171: Primordial Nature

The world shook again, but this time, Vir expected it. He flexed his knees and kept his balance as the oversized turtle took another gargantuan step.

“So that’s my goal, then?” Vir asked. “The center of this little valley?”

The prana grew denser the closer one neared the center of the dip in the turtle’s shell, which in turn strengthened the beasts more than those at the periphery. It wasn’t a slight change, either. The prana in the outermost domain was easily triple what it was where Vir stood, with deeper domains continuing the pattern.

Cirayus laughed. “No, lad. See the hole there?” he said, pointing at the very center of the valley.

In fact, Vir hadn’t seen it. The cloud of prana was so thick it was visible with the naked eye, but Prana Vision, even dormant as it was, turned the cloud into an opaque black mass, essentially blinding Vir.

Still need to deal with that, he thought. It stood as his last hurdle to true acclimatization.

That wasn't the only reason, though. An ominous Ash Tear hovered in the distance, some twenty paces off the turtle's back. Like a looking glass into some other part of the Ash. It was too far to be a threat, so Vir ignored it for now.

“It leads into the Mahakurma’s shell,” Cirayus continued. “The center of the valley is nothing but an entrance to the final beast’s lair, but to get there, you’ll have to deal with the others, first. Each beast here has claimed its domain. They will not let anyone pass.”

“What happens at the center?”

“Not at, but below. Beneath the surface, your greatest challenge awaits. You must journey down into the depths of the shell, where your final foe remains. The beasts up here cannot compare to the one who dwell below, so brace yourself. And pace yourself. We shall remain here as long as it remains safe.”

“Why wouldn’t it be safe? I thought you said we were protected here?”

“Aye, but the Mahakurma’s on the move. It may well wander into more dangerous parts of the Ash, where graver threats lurk. Trust me, you do not want to be caught in a fight between a Mahakurma and a Wyrm.”

Vir didn’t need any convincing. Merely imagining that clash of world-ending beasts sent shivers down his back. That wouldn’t be a battle… It’s be a natural disaster.

Cirayus paused for a moment, regarding the deadly beasts with a pensive expression Vir couldn’t quite place.

Vir was about to sit down to meditate when the demon spoke.

“This training is designed to teach you one thing, and one thing only.”

“Which is?”

“I cannot say.”

“You… don’t know?” Vir echoed. This might very well have been the first time the giant admitted to not knowing something.

“One of your ancestors was said to posesses an ability so powerful, it turned him practically immortal within the ash.”

“The Ultimate Bloodline tattoos, you mean?”

“Nay. Something else. Something related to their prana circulation. Jalendra the Wise mastered it for certain. Whether the others did, I cannot say. However, it is my belief that you must master this ability if you are to realize your true potential. You have seen Parai’s memory, have you not? Did you ever encounter such a thing?”

Vir thought for a moment, recalling all the patterns Parai used to cycle his prana. Patterns that gave him armor, boosted his vitality, and likely did a slew of other things Vir wasn’t aware of.

“Possibly. But if you asked me to copy it, I couldn’t.”

“Pity. I’m afraid I cannot help you there, lad, other than telling you of the feats they accomplished.”

“That… might actually help.” If Vir understood the kinds of things Parai could do, he might reverse engineer the techniques.

The giant then spoke at length about Parai’s feats of combat, but in the end, all Vir understood was that Parai was unfairly powerful. The demon could shrug off lethal attacks and burst the blood of his enemies through prana manipulation alone.

“Cirayus, do you know why Prana Channeling works the way it does?” Vir asked. “I copied Parai’s technique, but I still have no idea why it works the way it does. Even modifying it slightly messes everything up.”

Vir still remembered the debilitating pain from when he’d tried.

“The basics, yes. Our Thaumaturges have several theories on the matter. It has to do with harmonizing the 144 chakra—the centers of energy—that run through the body. It’s by no means an exact science, and research continues on it to this day. Suffice it to say, experimenting with new cycling techniques is strictly the domain of the foolish and the highly experienced. You’d best stay away from it for now, lad.”

This was the first Vir had heard of such a thing, though with the abysmal state human magic development was in, it hardly came as a surprise.

What else do demons know about prana that humans don’t?

Sadly, it seemed he wouldn’t find out until he ventured into the Demon Realm.

All the more reason to hurry.

