The Wandering Fairy [LitRPG World-Hopping]

Passing through the endless void, Soren couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement. A goal he had been chasing for months was finally in his grasp…

He never had a proper opportunity to reflect on this accomplishment. The Mirror Game's abrupt end was followed by a deadly confrontation by the Vynasians, leaving him and his companions desperate for survival.

Now that he finally had enough time to himself, the weight of all his choices finally dawned on him… This pilgrimage he had taken—the Fellowship of the Runes—was finally over.

A journey of past Ages. From the abyssal chambers of the Avalon Ruins, to the heretical sculptures of imagined gods… And even the very war that started this era of stagnation… Soren had seen it all. With every step he had taken, Yarian's history had unfolded before his very eyes.

Shifting his gaze away from the colossal shadows dominating the infinite space, a question formed in his mind:

Should I continue?

Should he continue climbing that mountain? Was there any reason to?

When he first proposed the idea of leaving on this journey, he did so with the intention of gaining a new Abstract Rune. That was the only goal he had in mind…

That was until he met Guntharion…

Fate had other plans in store for him. No step he had taken so far on this journey went unaccounted for—the Orbits had steered the path visibly, refusing to even hide their manipulation. From the strange dreams plaguing his every night, to the manufactured coincidences that lead him closer and closer toward that star-layered mountain…

Guntharion had said that the answers he sought were awaiting him at the summit, but was it even a choice? Did he have the right to refuse those answers?

No.

No matter what he did—no matter where he went in Yarian, the path would simply course correct until its goals were achieved.

But that was the point—Yarian was where his avatar was positioned. The influence of the Orbits only affected him in that world. Over here—in the cold and dark reaches of the Rift, where a lonely space separated from reality exists—only his actions held weight.

The Orbits could not reach him here… Their machinations were pointless. He had tested this hypothesis thoroughly—witnessing how his mind slept peacefully there without being influenced by those eerie dreams.

Before he obtained his rune, Soren was forced to continue his journey in Yarian. Now, however? That was no longer an excuse.

Soren has no reason to return to Yarian past this point, outside looking for the things needed for his Soul Alchemy Ritual. He could simply huddle away forever in this isolated space, without the fear of being manipulated by anyone.

"Who are you trying to fool?"

Soren shook his head slowly and chuckled softly.

Hiding away? Living in isolation for eternity?

"Fuck that."

Soren might have hated the Orbits for trying to control his life, but he hated cowards more. And more than that—a life of isolation?..

That sounded so fucking boring!

Regardless of fate's actions, Guntharion's words were still true. Soren was still seeking an answer to that ritual question. He still wanted to experience thrills and adventure—to journey the world and see what it has to offer…

So what if some mysterious beings were manipulating his actions from the shadows? Let them have their fun for now. Eventually, he will figure out their intentions and make them pay for everything they've done…

So what if he fails in the process? Life wouldn't be so thrilling without a bit of danger…

Mount Tolarion's Celestial Heights… Not many have made it up there…

As he swiftly descended into the void, his mind became filled with endless delusions of grandeur. Picturing his name and photo in the Luvinica Today newspaper with the title, "1st Circle Magus Ascends Mount Tolarion's Summit!" certainly filled him with excitement…

He chuckled to himself. Is there anyone in Yarian more egotistical than I am?

Tazzith maybe?...

He almost imagined the old demon replying with a snarky one-liner or a strong rebuttal.

After letting his mind relax for a bit, Soren finally reached his destination. With a single blink, his feet were once against touching solid ground. He glanced around slowly, basking in the scenery of the garden.

Up above, he could see the familiar wooden shelves, containing far more knowledge than last time. And even higher than those, the serene bubble of colors shifted like waves, containing strange objects that looked no different from crayon-painted drawings. And yet, there seemed to be a difference… One that was both subtle and obvious.

The colorful sky waves seemed far less random than before… As if there were ripples forming in a distinct pattern. The vibrations were unique enough for most to gloss over them, but Soren knew instinctively that no change in this isolated space came without reason…

As he squinted his eyes, he heard the usual voice call out to him.

"You're finally here."

Soren smiled as he witnessed the Faerie Court shift around him. The night shrouded flower garden now held a monument at its center… A marble-forged canopy with a radiant flame within its expanse.

"Figment," he crossed his arms. "You've certainly changed."

The flame no longer held its usual orange gold luster. A vibrant mix of greens, blues, and purple patches could be found on its luminous figure, scattered like sun-spots.

No, they weren't just patches or spots… They were mushrooms?

