that much, only that they were focused on different things or aspects. Taking Shadow as one of his Aspects wouldnt be the worst things. Naha was very effective.

Zachs thoughts were occupied by his own trails. He wanted to advance his understanding of other Aspects, he needed to in fact. He knew that the need to understand them would always be there, it was the influence of his Class, but his obsessions were better managed when he took the reins and guided it. Better that he start learning more on his own, instead of his mind narrowing down on something random that he encountered.

For now, he was putting the most effort into Soul and Mind Aspects. Which had proven to be a lot more difficult than he anticipated. There was not really a lot of such Essence around him that he could try and study. Which left him only with trying to study himself and his own Soul and Mind.

You can always use your spirits, a voice from his sword said.

Zach grimaced. His sword was slung at his waist in a custom-made scabbard. The soul inside of it was that of the yeti that had been brought as a test in the event against the Dragon Heart Sect. Ravallim Helinos was a being from a different age. From a time when power was not bound by framework, where it was innate and wild. The two of them had made an agreement, knowledge in return for life. Such as it is. Sealed inside his blade, Zach could slowly gain its mastery and knowledge. In practice though it was difficult. Zach suspected that the origin of the yeti interfered somehow with the process. He was pretty sure that he could drain the soul and take everything forcibly, but he was of course not going to do that.

Still, there was much that he could teach either way.

I am not going to experiment on the spirits of my old world, Zach said. The spirits from his perks were in fact souls, somehow transformed so that they qualify as spirits, but they were inside of him. Or at least inside the framework or the connection it had with him.

You dont need to experiment; simple observation can provide results. All power requires understanding, Ravallim said.

Zach didnt comment. What he said made sense, and it was harmless, for most people. Zach couldnt risk losing himself and going beyond simple observation. He didnt even know if the spirits could be destroyed, but he was unwilling to risk it until he got a better handle on his urges.

Which left the other Aspect, Mind. He reached through his shirt and unclasped an armband from his right arm and pulled it out. It was silver, his reward for the event. It was nothing compared to what Naha got, of course. He hadnt done anything close to what she had. He fought a few of the monsters and then left to deal with Ravallim whom he had sealed inside his sword while Naha killed her opponent. The Framework obviously didnt consider the two equal at all.

Still, his reward was useful.

Band of Memorys Hall

Allows for storing and retrieval of memory. The first person to place memories inside will have the band attuned to them. The owner may impart their will to the item. To anyone else, the band would look and feel like a simple and worthless item. Anyone attempting to read the memories without the permission of the owner will have to overcome the owners will.

It was an item that would probably not be useful to just anyone. But it was useful to him because he understood living so long that you forgot. And there were things that he wanted to remember.

Slowly he reached out to the band and started placing memories inside. First about Naha, she was the most important thing in his life, and he started putting all of his memories of her in there. He wouldnt want to forget her again.

All the while he focused his mind, his skills, and monitored his own mind and the process. He couldnt see the Essence, but he could feel it in the world. His will could make the world bend, and so it could also let him feel. It wasnt precise, but he could tell that things were happening inside his own mind. What was happening outside of it though... Perhaps it was drawing the Essence out? Or perhaps it was copying it? Creating new Mind Essence that then duplicated his memories. It was fascinating, and there was much to learn. He lost himself in the process, as he slowly put the memories of his life inside the small band.

They arrived in the city of Fellkor a few weeks later. Naha and Zach headed out into the city as soon as they landed, leaving Hiro to guard the ship. Not that there was any need for it with the guards at the docks, but it made him feel useful, and that was important at that age.

So, what have you been doing since?

Making our way back to the Settled Territories for the most part. Then we visited the sects, Zach said.

The sects?

Yes, that is why we came looking for wardens, we have a message for the leadership, Zach added.

Well, the Fort will be where you want to go. It is our home now, since the Citadel fell, Okims expression darkened.

What happened? We only heard that the taken took it over, Naha asked.

Aye, Okim nodded. They assaulted with overwhelming force, too much for us to fight off. We lost a lot of lives there. And, many were taken at the siege.

How is the faction still standing? Our faction Interface was there, wasnt it? Naha asked.

Commander Bera is how, Okim said grimly. One of her perks it seems like, she could switch the master interface for any other she had access to. I guess that there is some value to having an assistant-type Class.

Okim looked around, as if trying to see if someone was listening in, and then he leaned in. I am not privy to everything, of course, but apparently the Warden Commander Yirrel was taken.

Zach narrowed his eyes, he knew of the woman, what Naha had told him. He wouldnt wish such a fate on anyone.

Bera had switched the Interface as soon as they found out, Okim added.

That was smart, Zach said, admiring the foresight.

Yes, sadly it didnt save us, not really, Okim sighed. Most of us are barely hanging on. Commander Bera is doing all that she can from the Fort, but The ideals that we once held are well, when you see the entire world go mad and break all the laws that they agreed to, it is hard to remain faithful. Many of us had abandoned the faction and turned to adventuring to survive. The few factions that still require our services are barely enough to cover our expenses. The Wardens are struggling.

Zach glanced at Naha. That didnt sound encouraging, but they had to try and get the Wardens into the war. Perhaps that would be something that could give them hope, getting their Citadel back.

This Fort, Zach started. Where is it?

Red Forest Territory, up North, Okim said. You plan on going.

If Commander Bera is in charge, then that is where we need to go, Naha said.

Well, Okim started. I was just about to head back myself. You mind if I come along?

Not at all, Zach said.

It seemed like they had their next destination. Now all they had to do was convince a failing faction to go to war.