Symbiotic Ascension : A Progression Fantasy Adventure

The pages fluttered as Glenn tried to garner his focus, to no avail. The more he tried to concentrate on the cosmology book, the more he thought back to the previous day's revelation. Even though Exan had repeated multiple times that his spells could be wrong, that he didn't verify it himself, Earth, at least in this universe, was gone.

It felt like even more questions had appeared before him.

Was Limbo situated in the same dimension, or universe, or plan of existence, whatever it's called, as the Earth he used to live on?

Exan also refused to explain his statement that space couldn't be explored from Limbo.

Did Onnea pluck his and every other Earthling's souls from Earth, put them in a box, and wait to use them at an opportune moment?

'More questions, always more questions. It feels like every answer I get only pushes me deeper down the rabbit hole, never closer to the actual truth.'

'Perhaps this world is billions of years older than Earth, which would be why the Solar System wasn't so solar,' commented Diamanes with a mocking tone. Glenn sighed heavily and glanced to the side. Sahro was sparring against Liara, Milena, and Lucian, while Exan watched from the sidelines, his eyebrows creased.

Glenn, Milena, and Exan had met up with the rest of the team at the Royal Tower. They had been invited to a waiting manor, which was a little absurd, but at least there was more than enough space for them to do everything they wanted. The Royal Tower still looked incredibly dominating from up close. It looked like it'd been carved straight from a mountain, with floating crystals surrounding it defensively. Glenn could feel his Mana tremble from the proximity of the structure. The temptation to try the Tower's powers with Diamanes had been strong, but Diamanes dissuaded him, likening it to eating an entire all-you-can-eat buffet in one sitting.

That wasn't something he wanted to experience, all things considered.

There was still some time until the ennobling ceremony, so they elected to spend it improving their skills. Glenn couldn't do much aside from deepening his knowledge of astral formations, unfortunately. He, after all, already had a tight-knit control over his powers. No robotic arms, no weird Primal energy to use, nor potential to unlock like Liara.

Just studying.

"Damn it," cursed Glenn. "I need some air." He left the training room to go take a breather in the garden, watching as Pebble, Raijin and Whitey played with Nelg. Exan had been very curious about the latter's existence, but decided it'd be a better use of his time to train the rest of the team instead of trying to research Glenn's doppelgänger.

Something for which Nelg was very grateful. The latter looked up and noticed Glenn's bloodshot eyes.

"Can't get a hang of that book?" He asked curiously. Glenn shook his head, throwing 'Cosmology - A Study of the Stars' by Exan at him. Nelg caught the book, flipping through the pages.

"Oh...! There are even illustrations!" Nelg exclaimed with a chuckle. He handed the book back to Glenn, who took it before collapsing on the grass, letting the pets jump over him.

"Seriously," complained Glenn. "Why can't I just imagine some... big-ass star exploding and call it a day? Why—Why do I need to understand what cosmic rays are? What do I care about radiation? Am I going to give cancer to my opponents?"

Nelg whistled in awe. "That's a seriously scary power. Imagine just going; Bam, a cancer for you, boom, a cancer for you too! That's terrifying!"

Glenn rolled his eyes, ignoring the blatant sarcasm. Diamanes laughed out loud, adding salt to the wound.

"Perhaps the peak of Astral Sorcery is making your enemies mutate! You know, like the Hulk!"

"Yeah, what a great fucking idea, Diamanes."

"No problem!"

Glenn sighed as he picked the book back up and flipped it open. He just needed to understand how space, stars, and all this mess worked. If he could couple this new understanding with mastery over the Draconic School, he'd be able to come up with new, incredibly powerful spells. Perhaps figure out a way to manipulate space and time, too.

'That'd be neat,' he thought. 'I can almost freeze time with Absolute Zero. But almost isn't sufficient. It's not enough to defeat Newborn Rulers and thousands of monstrous Orcs. If... what was that Orc's name, back in the Ink Dunes?'

