Infinite Realm: Monsters & Legends

Chapter 441: Zach and Ryun

Responsibilities and Meanings

Zach

I should come with you, Naha said, her hand reaching out to squeeze his.

Zach smiled, then shook his head. I need someone to look after this place, he waved his hand around them. The walls of the Castle of Knowledge were still filled with spirits. Less than there had been before, many had left after the death of the Grand Spirit of Knowledge at his hands.

But others had also come to see the new owner. Zach was almost universally accepted by them, the morality and ways of the spirits were not at all like those that Zach had become familiar with in the Real Realm. The spirit accepted him in the new role, and sought him out to give them answers to the questions they had.

At first he had been somewhat apprehensive, as he didnt have the well of knowledge that his predecessor had. It turned out that he didnt need to worry too much. Spirits were a lot more flexible as far as the passage of time was concerned. Zach had the time to research the topics they were interested and come back to them days, weeks, or more later. It didnt matter to them as much as getting the answer eventually.

And there was a lot to learn. He had spent days locked up in the Repository of Knowledge, just soaking up knowledge through his new Knowledge Blade. There was too much for him to take in of course, so he had mostly started storing it in his Band Of Memorys Hall. He had learned how to just siphon knowledge without actually experiencing it, then storing it into his item for easier consumption later. His item had a perk of being able to basically show him what was stored at a much faster rate than what his new blade could. Allowing him the benefit of not losing time when he learned.

I dont want to leave you alone again, Naha stressed.

Ive agreed to it, Zach said.

So have I, she countered.

Zach sighed. Not really, they just... assumed that you would be coming with me.

Naha gave him a look that he knew very well, and he had to look away.

Youre right, he said after a few seconds of silence. But I also do need you here. I dont want to leave this place unattended, and you have been learning with the... spirit, Zach tried not to think of what the Grand Spirit of Horror was teaching her, but they had come to this place for power.

Naha narrowed her eyes at him. The last time I let you go somewhere alone you got captured.

True, but it was a completely different situation. This time I will be surrounded by an entire army. And besides, my job isnt to fight the Dome at all, Im just there as backup, he said.

Naha looked at him for a long minute and then finally asked. Are you sure?

Zach tried not to grimace. She knew him very well. There was another reason why he wanted to leave the Ethereal. Ever since he took the Grand Spirits power he had been feeling strange. He had a strange perception of the Ethereal Realm that he hadnt ever experienced before, and it... unnerved him.

I need to leave, for a little while at least, Zach answered. And I am being genuine, I need someone here to keep an eye on things. I have plans for this place.

Naha gave him a long look, and then nodded.

I understand, she said as he knew that she would.

He stood up, a few months had passed in the Real Realm since they came to the Ethereal. They had been lucky, though Zach had also been trying to influence Time with his will. He wasnt quite sure how successful he was, but ever since he defeated the Grand Spirit he had felt like the Ethereal was almost listening to him. As if it had synchronized time to flow as it did in the Real Realm because of him.

He wanted to see what would happen once he left. He took a deep breath, he had enough time to go back to the Sect and gather the Wardens, they shouldve arrived. The assignment was, after all, for the Warden faction.

He was looking forward to seeing how Bera and the others had grown. He had plans for them too.

* * *

Ryun

The Grand Spirit of Transition wove... whatever it was that it used. Its power swallowed Ryun and Nayra.

I will place you near the territory that the War Camp is bound to, that should be near enough to your target, the Grand Spirit of Transition said as the Grand Spirit of Mysteries stood nearby.

Just remember your promise, Ryun said to both of them. Once we are finished in the Real Realm, well come for the knowledge you promised.

The Grand Spirits didnt respond, instead Transition activated its power. Then they were moving through the Ethereal, back to the Real Realm.

Ryun felt the moment they left the Ethereal, it was a new sensation, but one that he was getting very accustomed with.

He opened his eyes and saw the breadth of Essence all around him, letting him know that they were no longer in the Ethereal Realm.

Well, that was, interesting, Nayra said. And they dropped us in the middle of nowhere, great.

