NOVEL NEXT 115 - Chorus of Renewal
When Div woke up, the sun was west. It wasn't quite sunset, but they should be looking to land soon and spend the night.
A quick check with Rotlife Sense made it clear Dana was fine. He sighed in relief.
He overheard his friends discussing where to sleep. They were understandably worried about the mountaineers' pursuit. Through Scornforged, he confirmed that they were still being targeted.
He wasn't surprised. Even if he had hoped the hoplite squad would serve as a distraction, he didn't truly think they could stop them.
"I'll stand guard," he said, standing up. "Scornforged's still powering me up."
With the nap he'd just taken and the power from his second skill evolution, it was only natural he would stay up to protect his friends.
Lug and Dana raised concerns about his well-being, but he waved them off.
"Who wants to hear about my new skill evolution?"
Unlike Bound Genesis, he had a solid idea about the effect of Chorus of Renewal. He would need to run some tests, but it was nice to confirm that all Evolved Rank skills weren't as cryptic as his first one.
It probably would've been easier to figure out had En stayed with him, but separating had been their goal. He couldn't ask for too much.
"Of course we want to know," Genno said. "Especially since we might need it sooner or later."
"It's a healing skill, right?" Lugsellos asked.
Div nodded. "It's called Chorus of Renewal. I need to confirm everything, but it should allow me to heal other people. Although I'm quite sure there are some stringent limitations."
"Such as?" Lug asked.
Div hesitated. "I need to care. Share a connection to the person I'm trying to heal."
Dana met his gaze. "The process is quite… intense."
"I feel the same," Div agreed. Their souls had been so close, so linked together. Even now, there seemed to be some lingering effects. It wasn't as deep as the bond between him and En, where he could feel his brother through Bound Genesis, but there was a sense of kinship between him and Dana.
Dana opened her mouth. Div could see she was hesitating.
As usual, Lug noticed too. ""Don't worry about talking in front of us. We'll keep it to ourselves, we owe you at least that much."
They all looked at Lug. He continued. "Well, if you two want to speak privately, Genno and I can go."
Dana shook her head. "That won't be necessary. I believe you all should hear what I'm about to say. Div, after you used Chorus of Renewal on me, my bloodline has changed."
Silence.
His thoughts raced as he tried to come to terms with the implications. "Do you think it's because of my skill? Or is it a coincidence?"
Bloodlines weren't supposed to change. But, if the last few years had shown Div something, it was that anything was possible. After all, En had taken one of their titles and turned it into a bloodline.
Was it Bound Genesis?
No, not quite. It played a role, that much, Div was sure. But it wasn't the source of the change.
Ignoring Lug and Genno's incredulous stares, Div asked, "How did it change?"
"From Steady Hands to Soulguided Hands. I haven't figured out what it does yet."
"Do you have a title that sounds like that?" Div asked.
Dana shook her head.
Since childhood, Div had been bothered by bloodlines. His mother's experiences, being shunned for her Sunset bloodline, had made him think about it more than other kids his age. His own awakening had only reinforced his interest.
Bloodlines were hereditary. There was no doubt to be had. Illustrious ancestors influenced them. It wasn't a coincidence that the Leios clan produced so many sun-attuned bloodlines, and the Opheo clan so many sky-attuned bloodlines.
But Div knew that wasn't everything. Otherwise, he wouldn't have awakened his Rot Heart. En wouldn't have inherited Rift Pioneer.
Like the entire status, the bloodline was located inside one's soul. That much was common knowledge. But Div was convinced it wasn't as set in stone as people made it out to be.
Now, he had more evidence to show for it.
"I'm sorry, Dana."
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
It might have been a breakthrough in his understanding. An achievement worthy of a title, which he believed he would have gotten if not for his skill evolving. Still, Dana hadn't asked for it.
Dana smiled. "No need. I know it wasn't intentional. And, let's be honest, Soulguided sounds better than Steady."
"That's a relief."
Lug scratched his chin. "You really come up with the weirdest skills, Div."
"Right?" Gennorina exclaimed, louder than she intended. "Sorry, but that's not even the wildest skill you've shown us. Sundered Mind and its evolution were on another level."
Dana raised her eyebrow.
"I'll explain it to you later," Div said, laughing. "I guess that's the advantage of walking a new path. I'm not restrained by my predecessors. But the downside of having to figure everything out by myself is pretty bad. Also, you two have weird skills too, I'm not so special."
Genno's bond and Lug's Empathetic Resonance were nearly as unheard of as his own skills.
Luckily, the group found another river island to spend the night. It wasn't as isolated as the previous one. Closer to the shore and surrounded by other small islands. However, it was still a lot safer than camping on the mainland.
