n

n

nHanding the bud of a crystal to Eldrian, Zamia said,

"I assume you would wish to simply attempt the dynamic way. It is certainly the better method, especially when using it as a supplement to cast stronger spells.

"

nEldrian nodded in reply while enjoying the beauty of the cave some more. After a few minutes, he followed Zamia outside. Having decided against trying to grab something for himself. He would much rather ask, and his greed was lessened by knowing he had no idea how to even make use of the things in the cave.

n

"Right, a reminder. It should be similar to when you attempt to control the mana inside of you. Only, it will constantly fight you as you try to pull the mana out.

"

nNodding again, Eldrian found himself a comfortable seat on the Flagol tree's roots. Clearing his mind and sending some feelers into the crystal.

nHe immediately felt something that felt like a barrier, which he realized was what had made it impossible to enter the larger mana crystal and so hard to enter the smaller one.

nThis bud of a crystal however didn't put up much of a fight. Like a bubble, the barrier popped as soon as Eldrian placed it under a little pressure.

n'I see, this is why she said it is like it fights back.' Eldrian immediately recalled how he had first learned magic with the Magic Crystal and how it had pulled his mana out of him. This time instead he was the crystal and the bud of a crystal was him.

nIt fought to keep its mana, but Eldrian didn't find it too hard to win the tug of war. However, he realized that he couldn't just take out the mana. His body was already full, while he could push it inside of him, he had no idea what that would do.

nAs such, he let the mana he had pulled out simply go. The crystal losing some of its luster as nearly 5% of its mana stock was lost just like that.

n

"That was quick,

" Zamia commented, while she hadn't believed it would take long, not even 10 minutes had passed.

n

"Yes, this is very similar to how I first learned magic. So it wasn't a new feeling for me.

" Eldrian said with a smile, causing Zamia to sigh as she wasn't quite ready to send Cephaphyr out into the terrible world.

nShe knew that Eldrian wouldn't have much interest in learning the static way now. Its use was generally to have people get use to the feeling of foreign mana and also the tug of war that would follow. As even with those spells, it would place a heavy burden on the mind.

nSince Eldrian succeeded on the first try, there was clearly no need to go through that long-winded approach.

n

"Alright...

" Zamia took a deep breath to calm herself.

"I suppose you want to go now?

"

n

"No, but I feel I must. However...

" Pausing, Eldrian thought about it for a moment and then said,

"I would prefer if we can do the bonding now. I feel I know how to reach the next Tier and I no longer want to postpone.

"

nHearing this Zamia sighed again as she wondered what effect this would have on Cephaphyr. Luckily, it seemed like Cephaphyr was excited to see the world. He was also very much still in on going with Eldrian.

nWhile he had admitted that he would miss Akarui, who still had a long way to go, he wanted to see what was outside of the forest.

n

"Follow me,

" Zamia said, wiping a tear from her eyes as she took Eldrian to where Cephaphyr and Agamemas were training. Soon, the clashes of titans could be heard as the sight before Edvard was that of newly formed caverns in the mountains.

nZamia had led him to the back of the forest, to the start of the mountains that surrounded the forest. There, the two were fighting.

nOr more accurately, Cephaphyr was throwing all he could at his dad who would either counter it with a wave of his hand or dodge it by seemingly just stepping to the side. Effortlessly.

n

"Dear! It's time.

" Zamia shouted, causing the handsome elven man to smile as he stopped moving.

n

"I see, are you still sure about this?

" He asked, not to his wife, but to his son.

n

"Yes! I want to go help!

" Cephaphyr shouted seriously. His parents smiled hearing this, though both of them worried. The only silver lining was that if their plan worked, then Cephaphyr would also become immortal like the Chosen.

n

"Alright, then let us start.

"

nSaying this, Agamemas suddenly summoned a massive platform with a diameter of at least 10 meters (33ft). It was made of a pitch-black metal and floated in the air. 16 points on its side had massive Mov Crystals embedded, while in the center a Magic Crystal floated.

nSeeing this, Eldrian had no words. But he did have one question, which took him 15 seconds to ask.

"Is that... A portable magic tower?

"

nThe runes engraves between the Mov Crystals reminded him of those engraved on the walls of the Magic Crystal rooms, only; there were 16 instead of the 5 or 6 such as with the basement rooms.

n

"No, though its functions are slightly similar. We call this a Mage's Destruction Disk, and it does the same function compared to a magic tower. Except it doesn't gather the ambient mana, and instead relies on the Mov Crystals.

" Agamemas replied.

nWaiting for the two to climb onto the platform which had been lowered to the ground, Agamemas asked the two if they were still ready.

n

"Yes.

" The two quickly replied.

n

"Then get ready, this will be a strange experience.

" Saying this, Agamemas started the process. The Mov Crystals all lighting up and as seconds turned into minutes they started to crack. While even the Magic Crystal started to slowly lose its energy.

n

"This...

"

n

"Isn't normal.

" Zamia finished for her husband,

"How are they doing?

" She asked with extreme worry.

n

"They are doing fine, but... Zamia quickly, help me add more mana!

"

n...

nAs soon as the spell was activated, Eldrian and Cephaphyr found themselves in the magic abyss. At first, the two were estranged. But it didn't take long for them to be pulled towards each other.

n

"Haru... No? Eldrian?

" Cephaphyr was shocked by the flood of information entering his little mind. Most of it made little to no sense, while Eldrian instead gained a flood of information of his own.

nOf a life of isolation, without any friends and always shunned by his own kind. A life without answers, just questions.

nTime passed as the two were separated and brought together repeatedly. One moment they would be in the Mageia Avyssos, the next in a place Eldrian had never before even dreamed of. A place of light, seemingly endless but clearly not.

nHe would feel the carefree nature of his friend fighting against the desperation of being shunned. Keeping his wings tied like shackles. That was, until he met an elf. An elf who didn't care for the color of his coat and feathers, and in fact even found it beautiful.

nSuddenly, Eldrian was reminded of when he was inside Kydone's soul as he felt himself soaring freely without restraint. Until he found himself in the Mageia Avyssos again. Before his own soul.

n