Book 1: Chapter 96: Blue Orb and Losing One's Mind

Book 1: Chapter 96: Blue Orb and Losing One's Mind

Far, far away from the small and mildly isolated kingdom of Milindo, in a desolate abandoned ruin that somewhat resembled a temple nestled away in the depths of a forgotten forest of 300-meter tall trees, energy stirred.

In this forgotten recess of Altros something was happening, something both extremely unique and something incredibly odd.

Cloud-resembling runes which covered the temple's crumbling walls were spurred to life as a sky-blue essence seeped out of them and began coalescing towards the centre of the ruined temple's central shrine.

Several minutes passed before it seemed like whatever power the runic clouds contained had all been drained.

Atop the central shrine of the temple now floated a bright ball of light sky-blue energy. This ball expanded and contracted a few times before a voice as old as time spoke.

"The moment to perform my duty has finally come... The wait was as long as you proclaimed it would be, My Lord..."

The ball of energy seemed eager to do as it had seemingly been instructed to so many, many years ago. Without any further delay, faster than any mortal eyes would have ever been able to perceive, the sphere of power rushed out of the temple and began flying across the continent.

Its destination was unknown to it but it knew only that it must go west. Far, far west...

"What do you think you are doing?!" Duke Malik yelled down at the arena, specifically at Lone. "You are reported as not being able to use magic! Illegal use of magic of any kind is a capital offence without first having a permit from the crown, adventurer or not!"

Lone - still holding the back of Daisuke's head - turned to look at the furious SS-ranker. "A weakling dares speak to me like that? My avatar may only be an E-ranker, but that's more than enough strength to deal with such an insignificant pebble as yourself. Be silent before I remove your mouth from your face, yes?"

Up in the grandstands Gilbert's face paled. "Avatar? No... That can't be possible... The compatibility needed for that is simply impossible for him needless to say his rank is too low... But all of his hair and fur changing colour... Can he really have been chosen to become the avatar of a Primal? But which Primal is that? Black isn't a colour of one of the 8!"

Lone whipped his head around to smile at the distant Gilbert. "8, huh? Can't control me so you choose to write me out of history? Foolish Ancient wench."

"If you do not stop what you are doing this very instant, Beast," Duke Malik yelled as he pulled out his wand resulting in green lightning coiling around both it and the arm holding it, "then I shall kill you where you stand for high treason!" he finished.

Lone rolled his eyes. "Like to be theatrical, do you? Well then, how's this for high treason?"

Lone moved his free hand to point at Duke Malik. With his armoured index finger fully extended, he drew a circle in the air where the duke's mouth was in his line of sight.

"Perfect," Lone cackled upon noticing he'd been successful.

Duke Malik tried to shout out once more only to realise in horror that he couldn't voice any of his thoughts. 'Some sort of magic to silence someone?! I certainly have no resistance to such a thing since it's so rare. This is crippling to a mage like me! I can't quick-cast anymore!'

"D-Daddy..." Emma Malik who was sat at his side nervously watching the going-ons of the arena was now trembling in fear as she pointed at her father's mouth.

'What? Is there something wrong with my face?' He brought a hand up to his mouth and nose just to check but he instantly recoiled when he felt his fingers go through his own face.

Suddenly, his hand stung. Bringing it up to eye-level he paled upon seeing that all of his fingers had been cleanly cut as if something had simply sent then to another dimension.

Whatever battle was being fought, it was one that no one could interfere with.

Slowly opening his eyes Lone was confused to be greeted with the sight of a sea of black waves clashing harshly against a torrent of blue rays of light.

"What the hell?" he mumbled.

He moved his arms to stretch since he felt extremely lethargic and it was only then that he noticed that he was entirely naked and floating in the middle of what seemed to be space.

"Okaaaay...." He, quite frankly, had no idea what was going on.

"You cannot best me, Void! Behave or risk annihilation!" a powerful voice boomed from the side of the blue light rays.

The black waves rolled as if they were laughing. "Combined you 8 couldn't erase me! Trapping me with you all in this pitiful form was the best you could do! You've never interfered when I've chosen other avatars, so why now, Sky?! Why now?!"

'... What the fuck?' Lone never thought he'd see some water and some light arguing with one another but here he was. 'What the hell happened? Just a second ago I was getting pissed off at that scumbag pedo rapist and now I'm, what, in limbo with some weird shit going on?'

"Your mistake, Void, was choosing this very soul to inhabit! Here you have no power! I am your equal in this place! As time flows onward more of my brothers and sisters will join and your end will only be but an eventuality!" the being whom the black waves had called 'Sky' claimed with confident elation.

"'Choosing'? You think I had a choice in this?! After I was trapped in a fucking ball for over 400,000-years I was happy to make a fucking goblin my avatar! This guy was kind enough to release me from that fate and to not deny my consumption of his anger and rage! I was doing him a favour. Ask him yourself. The kid has no love for the ant I squashed and he wouldn't have cared if I had some more fun either!" the one seemingly known as 'Void' yelled back.

Lone held his chin as he worked over the information he'd been given. 'Okay, so, the black waves are, what, some sort of really old being that was trapped in my black sphere? I did wonder why it calmed me down... So it was consuming my anger, huh? Sophie was right. That thing was bad news... I should've listened to her... I wonder what it means by 'ant I squashed' though? Daisuke, maybe? Oh, God, I hope so.'

His eyes shifted to the blue rays of light. 'Sky... Sky... Sky... Isn't that a Primal's name? One of the few ones that don't hand out awakenings to beastkin anymore? Who were the others that didn't do that too? Radiance and... was it Life? Though those two are recent if my information is correct, Sky hasn't awakened a beastkin in ages...'

Lone didn't really know much about the Primals beyond what the Church of the Primals publicly taught. The local library didn't seem to like the topic much since the Primals had deep ties to beastkin but still, he knew enough.

To his knowledge there were 8 Primals in total; Land, Sky, Darkness, Radiance, Death, Life, Illusionary and lastly, Reality.

'... Are those blue rays of light legitimately a Primal? So, like, a god? In the flesh? If so then what the fuck is Void? Have I stumbled across a religion-shaking discovery or am I just going nuts or something?' Lone thought.

"I care not for your complaints! You will not control this mortal!" Sky proclaimed.

The brightness of the light rays that made up the apparent Primal's body grew and expanded seemingly infinitely, wrapping around the pitch-black waves which struggled to no end.

"Exchanging one prison for another, am I?!" Void screamed in defiance but there was a layer of resignation in its tone. "You had best be a fitting warden, Sky! If not I fear for the safety of your precious mortal!"

Lone watched in awe as both forces of energy shrunk until they were no larger than a bean. They then flew straight into Lone's chest and disappeared, leaving him in this peculiar space.

'Yup. Definitely going nuts...' he concluded as he felt his consciousness drift off.