Chapter 390: Selia

Chapter 390: Selia

The Wheel

Selia shaped her Qi, crafting weapons that she moved with her will. She danced on top of the mountains peak, whirled around as she moved dozens of constructs around her in a carefully choreographed pattern. The Sanguine Flame of Laqruud burned inside of her, keeping her warm. Her control had increased far beyond what she had been able to do before. The Qi answered her call almost as if it was moving before she even thought about it. She no longer felt the cold around her, and she felt closer to her Aspect than she had ever been before.

Yet she still hadnt passed Laqruuds test, in his eyes, she still didnt understand what his power was for. She had tried, she contemplated on it for days on end. And still she hadnt stumbled on that which he was looking for. Selia was starting to lose hope that she would ever figure it out.

His Qi was a blood that burned, it had seemed obvious to her that it was meant for the things that fire usually was. Destroying things, burning. And the blood it evoked the feelings of killing, of combat. Yet Laqruud disagreed.

She emptied her mind of all intrusive thoughts, hoping that if she unburdened herself a spark of inspiration would come to her. So, she just danced, not caring for the time, or the burning in her muscles as she tired herself out.

Time passed without her notice, and she continued until she was spent completely and her Core emptied. She faltered, stumbled and fell, her control slipped and her constructs crashed into each other, shattering as she hit the ground. She felt pieces of her broken constructs hit her, draw blood as they ricocheted around the mountain top.

She didnt pay attention, she continued to lay on the ground, breathing deeply, trying to calm herself down.

Your dance was a beautiful creation, she heard Laqruud comment. But what is beauty worth if it isnt witnessed.

Selia groaned and rolled to her back. You saw it.

The lindwrum hummed, a deep sound that made the mountain shake.

And so I have, Laqruud said. Thank you for the gift of it.

Selia opened her mouth, and then closed it. She didnt understand him, even after all this time. He was such an old and strange being, it would be apparent to anyone who listened to, or even just laid eyes on him. Laqruuds body was weathered, ancient, covered in scars and missing scales. Selia didnt know much about the afterlife, but she wouldve thought that the way a soul appeared here would not be tied to how they looked when they died. Even a few stories from Laqruud had made her suspect that the way souls appeared here were as they were in their prime. He even had a few visitors, all of which had been a lot smaller than he was, but also looked almost flawless. All of them had been Laqruuds descendants. She hadnt been invited to their conversations, which had stung a bit. She caught the looks of other souls, though she didnt quite know what to make of them. She didnt know if they were wishing that she was gone, that she hadnt inherited Laqruuds power, or if it was something else. Perhaps they stared because they had never seen anything like her before.

She felt her Qi regenerating slowly, and she spun the trickle of it through her conduits, feeling the wounds on her back slowly closing up as her Qi helped her regeneration along. She pushed herself up to her feet and glanced at the giant head of Laqruud, he was looking out in the distance, and she walked over to the edge then sat down. She looked in the same direction, seeing the endless scape of mountains jutting out of the ground, the ridges that connected them.

Each was unique, different. Each represented a soul, it was the home they had earned in the afterlife. Even from a distance, she could tell that they were beautiful, small pieces of the heavens, exactly what she imagined an afterlife was. Yet, the mountain that she stood on was completely different. Almost withered and broken, covered in ash, nothing grew here, aside from few small hardy root-like plants. The mountain of Laqruud was cracked stone and soot, burned away.

Yet it towered over most of the others, though there were a few mountains in the distance that were greater, taller even than Laqruuds. She had asked him once why that was, he didnt give her an answer other than to chuckle with a kind look in his eyes. She didnt understand it, perhaps that was why she couldnt learn his lesson.

Laqruud tensed, she felt his breath halt for a split second.

She felt the change happen and instant later. One moment the tranquility of the afterlife was around her, and then Laqruud sighed.

You they all grow out of your mountain, Selia whispered.

Laqruud leaned down to look at her, but he didnt speak. Selia didnt look at him, instead she felt her Qi burning inside of her as the pieces started to click into place. Its not destruction, it is the opposite. Your blood, your fire. You spent it all for them, to create something for them.

Selia turned her eyes on the lindwrum, seeing him truly for the first time. His scars, his weathered appearance, the tiredness, the noble and proud spirit that encapsulated his whole being. He had bled for his brood, for his descendants. This was how he saw himself, the appearance that fit him the most and why he looked like this in the afterlife. He burned a path for them, scorched the soil and soaked it in his blood so that they could grow beyond him.

Selia looked at the mountains that rose higher than his, and remembered the times when he looked on at them with pride in his eyes.

Your power, Selia said slowly, feeling so full of shame that she hadnt seen it before now. It is meant for others, to create a foundation that they can use to grow beyond you.

Laqruud smiled. You understand, his voice boomed. At last.

Selia saw it in her minds eye, saw inside of him and his blood. An Aspect that he shaped alone. Creation for the future of his bloodline.

Things shifted inside of her, and she felt the connection inside of her core deepen.

Insightful knowledge acquired

You peered into the deeper law and the concept of an Essence. You glimpsed the truth behind it.

Personal Feat accomplished

Rewards:

Gift of My Blood and Flame Title and Grand Perk

Glimpse of Sanguine Flame of Laqruud Title

Oh, she said.

The world around her trembled, and she turned as she felt Essence shift. A golden portal opened up behind her. Immediately, she felt a pull on her being, forcing her to leave this place.

A lesson learned, Laqruud rumbled. Perhaps you are worthy enough to continue my line.

Selia closed her eyes, and sat down on the ground. Somehow, she felt exhausted. But after years of being in this place, now, she felt sadness at having to leave it.