Rot Heart: A LitRPG of Rot Magic in an Ancient World (Book 1 completed)

In the dreamscape where a tall sea of grass stretched to the horizon in every direction, Div and En watched as Theaphilia materialized.

It was the first time she had come to visit them since her ascension.

The difference was noticeable.

"I have not managed to reel in my new powers yet," she said. "The strain on your minds will be greater. Let's keep our talk short."

Div and En could feel it. It was as if a weight had been placed on their souls.

Or was the weight coming from the way they had last parted with Theaphilia?

Perhaps.

Yet, it wasn't what she had come here to discuss.

"You have started a new facet."

"Yes," Div said. "As agreed, En is the one who chose."

"How do you feel, En?" She asked.

En didn't answer right away. Of course, he didn't feel good. He hadn't felt good since… a long time ago.

Had he ever truly felt good?

Yes. Yes, En was quite sure he felt good at times. When he and Div first started training together, alone in the rift.

Then the rot came and took that away from him.

It had taken everything from him.

He settled on an answer: "Not great."

It wasn't enough to convey all his pain, all his exhaustion. But did he want to say more?

He didn't get the chance to make this decision for himself as Div said, "He's sour about our new skill."

"Your new skill? Is it rot-attuned again?"

"Can't you tell?" Div asked.

"I can't," Theaphilia said. "Even though I'm Ascended Rank, my Inspect hasn't even evolved. Something I'll get around to fix in the many years of life I have recently gained. But for now, it would take a lot of effort to break your Conceal. On top of being quite rude."

Div and En looked at each other, momentarily forgetting their worries.

"I didn't seem to bother you before," En said.

"You weren't hiding your status before. The situation has changed. But enough of that. En, what troubles you about your new skill?"

En pondered for a moment.

Scornforged was not rot-attuned. If he really wanted to stretch things, he could make the argument that getting the skill was a result of their Rot Heart. After all, it was clearly coming from their exile, from how people in Kheiron felt about them, maybe even from Rotten Sun.

Still, it didn't feel like the true reason he disliked Scornforged.

"Should we tell her our skill?" He asked Div.

"I don't mind either way."

En turned to Theaphilia and said, "Scornforged. This is the name of our skill. In short, it makes us stronger and more energetic when people hate us."

"The more the better," Div added.

Theaphilia stroked her chin, a knowing light shining in her eyes, "No wonder… I've heard of skills like that. I'm sure a few Thesios clan commanders have something along those lines. Although, the source of their strength would be the trust and fervor of their soldier, instead of hatred."

"So it's not the same," En said.

"It's not the same," Theaphilia agreed. "I can see why you'd be concerned about it. This is a slippery slope. You don't want to turn yourself into someone who seeks hatred to become stronger."

En nodded. This was exactly what he was worried about. Hatred, rot, it was too easy. He feared Div would let himself succumb to the draw.

"But," she continued. "It's a powerful skill."

It was. In that, En couldn't deny she was right. That was where his anxiety stemmed from. A weak skill was nothing to be worried about.

"I feel like I have no control over my life," En said, his head down. "First the rot, then the mind-splitting, and now this…"

"We can't control what the world gives us," Div said. "But we can decide what to make of it."

En shook his head but didn't answer. Div didn't understand. Nobody understood. Even En himself didn't really understand what he was going through.

He was tired.

"En," Theaphilia said. "This is something you will have to come to terms with. We can't do it for you. It has to come from you."

En nodded, unconvinced.

"On another note," she continued. "Div, tell me how your rot magic practice is going."

"I'm just starting out. It will take a while before it yields results. But from my first tests, I think the first thing I should work on is my control over mana."

"Why is that?"

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"With our Rot Heart, there is so much rot-attuned mana that everything coming into contact is decaying on contact. I can't understand the nature of rot in this situation."

"Mana manipulation is tricky," Theaphilia explained. "Each attunement behaves differently. I can tell you my sky-attuned mana is constantly trying to escape upward. As for rot-attuned mana, I have no idea."

"It's hungry," Div said. "It wants to seep into everything it can."

"That's a start. You'll need to find out more. The other thing to note is that mana manipulation relies on the force of your will. The only way you can get better is by practicing."

En watched them discuss the properties of mana. He didn't have anything to add to the conversation. He didn't know much about rot-attuned mana. Only that it was disgusting, sticky, and humid.

He sighed, feeling left out. Still, he knew Div needed to study if they hoped to evolve Sundered Mind.

He was useless.

The next day, Div and En went to class. With the help of the wild aretras, everyone had completed their Facet of the Veil in record time and moved on to new pursuits. Camboaci only mandated the first two facets of its children. The first had to be combat-related—or druidic, if possible. The second had to be Facet of the Veil. After that, everyone was free to choose what they preferred.

"Evolving is all about finding oneself," Vedovessa explained. "Your decisions, your successes, your mistakes, are all an important part of the process. That said, I'll remind those who haven't made their choice yet that a dark day is approaching. You will be asked to fight."

Even the threat of the dark day wasn't enough for every student to pick a combat-oriented facet. Lugsellos was a prime example with his Sense Emotion skill. While the skill might be useful when fighting other humans, it wouldn't do much against mindless beasts.