“What would you suggest, then?” Vir asked. “I don’t have access to tattoos, and experimenting with circulation paths is too dangerous. What options do I have left?”

Without some massive leap in power, Vir didn’t see how he was going to come anywhere close to the beasts in the valley below. Let alone be strong enough to match Cirayus’ expectations.

“I understand, lad. Ordinarily, you’d have no end of tattoos to choose from, and our time together would be spent having you master those. Unfortunately, were I to try inscribing one, I fear it’d only maim you. Besides, you cannot be so cavalier about your tattoos, I’m afraid.”

“Why? What’s that supposed to mean?”

“I mean tattoos are permanent. The space they take on your body is forever locked to that tattoo’s power.”

“That’s… definitely a constraint,” Vir admitted.

“There’s more. Most tattoos function best when placed at their ideal location. Iksana’s Sight, for example, needs to be inscribed around the eyes. Wouldn’t do much of anything if you put it on a leg.”

“So you’re saying I need to be careful about my decisions. That’s obvious, isn’t it? Not like I’m going to slap on random tattoos without thinking about it.”

“Aye, but that’s not all. Unaffiliated tattoos are the smallest, with normal bloodline tattoos occupying more space.”

Vir saw where this was going. “And the Ultimate tattoos are the largest?” It was no surprise, seeing how Balancer of Scales snaked around Cirayus’ chest to his back.

“Indeed. From what I’ve gleaned of Jalendra’s records, if you wish to bear all the Ultimate Tattoos, you cannot inscribe any others.”

Vir’s hopes came crashing down.

“Not even one?”

“Not one.”

Of course, there had to be some drawback to the Ultimates. They sounded too good to be true, granting godlike power simply inscribing them.

Vir had often wondered what sorts of tattoos were out there. He’d ruminated over the possibilities. With such a world of options, he’d have his pick without ever needing to worry about compatibility like normal demons did. He could’ve mixed and matched bloodline arts with unaffiliated tattoos to create the ultimate warrior.

Now? Now he had a decision to make. Seek the Ultimates? Or forfeit that option in favor of several lesser tattoos?

“You have until we reach the Demon Realm to make your decision. Longer—I imagine it will require quite some effort on your part to obtain even a single Ultimate.”

“Figures.”

“For now, I’d suggest focusing on your memories. I know not how you commune with your ancestors, but if you can, I suggest seeking their counsel. It is a fact that they had a power the likes of which no other demon has ever possessed.”

Vir grimaced. “I’ll try… They only ever come out when my life’s in danger.”

“There is no shortage of danger here,” the demon said with a dark grin, moving away from Vir into the forest.

“Where are you going?”

“I shall build our home. Oh, and I should mention—for as long as we’re here, you’ll eat and drink what you catch and find. Understand?”

Cirayus’ demeanor was markedly different from before. It was almost like he was daring Vir to complain.

Until now, the demon had been kind and caring, hesitant to put Vir in danger. But now, it seemed the demon had come to some conclusion. Not only did Vir fend for himself climbing the Mahakurma, but it seemed life was about to get a lot harder for him, too.

“Yes, sir,” Vir replied, showing no hint of dissatisfaction. While Tia might’ve complained, she’d grown up with a silver spoon. Vir was no stranger to hardship. Rather, he welcomed the challenge of foraging on his own. Especially here, in the Ashen Realm. It’d be a useful skill that would no doubt serve him well.

“Good. Complaining gets you nowhere. Only through disciplined action can we improve ourselves. You’ll find a pond near the valley. The water there is safe to drink,” the giant called as he thumped off into the forest.

How does he know all this?

Cirayus had clearly been here before, but why? And when? Just how much time had he spent in the Ash? What sights had he seen?

Vir resolved to learn those answers, eventually. For now, he focused on the task at hand. First up was a little exploring.

Glancing up, he found the Ash Tear gone without a trace.

Not a bad idea scouting out the domain lord’s to see what I’m up against, Vir thought.

He didn’t plan to take it down—at least, not yet. There were a number of experiments he wanted to run first. As optimistic as he was, he didn’t guess for a second he’d win against these foes. If he could, there’d have been no point coming here.

Vir brought out some pen and parchment and began jotting down the local scenery.