'Decimius,' replied Diamanes.

'Right, Decimius. That guy was as strong as me back then. I can't imagine surviving when the Celestial Gods can manufacture thousands of Decimius every year. I must get stronger and unlock the Seventh-Circle!'

'Easier said than done,' Diamanes remarked mockingly.

Glenn huffed. 'Thanks for the encouragement. You can really cheer me up, Diamanes.'

'My pleasure, Glenn!'

'...I was being sarcastic.'

'Me too, hehe.'

***

Milena straightened up her clothes nervously, verifying her hair one last time. She was wearing a white dress with a pair of moons woven in the fabric artistically. The sigil of the House of Dela Luna.

"What am I doing here? This is surreal. Completely surreal."

Glenn looked at himself in the mirror, wearing his stylish ceremonial clothes. He adjusted his tie and scoffed. "You listened to Lucian, didn't you?"

"Yes, but—"

Sahro's mechanical prosthesis hissed with steam as a red, crackling current of Primal Aura ran over his body. "Trust him. We will be fine," he said dryly. Milena gulped and nodded slowly.

Liara smiled and hugged her friend, her dress black like the night, matching Glenn's luxurious clothes. "I'm here. It will go as planned, don't worry. We're just here to receive our rewards, after all!"

Milena hugged Liara back as she forced a nervous smile on her face. "Y- Yes, you're right. We're just meeting the King, the strongest being beneath the Gods. Nothing to be stressed about. Haha."

Glenn shrugged. "You know, I met Lucian's father during the first ceremony. He was quite nice, all things considered."

The colors drained out of Milena's face as she pointed an accusatory finger at him. "You met the King? What?"

"How strong is he?" Sahro asked with a calm expression. "I wonder if I can fight him."

Milena's eyes widened. "No, that—"

Liara tapped on her chin, pondering. "Much stronger than all of us combined. Exan is weaker than him, for certain. Perhaps if we ask Exan for help, we could take him down?"

"Are you all insane?" Milena was losing her mind until they all laughed at her expense. Glenn gave himself one last glance in the mirror before sighing heavily.

"I still can't understand why Nelg refused to come."

"Well, he was your weapon, but that changed, didn't it?" Diamanes cackled. "He's his own person now, perhaps he wants to be rewarded for the things he deserves."

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Glenn pushed his thumb against his forehead with a grunt. "Next time, I'm just getting a sharp sword, I swear. I'll have to find Rusty and the Smith to make something for me. I don't think they ever reappeared since creating Nelg."

Milena perked up, happy to get her mind off the upcoming ceremony. "Oh, that's because they're researched for breaking Munirp's laws. It's forbidden to create Soul Weapons. They'll be put in jail for life the moment they're found."

Glenn blinked. "Really? Why?"

Milena sneered. "Can't you guess why with how it turned out with Nelg? Imagine if a slightly more murderous Soul Weapon had been created!"

"Considering he's basically indestructible and immortal..." Glenn winced. "Yeah, I can see why the King doesn't want Soul Weapons running around."

"A weapon that can't be broken..." Sahro slicked his hair back with a determined look. "I need one. My last sword gave in."

Glenn looked at him absently. "Trust me, you do not want another voice in your head. Damn, I can't imagine another Sahro running around."

Milena exhaled heavily and crouched on the floor, her head clasped in her hands. "How the hell are you all so relaxed? We're meeting the King! Hello?"

Liara helped Milena up with a gentle smile. "Is the King going to kill us?"

"No...?"

"Torture us? Hurt us in any way?"

Milena shook her head. Liara giggled with that crystalline laugh of hers, making Glenn's heart spin in his chest. "Then there's no reason for us to be afraid."

Milena swallowed heavily and lightly slapped herself on the cheeks. "You're right! It's going to go great!"

Someone knocked on the door, interrupting their conversation. A servant entered, bowing. "Please follow me, esteemed guests."