They set up their camp and, exhausted, Dana, Genno, and Lug went to sleep after a quick meal.
Div was left alone once again.
Not that it bothered him. He needed the time to figure out his newest skill.
Unlike with Bound Genesis, his instincts were on point regarding Chorus of Renewal. But he still needed to make sure it worked as intended. At least the basic functions.
The thing he was most worried about was that the skill could have lost its self-healing ability. It had saved his life so many times and was such an integral part of his fighting style, that it was the first thing he tried to confirm.
With his knife, he drew a small cut on his left arm. Then, he activated the skill. He was back inside the rotting illusion that defined Echoes of the Rot Heart.
By now, he wasn't bothered by the putrid smell and damp air filling his mind. He had gotten used to it. Moments later, he opened his eyes, and the cut was gone.
Good, it still worked.
He would have to see if he could find a way to channel the skill without losing himself in a trance. But he'd need time to train quietly for that.
Relieved that his skill was still working, he moved to the second part of his inspection: his inner world.
He couldn't afford to spend too much time contemplating. He needed to stand guard, and looking inward was not the best idea. But his curiosity got the better of him.
His inner world hadn't changed much since separating from En. His tree was still growing, strong despite the rot that infected it. Next to it, the one representing En was healthy, if not quite as tall.
Div ignored the rest, focusing on Chorus of Renewal. Rather, he focused on the beat of the Rot Heart which used to represent his skill before the evolution.
It was still there, but instead of a regular, steady heartbeat, the thump was echoing, as if several hearts were beating together.
He exited his inner world, refusing to risk the safety of his friends. He could reflect on his skill with his eyes open.
One thing was certain, he didn't feel like Bound Genesis had influenced the formation of Chorus of Renewal. It meant that the bloodline-altering effect of his new skill had little to do with the first.
It was frustrating. When his soul had touched Dana's, he had hoped he could glean a few clues regarding his evolved skill. But it seemed like it would stay a mystery for a while longer.
Still, it wasn't all bad. A second evolution, so soon after his first, was a great achievement. He was eager to see En's face when he found out. Furthermore, a way to heal his friends was always good to take. Especially in their situation.
He was wary of the side effects. Whether it was the target's bloodline transforming or his own emotions being affected, it wasn't ideal. But, ultimately, as long as it saved their lives, it was worth the cost.
The night passed. Not wasting time, they boarded their boat again and kept heading south.
Days passed.
No trace of the mountaineers. Perhaps Trabine's proximity had deterred them, or they had rerouted their efforts to more important tasks.
In any case, not being caught was a good thing, and the group's mood lifted with each ambush-free day.
"We are entering Trabine's territory," Gennorina said as they passed a remarkable rocky white cliff on the riverside. "Remember learning about the white cliffs in year two?"
Div remembered. At least, he did now, thanks to Gennorina's reminder.
The territorial claims of each Lienien settlement were weakly defined. There was simply no need to argue over land when the villages were so far apart. But the white cliffs were a landmark that stood out, so travelers mentioned it as the entrance to Trabine, even if it wasn't strictly accurate.
They sailed one hour downstream before their boat came to a complete halt.
"What's happening?" Div asked, his brow furrowed.
"This isn't natural…" Dana said, standing next to him.
They were still in the middle of the river, and water flowed around their boat. But they were immobilized.
Just as Lugsellos and Gennorina joined them on the prow, alarmed by the situation, an old man appeared in front of the group.
To say he was old was an understatement. His nearly bald head was full of wrinkles and contrasted with his long, slightly unkempt white beard. Wooden cane propping his hunched back, he was dressed in a white robe.
Div was immediately on guard. This man was dangerous.
He gathered his courage. "Who are you?"
The old man snickered. "Well, isn't that the most suspicious bunch of children I've seen in a while? I should be the one asking you. Why are you bringing one of those cursed artifacts into my lands?"
Name: Div
Bloodline: Rot Heart
Titles: Rotten Sun, Exterminator, Spellmaker
Current Facet: Facet of the Rot Mage
Previous Facets: Facet of the Hoplite, Facet of the Survivor, Facet of the Exile, Facets of the Self, Facet of the Veil, Facet of the Army Breaker
Skills:
Bound Genesis - Evolved - Lv1
Chorus of Renewal - Evolved - Lv1
Rotten Spear – Basic – Lv10
Rotten Shield – Basic – Lv8
Rotten Spearfishing – Basic – Lv8
Trap Detection – Basic – Lv8
Blighted Passage – Basic – Lv8
Inspect - Basic - Lv6
Conceal - Basic - Lv6
Scornforged - Basic - Lv5
Mana Manipulation - Basic - Lv4
Rot Magic - Basic - Lv4
Rotlife Sense - Basic - Lv3