With Inspect and Conceal having reached an acceptable level, the class focused on practical issues regarding the coming dark day. While Evolved Rank monsters would be fewer than last time and dealt with by the warriors of Camboaci before they could pose a threat to the students, there was still a lot to go through.

Formations, cooperation, monsters to avoid, protocols to follow—there was so much to learn.

Nobody here was an experienced fighter. Even Div and En, who had seen their fair share of combat, didn't qualify as such.

"I just want the dark day to start!" Segorix complained during their lunch break. "All this theory is making me restless."

"I know!" Ambisena agreed. "How does Vedovessa expect us to remember all that?"

Gennorina, Lug, Div and En shared a look. It wasn't that complicated. Granted, there was a lot of information to remember, but a lot of it was common sense.

Support allies in trouble, don't shoot at monsters locked in melee with a friend—that kind of thing.

"Seg, Ambi," Gennorina said. "You two need to be careful. I don't want to see you recklessly charging at a beast when the time comes."

"Bah," Segorix said, almost offended. "Why us? Tell that to Lug and Diven too."

"No offense, but I know they won't do that."

Div and En were happy to hear that.

[I can definitely see us charging at a monster too strong for us. But we take compliments!]

(Still, let's be careful.)

"Lug is an archer!" Ambisena protested. "Of course, he isn't going to do that! But Diven…"

"What?" Div and En asked. "I wouldn't…"

"See, Genno," Ambisena said, pressing on. "He's not even convinced himself!"

Gennorina looked at Div and En, uncertainty clouding her eyes.

"I wouldn't!" Div and En insisted. "Unless the situation calls for it."

Ambisena winked at Gennorina, a self-satisfied grin playing on her lips.

"Well, not as much as Seg," Gennorina said, intent on defending Diven.

"Why?" Seg said, putting his hands on his heart. "Lug, defend me! Tell them they're wrong."

Lugsellos shook his head and sipped on his cup of water. He wanted no part in the argument.

"Lug… after all I've done for you…"

"You know what I mean, Seg, Ambi," Gennorina said. "I'm just worried about you."

"We know…" Ambisena said. "I'm just saying, don't target us when Diven is there too. He literally went to a rift alone. If that's not reckless, I don't know what it is."

"Um," Div and En coughed. "Anyway, it was an accident."

"Right–I didn't tell you guys about it yet!" Gennorina exclaimed. "I made contact with an earth spirit."

"Way to change the subject," Segorix said. "But congratulations."

Aside from Div and En, who already knew, everyone was surprised by the news. Few druids in the village had success this early in their lives.

"It's still a baby," Gennorina explained. "But Brigaseta was glad to learn an earth spirit was born near the village."

"It's the third spirit living close to us," Lugsellos said quietly. "Something to be celebrated."

"Third?" Div and En asked. "There is the wall of trees, the earth spirit, what's the last? Is it the giant tree in the middle of Camboaci?"

"What are you talking about?" Gennorina asked, almost laughing. "That tree doesn't have a spirit."

"Ah?"

"It's just really old," Gennorina explained. "The third spirit—actually the first, if you go by power or age—is the spirit of the river."

"The Lien River?"

"Of course!" Segorix said. "Are southerners this clueless? You've lived next to the Lien River for centuries now."

"How does that work? The river is so long…"

"Spirits don't conform to mortal norms," Gennorina said. "The spirit is the river. The river is the spirit."

"So I've swum in a spirit? Can you talk with it?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"I don't know of anyone that can," Gennorina said. "The Lien River's spirit is too ancient, too far removed from us."

[Between this and Elenvind, there are things out there beyond what we imagined.]

(I guess.)

[You're not into it.]

(I'm thinking. Don't worry about me.)

"Impressive isn't it?" Ambisena said. "And we are the descendants of that mighty being! Or so the legends say."

"Is that true?"

"That's a legend, but who knows? It's not impossible," Segorix said.

"I think it is true," Lugsellos said.

"Really? Why?" Segorix asked his friend.

"Just a feeling."

"Feelings are important," Gennorina said. "When it comes to spirits or people, that's sometimes all that matters. Right Div?"

Lugsellos turned his head toward Div and En, a look of concern showing from deep within his eyes.

[En.]

(I'm done. This is over.)

[It's just a nickname, we'll tell them not to use it.]

"I don't think Diven likes to be called this way," Lugsellos said.

"What?" Gennorina asked. "Div?"

"Yes, I heard this is unusual for Ameians to shorten their names."

It wasn't true, but Div could only grab onto this lifeline, "Right, sorry, it feels weird."

(Hypocrite.)

[En, you know she didn't mean that!]

(It's all the better for you. Don't mind me.)

[En…]

Div didn't know what to say. In his soul, he had to admit he wanted Gennorina to call him Div. But he could feel the pain emanating from En.

(I've been thinking about it for a while now.)

[What are you talking about?]

(I was wondering when it would happen. For them to call us Div.)

[It's not…]

(It's fine. I'll just leave you be. Be Div. I'll wait for you to evolve. Then I'll leave.)

[En…]