Ryun chuckled. Well see, he said, then unwound his perception, pushing it as far as he could.

Everything came alive in his mind. After keeping himself contained so long, it felt liberating, as if he had just taken in his first breath, it felt like he was whole again.

His |Enhanced Adaptation| struggled to help his mind make sense of all the new information that was coming in. He lamented how much he had missed in the Ethereal, he had been in the middle of camp filled by so many spirits, he couldve learned so much. The smith spirits... how much had he missed by not being able to see everything that they were doing? By being forced to confine himself? His time in the Ethereal had taught him precision and control, but ultimately his perception had always been about seeing everything, about knowing everything. It resonated with who he was, a Witness. The Oblivion that surrounded everything and watched.

He smiled as he felt his sense hit its range limit, covering the territory around them, then he let his Will flow into the skill, and pushed beyond his limits. His mind was overwhelmed with the scope, with so many things happening. |Divided Mind| was there for him to reach out to, lessen the load, but he refused, he pushed his Will into |Enhanced Adaptation|. He couldve done this years ago, but he held himself back. The reason for it had always been simple to Ryun. There was a part of him that had always felt like advancing when he had a need, granted him greater power. This moment wasnt filled with conflict, it wasnt in the middle of the battle, but it had something.

Spending so much time in the Ethereal had helped him. He had gotten better at control, but also just being exposed to the Realm of the Soul had had an impact on him. The sense of his Soul had expanded. He could almost feel his skills at a deeper level, as he had felt them long ago when Zach had sealed his power.

He remembered the blade sticking out of the shield covering his power, the pillar that was his skill. They were there in him, shaping who he was. He hadnt always locked in pieces that he wanted, not consciously at least. He didnt even know how skills worked, back at the start. And sometimes, he didnt even care. It had taken him some time to figure out what his pillars were, what exactly he had locked into each of his skills. A man that cut down anyone in his way, the monster that was inside of him. A man that wanted to survive anything. A man that always kept his word. A man that wanted to advance. A man that wished to find interesting things. A man that had the desire to understand. A man that loved Cultivation.

These were his building block, the foundations. And Ryun was building toward something greater. Something that Zach had taught him he should. The meaning of his life. There were other pieces of him that were important too. The Wolf of the End, The Witness of Journeys End, The Paths of Final End and the Unbreakable Wall, the Aspect of Oblivion.

Once, he had thought that his meaning could be something like Enduring in Pursuit of Worth. He still felt like it was close. But he was also the End, that which ushered the last breath. Worth and the End. He still didnt know how to put the feeling into words, but he could place another stone, secure the foundation further.

He felt his two skills pulsing, the quests that had been finished long ago, waiting for him to trigger the evolution, faltered as he pushed his skills in another direction. He focused on the pieces of himself that he wanted to be part of him forever.

The love of smithing, of creation.

|Enhanced Adaptation| >>>|Perfect Enhanced Adaptation|

His mind cleared as his skill helped his sense perceive the world around him. The information sorted itself inside his mind, and existence came alive. He focused on his foundation.

The pursuit of worth.

|Of Targeted Resonance Sense| >>>|I Perceived By My Will|

The skills blossomed inside his being, pillars settling inside of him, expanding his Soul.

You had to do that now? Nayras voice brought him out of his head, and he glanced in her direction, not surprised that she sensed something.

It felt like a good moment, Ryun said, and then glanced at his new perk.

Piercing Perception

Your I Perceived By My Will allows you to sense through most scrying protections. +25% to dexterity and intelligence.

It was a good perk, he thought. Then something caught his attention and he tilted his head as the information from his perception slid into his conscious mind.

Oblivion spread out of him, a tiny layer that he used to engulf both himself and Nayra. He waited for a few moments, and then grimaced.

Follow me, he said and then quickly moved, leaping through the air toward the forest nearby. After a while he stopped and got back down to the ground, Nayra landing next to him, her wings of fire disappearing.

What was that about? She asked.

Damn, he said, he had hoped that obscuring them with Oblivion would be enough. We got incoming.