The hill he was on supported a small forest that ran right to the base of a solitary mountain that soared hundreds of paces into the air. It was by far the tallest object riding atop the Mahakurma’s back, and Vir thought he spied puffs of smoke shooting from the top. He jotted all of that down.

The forest ended abruptly, giving way to a saddle on the turtle’s back, where the beasts had marked their domain. He marked these as best he could, scrawling X’s at the various domain lords’ favorite lounging spots.

It wasn’t especially obvious where one Ash Beast’s territory ended and another began, so Vir spent a good hour sitting and waiting for the lazy creatures to move. Some patrolled their space diligently, while others were content to laze around, idling their time away.

Most were of types Vir had never seen, but thankfully, he did recognize the closest one—the beast he’d have to fight first. It was one Maiya had fought during her time near the Ash Wall.

Shredders were bipedal lizardlike beasts that walked on their hind legs, bearing a passing resemblance to the Raptors Vir had dispatched earlier, on the Abyssal Flats. Unlike their lesser brethren, Shredders were solitary beasts, and as tall as Vason. Their elongated maws hid three rows of deadly teeth, and their razor-sharp claws and resistance to magic made them both dangerous and difficult to kill. Their semi-translucent, pasty white skin allowed a view into their internal organs, turning an ugly beast into an abomination straight out of a nightmare.

The bestiary had put their Balar Rank between 180 and 300, but Vir knew at a glance that this one topped the upper end of that range. Individually, it was stronger than even the Brood Matron, a beast Vir had struggled to kill even with Tia and her party backing him up.

Then again, he’d benefited from the Ash as much as the beast had.

Well, not quite as much; the prana density grew dramatically as he approached, nearly forcing him to leverage Parai’s Reverse Technique to prevent discomfort. The Shredder would’ve had the benefit of living in such a region for months. Possibly years.

If it’s this strong here, how much denser will it be at the very center? And has it opened any chakras?

Vir had no way to tell, but the reward for besting one was twofold. Not only would it serve as evidence of his power gains, bringing him closer to his goal, but meditating on the beast’s lair would grow his blood’s prana capacity, strengthening him.

With excitement growing in his chest, Vir activated Dance of the Shadow Demon. After ensuring Cirayus’ shadow was within range for use as an exit, he entered his own shadow.

Cirayus expected him to take months to deal with these monsters, but Vir wasn’t about to wait that long.

Today.

He didn’t expect to win. Here in the Ash, there were no Balarian proctors. No ranks with which to gauge power levels. It was safer to wait. It made more sense.

Yet time was a luxury he simply didn’t have. Already, weeks had passed in the Human Realm and he refused to burn any more here at the periphery. If not for Cirayus, for Maiya.

With the eyes of a predator, Vir watched. And he waited.

It’s a monster, was Vir’s first thought.

I’m gonna fight this thing? was his second.

— —

Two hours later, Vir was convinced he’d lose. He wasn’t strong enough to fight it. Not yet. But he was still going to.

It wasn’t like he was trying to be a reckless chal. He’d carefully studied the vile creature from all angles as it patrolled its domain. When his time in the shadows ran out, Vir simply reactivated Dance. Even if Ash prana could be depleted within the Ashen Realm—a big if—he certainly wasn’t capable of accomplishing that monumental feat. Which meant he got to enjoy the luxury of infinite Talent usages, and he abused that luxury to spy on the enemy.

The Shredder’s small arms may not have looked like much, but prana coated them like a razor. It looked identical to Prana Blade, except it was always active. The same went for its three rows of jagged teeth, each lined with prana. Finally, its tail literally was a blade, and it, too, had prana to enhance it.

The other parts of its body, while less deadly, were no weaker. The prana armor that clung to the Shredder’s skin made Vir wonder if Prana Blade could even get through. It wasn’t merely thick—it was so dense, Prana Vision couldn’t penetrate it.

Nor was it clumsy and slow like a Phantomblade. While it moved lazily, it was by choice rather than necessity—its musculature betrayed its agility. Vir had caught the abomination Blinking at its prey more than once.

Fleeing would be hard, Vir thought, especially if it has good senses.

A glance at Cirayus confirmed the demon was observing his every movement.

Vir could run all the way back and hide behind him, essentially forcing the giant to deal with the beast, but something told him his teacher wouldn’t be very pleased with that outcome.

Let’s call it the last resort, then. Here goes nothing!