Eternal Rest

"Thank you for that. Anything else you would like to inquire about before we start our descent?"

Bones glanced down the mountain, at the haunting fields where Voidstalkers roamed hidden behind the veil of the world, then turned to Hugo. "Is it possible for me to learn how to move within the void, like Voidstalkers do?" he asked.

Hugo understood Bones' intentions clearly and asked in return, "Are you asking that because your soul was trapped in the void, and you developed space affinity as a result of it?"

After Bones confirmed that was the reason, Hugo dashed his hopes, uttering ‘difficult’ with a shake of his head. “Void isn’t an affinity, but an entirely separate space between the realms. To give you another example of a skill that uses void, take the magician movement skill Teleport. It allows the user to traverse the distance from one place to another by bending space, but it happens instantaneously, so the user isn’t aware they were entering and exiting the void.

I’m telling you this because spells and physical skills are different. Your self-learned Dash would be categorized as a physical skill, which you couldn’t learn in an official capacity because you don’t have muscles and tendons, and therefore don’t meet the requirements to learn the skill.

Movement spells, on the other hand, could be learned. The reason you have yet to learn one such spell is because your class, Bonemacer, doesn’t have any movement spells in its repertoire of skills. If you were to develop dark affinity, in combination with space affinity, I’m sure learning a movement spell would be an option, eventually.”

“And is there an intention for me to develop a dark affinity in that transitioning plan of yours?”

“There is! Both Dark affinity and Chaos affinity are innate to the undead, and it's essential if you were to embrace your undead nature to acquire both before advancing to the second tier. But there are necessary steps you need to accomplish first before we get to that point. We might as well discuss one of those steps now. It is the most crucial step that will help with a smoother transition to chaos mana if you agree to participate.”

“Participate?” Bones raised an eyebrow.

“Yes. A small operation is required. I’ve discussed the matter with Master Vyrus before departing, and the preparations are already underway. By the time we come back, everything will be ready for you.”

"Regarding the transition to chaos mana, mana is what allows me to move, to even exist, without it…" Bones raised concern, but Hugo interjected, correcting him on a few points. "You misunderstood me. I didn't mean to deplete your mana pool, but to taint it, corrupt it. I've devised a way to do that efficiently, without suffering drawbacks and increasing the frequency of your nightmares. If we don’t take appropriate steps now, the system will force it upon you during the second-tier advancement. The outcome will then be beyond our control, and you would be entirely at the mercy of the system."

“Hmm…can you elaborate on the intricacies of the operation first? I’ll decide after hearing you out.”

"Of course! The plan involves attaching specially modified leeches to your mana pathways inside your body. These leeches are parasitic worms that usually feed on chaos mana but were modified to exclusively feed on raw mana. Master Vyrus conducted these alterations decades ago, using them on an ice mage ascendant with the intention of acquiring his corpse. The objective was for the leeches to drain the ice mage’s mana, corrupt his mana pathways, and rot his body from the inside. Although the target was expected to die within a year, the old man managed to prolong his life by constantly chilling his body.”

“Surprisingly, he still lives when he should have died years ago, much to Master Vyrus's dismay. Despite the setbacks, a couple of worms from those experiments remain. They were in stasis for too long and required time to revive. That's why I had Master Vyrus make the necessary preparations, as I mentioned earlier."

"W-what?" Bones muttered. "You want to…" and trailed off. Then, a figure popped into his head. He turned to Hugo. "Could the ice mage you talked about be Fluvis Frose, the head of the Adventurer’s Guild in Wezar Kingdom?"

Briefly stunned, Hugo replied, "You know the ice mage? You haven’t mentioned meeting an ascendant!"

“I don’t know him - I just know of him. I’ve never seen the man, but I heard rumors, and now I see some of the rumors were true,” Bones corrected.

“So, he is in the Wezar Kingdom… Master Vyrus will be pleased to hear that! What do you think about the operation? I wouldn’t mention this method if I didn’t think it was the best course of action to accomplish our goals.”

“Honestly, I’m both surprised and intrigued. How long would the operation last?”

“Probably less than an hour. There’s not much to the process; it’s only the preparations that require time. I take it, you're considering it?”

“No, it’s fine, let’s do it!” Bones declared, then asked for clarification how the leeches would affect him. Hugo reassured him that he wouldn’t feel the worms inside him, but over time, he would both feel and see changes when using skills. He further elaborated that Bones would know the worms had reached their limit when he started freely incorporating necrotic affliction into his spells.

“At the end of their life, the leeches disintegrate. That will be your cue to come back here so we can proceed with the next step.”

“What is the next step? And how long do you estimate will take to complete the transition? Months?“

“Given your mana regeneration, close to a year, maybe longer. The next step will be to acquire dark affinity but that will require more research done on my part. I’ll have everything prepared by the time you return.”

“You seem to be eager to roll up your sleeves and get busy!” Bones jokingly added. Hugo adjusted his hat, replying, “Of course I am. I had nothing to do for the past few years. Are you ready to descend the mountain?”

Bones gave it a brief thought before replying that he was ready to leave. He inquired if they were returning the same way, through the Haunting Fields. Hugo gave him an ominous grin, twirling the end of his mustache, and said they would be taking another route back and taking the shortcut down the mountain. He then politely asked the Reaper for his assistance.

Bones wondered what that was about when the Reaper picked him up, like a maiden in distress, and hurled him far over the edge and down the mountain. Bones’ involuntary screams faded as his silhouette disappeared into the distant clouds surrounding the mountain peak. Hugo chuckled, then went through the same activity, following Bones in free fall.