The strange growths were made of the same radiant flame, and yet, they seemed to branch out of the main pillar… As if they were an infection or disease.

"Is this because of the new rune?"

"Indeed." The flame flickered unevenly. "According to my estimates, you have twenty-one days to procure the necessary items for the Soul Alchemy Ritual.

"Our inevitable confrontation will soon become reality."

Soren paused as he stared silently at the radiant pillar of light. A calculating smile formed on his face.

"Then let us get started then, shall we?"

Soren walked over to the round table and took his usual seat, his gaze fixed at the enchanting light above. Golden butterflies flew together in unison before him, morphing into a thin strip of light. Information displayed itself upon the [Fictionalization] window:

Soul Alchemy Preparations

Rune: Cantor's Crown

Governing Concepts: resonant multiplicity, harmonic convergence, worldsong embodiment

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

Topology: 1, 2

Fragments: 1 Insight

Materials of Influence: Unknown

Missing Pseudo Concept Axes: [Essense], [Form], [Motion], [Breath]

Staring at the floating window, Soren leaned back against his seat and sighed. "You didn't figure anything out yet?"

"I had no permission." The voice replied robotically.

"Ah, right."

Soren had completely forgotten all the command restrictions he had put on the flame in case it ever decided to plot against him… He had methodically researched into Demonology to make sure he didn't miss anything, in case the Figment of his Imagination discovered a loophole.

Thankfully, his worries were unfounded. But that did mean more effort for him this time…

Unlike Sorceries or Incantation magecraft, Rituals tend to have a more indirect approach when invoking certain mystical effects. There was no major need for material runes. Because all things are represented in the Beyond, a ritual's purpose was to create a unique representation through the actions of the magi. That was how pseudo concepts were materialized.

In a way, one could think of a pseudo concept as being similar to a waypoint or beacon within the Beyond… They are not true concepts but simply imitations powered by the magi's willpower. And these imitations act as a method of 'attraction' for the real concept it's inspired by.

As for how they are created… That was an entirely separate issue.

"Flame, bring me the chronicled entries on Pseudo Concepts."

"As you command." Soren watched as one of the scrolls resting within the confines of the colossal floating bookshelves dematerialized into golden butterflies. The swarm flew in his direction and transformed into another golden window:

Pseudo Concepts Axes (Magecraft)

Magi must follow a general template when crafting the Pseudo Concept for their ritual. Each axis represents a certain type of action within a ritual. These procedures can only work if three of the four axes are achieved:

Essence:

Substance or Matter. Physical items that hold a tangible connection to the concept you are aiming to mimic—Materials of Influence.

Form:

Geometries, Shapes and Arrangements. The structure the magi imposes upon the Materials of Influence. Whether they be knots, circles, mirrored placements, or other distinct depictions.

Motion:

Actions, Sequences, and Time. The movements that impose meaning upon the Materials of Influence. Dances, chanting, or hand gestures all count under this category.

Breath:

Spoken Intent and Written Thoughts. Willpower shaped consciously through one's voice. Whether it be hymns, poems or even songs… Direct questions and statements may work as well.

Reading through the entries, Soren began to think deeply about his future actions. As the chronicled information outlined, Rituals tend to follow a distinct formula for invoking the desired pseudo concept.

It somewhat reminded him of Pendragon's theories. That ancient archmage had explained that the chaos within the Beyond was man-made… Our thoughts and perspectives influence how objects are represented in that metaphysical plane, causing the material runes to endlessly shift without pattern.

A Pseudo Concept, utilizes this principle to its advantage. When a magi arranges the ritual in a certain way (through the four axes), their minds are doing so with the objective of mimicking an existing concept. This was especially true for Soul Alchemy rituals, where the Pseudo Concept had to match whatever Abstract Rune it was trying to trap in the Soul Chain.

And when that mental image forms, the influence would reflect back into the Beyond through their anima, as would any perspective of an "object."

In a way, one could think of the ritual as a mental training exercise. You are mentally imbuing meaning to the actions you do in the ritual so that eventually, that belief carries on into the Beyond, representing it in the way you want it to represent it.

Was this not basically the same as his theory on material runes?.. That they too could be created from nothing with just enough willpower?

He shook the thought away then glanced back up at the shroom-infested flame.

"Since we have the governing concepts, can't we use divination to discover what the ritual needs?"

It promptly answered back, "Indeed… Though, the target of that divination will have to be the rune itself… In fact, you don't even need to fully use divination—[Eyes of the Fairy] will provide us with ample information.

"Cantor's Crown is an Abstract Rune that has existed in Yarian for a while. The Records of Enigma might have some entries regarding it."