Glenn and the others exchanged one last glance before following the servant. The latter led them from the guest manor into the Royal Tower, entering the massive structure. Sculptures of past kings and paintings of old victories filled the hallways of the rich and heavily decorated entry. The ceiling was high, absurdly so. It was as if the structure had been constructed with titans in mind.

Countless knights in armor with magenta capes stood stiffly, their eyes sharp under their helmets. A quick look with Mana Sight told Glenn that they were all at the very least Crusaders, with a few sparse Saints.

The floor itself was covered in red velvet, making each step feel like they were walking on clouds. They took some sort of magical elevator, bringing them to a higher place within the Tower. The quantity of knights increased the higher they got into the structure, as beautiful painted panes sung Munirp's legends, the bravery of old lords, and their champions.

Mana of incredible intensity saturated the air. Glenn breathed in deeply, feeling his body filling up with his strength.

'Truly the best environment to grow,' he thought.

'That's why we need to replace the King!' Diamanes exclaimed. 'Imagine, all of this stuff for us to use! The greatest privilege! The right to look down in contempt at everyone who wronged you! Or execute them. Whatever you like.'

Glenn ignored the entity's stupid ramblings. The servant stopped in front of a magnificent oak door built for giants. Glenn turned to his friends and nodded at them. They nodded back, all as ready as they'll ever be. The servant bowed and swiftly left. Glenn took a deep breath, steeled himself, and pushed the door open.

"Hero of the War Beyond the Wall, Slayer of Evil, Fixer of Legend, Count Glenn the Devil's Hand!" A crier exclaimed to welcome him in. Glenn's eyes widened at the sight of the throne room that the crier had already called to the next person.

"The Black Swordsman, Bane of Vampires, Hero of the Black Heirs, Honorary Count Sahro!"

"The Desert's Rose, the Deadly Beauty from the Ink Dunes, the Flying Sword, Honorary Countess Liara!"

"The Heir of the Omniscient, the Unparalleled Witch, the Vampire Slayer, Duchess Milena Dela Luna Sorenas!"

Glenn, Sahro, Liara, and Milena stood before the King, countless ministers, generals, and nobles standing to the side with grave expressions. The throne room was incredible, the glass-tinted ceiling painting a mystical violet hue over them like a constant twilight. Artifacts vibrating with power were positioned in every corner of the room, ready to defend the King at a moment's notice.

The throne, on the other hand, appeared slightly different from the rest of the room. It was stern, carved out of black stone. Runic enchantments covered it from top to bottom, Mana comparable to a Newborn Ruler pulsing out of it.

Next to it, a smaller, more standard throne had been installed, golden and padded with expensive purple fur. Lucian smiled from his seat, keeping his princely demeanor while sneaking a wink at them.

Glenn and the others, as they'd been instructed, took one knee before the King. The latter was majestic, to say the least. He wore a white regal suit, with a crimson cape that constantly floated behind him. A crown with immense strength floated above his head, symbolizing his strength.

"Honorary Count Sahro and Honorary Countess Liara," called the King. The two looked up, the white marks on their forehead gleaming in the subtle lighting.

"Despite coming from another people, the Black Heirs, you brought your strength in service of Munirp. You proved to the most traditional that you are a plus to this society, earned honorary titles, and built yourself a legendary reputation. For this, I award you both with true Count titles and the land that comes with them!" The King stated, his demeanor dominating. "In addition, I would like to propose giving you a noble family name that will last for generations."

Liara took a deep breath and lifted her head, determined. "Your Highness." Her voice threw a cold over the room, ministers and generals alike astonished by the crystalline sound. "I humbly request you accept a name I have already borne since I came into existence."

She clenched her fists and stood up, ignoring the gasps of dismay and shock. "I am Liara Lùthalen, the Last Heir of Thalorieth, and Queen of the Black Heirs!"