Within a minute, Hugo landed softly, utilizing a peculiar umbrella-like contraption to slow his descent. Scanning the surroundings, he spotted Bones, thirty meters away, on all fours and visibly trembling. Concern etched across his features as he approached Bones, questioning if he had perhaps pushed the prank too far. However, Bones, still cackling, turned to him and assured him that the experience had been exhilarating, taking Hugo by surprise. As they conversed, Bones noticed the Reaper standing nearby, holding the reins of their horses, a silent sentinel amidst the aftermath of their descent.

"How did he get here so fast?" Bones murmured while standing up. Hugo followed his gaze and explained that Reapers were swift and silent assassins among the undead. Like themselves, they were unaffected by fall damage.

Bones snorted, remarking how his bones still throbbed from the harsh landing, then followed Hugo to the horses. After mounting up, the party headed west, circumventing the Haunting Fields. On the return journey, Hugo disclosed that they only had one stop to make, a day's journey away. This time, it was Bones' turn to train, and Hugo promised to reveal everything about the aspect of his training in due time, urging Bones to spend the time until then to observe and Identify any creatures they came across.

The route they traversed led them through ravines inhabited by a myriad of dwellers stirred by their presence. Among the apex predators in the region were Giant Vultures, birds of prey with a malevolent disposition and advanced intelligence. Circling high above, they appeared as mere dots despite being among the largest of birds, boasting wingspans of up to ten meters and weighing over three hundred kilograms.

While Bones marveled at the new sights, Hugo reminded the Reaper to stay vigilant, although it seemed unnecessary as the Reaper had already made his presence known, signaling that they were not to be trifled with. Approaching the end of the ravine, fog began to obscure their view forward, even affecting Bones' otherwise formidable senses.

“This isn't natural fog.” Bones commented, noting the unusual atmosphere. Hugo nodded in agreement, confirming that they would soon leave the ravines and enter the Ghastly Plains, where Bones's training would commence. After hours of horse riding, the trio stopped before the haunting expanse shrouded in a perpetual gloom, with a dim, ghostly light filtering through the dense fog that hung low over the landscape.

Sparse and gnarled trees stood sentinel, their twisted branches reaching towards the leaden sky, casting long, ominous shadows that seemed to stretch and contort with each passing moment. Mushroom-like growths dotted the landscape, their pallid caps releasing wisps of eerie mist that drifted and coiled around the gnarled roots of the trees. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, carrying with it a sense of foreboding that seems to seep into the very bones of those who dare to tread upon this cursed land.

Skeletal remains lay scattered amidst the bleakness, silent witnesses to the horrors that have unfolded in this forsaken place. Occasional undead skeletons and zombies wandered the plains, their hollow eye sockets staring blankly ahead as they shuffled aimlessly through the fog. Soul wisps flickered in and out of existence, their ethereal forms drifting through the air like ghostly apparitions. But perhaps the most unsettling presence in the Ghastly Plains were the roaming wraiths. These spectral beings glided silently through the fog, their translucent forms barely visible as they searched for lost souls to ensnare. Amidst the fog, faint whispers could be heard, echoing through the stillness like the mournful cries of lost souls.

"Quaint indeed," Bones remarked dryly, casting a glance at Hugo that spoke volumes. Hugo coughed awkwardly, shifting his gaze away from the unsettling landscape. He acknowledged that the nightmarish theme and haunting atmosphere were typical of the Nether Realm. "What can you do, eh? You won’t find sunny beaches and colorful fields here, so get used to this kind of environment. We're close to our stop. Come," Hugo said, pulling the reins of his horse and guiding them towards their next stop.

At the heart of the Ghastly Fields loomed a colossal dead hollow tree, a haunting presence amidst the eerie landscape. Its towering trunk, stripped of bark and foliage, stood as a stark symbol of decay. Deep cracks scarred its surface, exposing the emptiness within. Twisted branches stretched outward like skeletal limbs, casting dark forms across the terrain. Despite its lifeless appearance, the giant dead hollow tree exuded an undeniable sense of malevolence, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the haunted fields.

“This is it.” Hugo said and dismounted. Bones followed suit, but his attention was drawn to the colossal tree before him. Hugo walked past him and gestured with a wave of his hand to follow him. Without a word, Bones followed Hugo around the tree until a cavity large enough to enter was revealed, leading inside. Hugo slightly ducked and entered, with Bones following closely from behind.

Inside the colossal hollow tree, the air was thick with the scent of rotting bark and cobwebs stretched across the interior, draped like veils in the dim light filtering through cracks in the trunk. Arthropods scuttled along the decaying wood, their tiny legs creating faint rustling sounds. The interior was a labyrinth of gnarled wood and hidden nooks, with the faint glow of bioluminescent fungi clinging to the walls.

Hugo began to ascend, utilizing the natural irregularities in the bark to scale the towering trunk until he reached a height of a dozen meters. From his vantage point, he looked down at Bones and gestured towards an opening that offered their exit. Bones acknowledged with a nod and followed suit, climbing until he reached the opening where Hugo awaited him.

“Come, sit with me,” Hugo invited as Bones joined him on the thick bough. From their elevated perch, Hugo directed Bones's attention towards the distant horizon. “This is the foe you will be battling against,” he declared solemnly, his gaze fixed on the swirling specters of malevolent wraiths haunting the Ghastly Fields below.