Because the ancient tablet only chronicles material runes, the information on Cantor's Crown will be rather indirect. However, in cases such as these, indirect information was all that was needed. A Pseudo Concept in the end, was simply an indirect replica that represents what the Abstract Rune they were targeting stands for.

"Very well," Soren nodded. "Let us proceed."

With that said, he activated [Eyes of the Fairy] once more, this time targeting the vibrant flame piercing through the dome of the marble canopy.

It was akin to looking directly at the sun. Except, it was his own sun… Within the enchanting pillar of light, Soren was able to see his own soul. The strange fractal-like entity at the center, morphing endlessly in shape, was his Runic Existence. Circling around it was a strange ring that folded endlessly upon itself. Embedded into the Soul Chain was another miniature fractal, depicted in the shape of a trapped eye, violet in color.

He continued to focus his vision further, trying to see the unseen. It didn't take him long to discover what he was looking for.

Clinging tightly to his Runic Existence was an eerie, miniature mushroom, whose pileus seemed to endlessly shift in colors. The little mushroom rocked up and down, as if it was dancing to the pulse of his soul.

Just as he was about to take a closer look, the mushroom paused, then shifted in his direction.

Soren's butterfly-filled eyes widened. It noticed me?..

Suddenly, he felt a wave of nausea pass through him, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over him. Then, a strange pulse of sounds echoed in his mind…

The noise was incomprehensible, but held a strange pattern. There was meaning within its form, but also a tinge of chaos that made his madness flare.

Despite the risk, Soren decided to continue listening and observing. He could feel the information passing through the great filter known as [Record], allowing his Soul Weapon to process the knowledge first and compile it.

Much to his surprise, the eerie "song" became more and more understandable. Not to the point where he could pinpoint the actual rhythm, but enough to comprehend and admire its complexity.

Eventually, however, he did begin to observe a pattern… Though, it was more akin to an emotion imbued within the song. Feelings of isolation, loneliness and desperation entered his mind in waves as the mysterious rhythm became louder and louder.

Before he could fully understand it, his vision was cut.

[Eyes of the Fairy] had ended. The world had returned to normal.

Rubbing his temples from the pain, Soren frowned deeply at what he had seen.

"What the hell was that…"

Before the flame could answer, another holographic window appeared:

Mushroom Dance Ritual

Essence (Materials of Influence): Dragonstone Mushrooms [20%], Wind Whistling Leaves [35%], Philosopher's Soil [10%], Silver Tuning Fork [20%] Emberbloom Shroom Caps [15%]

Form: Firmly scatter the Philosopher's Soil in a circle. Around its perimeter, arrange the Dragonstone Mushrooms evenly, then place the Emberbloom Shroom Caps atop each one. At the center of the arrangement, plant the Silver Tuning Fork.

Motion: While your Soul Realm is expanded, hold the Wind Whistling Leaves to your lips and blow, creating a distinct rhythm. Dance in a circular fashion around the arrangement while allowing your tunes to vibrate and resonate with the mushrooms.

Breath: Not Necessary.

Reading the information, both Soren and the flame froze, unable to say anything.

"How…"

They both had expected to only obtain partial information, or at least clues as to where to find the materials of influence…

Not even the original Secrets of the Records ritual he had conducted had information this detailed!

"It's as if the rune itself just handed us the information…"

The flame flashed with new light. "Abstract Rune Synchronization."

He glanced up at the flame, watching its light dance across the marble.

"I knew Cantor's Crown was likely influenced by that. After all, its flaw is apparently related to the Faerie Court. Only I was compatible with it.

"But I didn't expect it to be this eager to merge with me…"

"Now that the process has been cut, what do you plan on doing?"

Soren rubbed his chin for a while. Eventually, he sighed.

"Since we know what the ritual entails, we can focus on acquiring the Materials of Influence first. The only problem is… Some of these materials are not native to Mount Tolarion or even the Tolarion White Expanse at all.

"Emberbloom Shrooms for example only survive in the Feylith Forest. I had already chronicled an entry on them a while ago, during our journey to Yadria.

"But Dragonstone Mushrooms… I believe those are only found in the Runic Mountains—on the other side of the continent…"

Not to mention the Philosopher's Soil which was made from grinding down Philosopher Stones into dust… They had plenty of them stored in the Spatial Bracelet after looting the Hall of Death, but it still pained Soren to destroy such expensive things…

"No entries exist on the Wind Whistling Leaves. You'll have to find information on them yourself."

Soren leaned back and covered his face with his cone hat. "One thing at a time… I still have an appointment with Myrin and Miss Solyara later today…"