The King's sky-blue eyes widened as Liara stood as his equal bravely, the cross on her forehead shining with a bright, regal white.

Queen and King stared at each other in an oppressive silence until Munirp's king eventually bellowed into a laugh. His laughter grew wide, exploding through the throne room. And even though this laughter was warm, no one dared follow in their king's example. No one but the Black Heirs' Queen, of course. Liara chuckled lightly, her silver hair fluttering behind her.

The King grinned from one ear to the other and crossed his legs. "Very well, Queen of the Black Heirs. In light of this revelation, I wish to change my proposition in your regard!" He stared down at the silent nobles, generals, and envoys of the Churches. "I, Alaric Magnus, King of Munirp, wish to ally with the Black Heirs!"

Liara bowed her head slightly with a polite smile. "The Black Heirs would be honoured to have the great Kingdom of Munirp as allies."

The King clapped his hands with a wide smile. "Very well! I shall have an official announcement about this alliance later on. Let it be known wide and far that the Black Heirs are friends of the Crown!"

Glenn had to use all of his willpower not to whistle in awe. 'Wow. That will change things quite a bit within King's Rise. I wonder how Giselle will react when she learns of this.'

The King cleared his throat. "Queen Lùthalen, I would like to bestow upon you the honorary title of Countess Lùthalen, as a respected ally of the Crown. Do you accept?"

Liara bowed with a grace in a perfect Munirp tradition. "Of course, King Magnus."

The King nodded as Liara took a step back. Sahro remained kneeling, his eyes staring back fearlessly at Munirp's ruler. His mechanical prosthesis hissed with a burning cloud of steam, crackling with power.

"Honorary Count Sahro, do you wish to follow in your Queen's footsteps, or receive lands as a true noble of Munirp?"

Sahro bowed his head respectfully, his fox imitating him from the side. "Thank you, Your Highness, for allowing me to follow my Queen."

Alaric Magnus nodded. "Very well. Milena Dela Luna Sorenas, please step forward."

Milena complied nervously, not daring to look at the King.

"You've proven yourself worthy of your father's name and redeemed your mother's name. I will bestow upon you the title of Duchess. You will stand as your father does, and as your mother once did. Do you accept?"

Milena bowed perfectly, concealing the anxiety in her voice. "I accept willingly, Your Highness. I shall do my utmost to restore the name of the Sorenas and get rid of the stain my mother left on the honour of my House."

The King tapped his finger on the armrest of his throne. "Very well."

Milena stepped back as Alaric turned to the centerpiece of the event. Glenn looked up defiantly, a wicked grin on his lips. It wasn't a conscious grin, nor a mocking one. It was only the grin of someone who wondered what it would take to break the impassable wall in front of him.

The grin of a devil.

"Count Glenn, you led your comrades multiple times to rid Munirp of its corruption. Your achievements are as numerous as the number of enemies you defeated. I see for you a future bright like the stars you wield!"

The King stood up, surprising everyone in the throne room. He unsheathed his sword and walked down to Glenn, putting the blade on his shoulder.

"You, who stem from humble beginnings, Rose to meet the King. You, who aspire to stand even before me, will now be the Duke of the Stars! And I wish to bestow upon you a House name that shall last for eternity, the story of your legend written in black ink. Do you accept?"

Glenn glanced at Lucian, who gave him a discreet nod. 'Go for it!', he seemed to say. Glenn looked back at the King, his grin growing even wider.

"I do, Your Highness."

The King grinned in a similarly wicked manner, his magic power exploding in the throne room. The force threw some nobles off their feet, while some generals stood their ground. None in Glenn's team faltered, and certainly not Glenn himself.

"Very well!"

The King turned to the audience, his voice bursting like a thunderstorm. "I, Alaric Magnus, King of Munirp, proclaim the advent of the Duke of the Stars!"

"Glenn Starborn!"

End of book 5, To Stranger Lands.