Chapter 203 - Crystal

“Adion, what’s taking so long? Aren’t you finished yet?” Shindo asked as he walked up to Adion.

Adion didn’t take his eyes from the painting in front of him, though. It was a painting of Sell laughing. Adion found this to be his favorite painting so far. 

“I see,” Shindo said as he spotted the painting, “You painted your girlfriend again. Too entranced to even hear me talking to you?”

“I can hear you,” Adion answered, “I just found this one turned out particularly well.”

Adion smiled happily as he still felt the warmth of the newly surfaced memory where he and Sell spent the day relaxing in the Academy. 

“Well, I’ll admit you’re talented. But do you think you can admire you’re work later?” Shindo asked.

“Fine, let’s go take a look,” Adion said and started packing his things.

It had been two weeks since they found the Profound Water now, and they hadn’t found anything interesting yet. Adion didn’t feel too bad about it, though. He had decided not to be too cheap with the Profound Water, and now, besides meditating, he painted two paintings every day. He started feeling more and more comfortable as his memories returned to him. 

But that wasn’t all. Because even if they hadn’t found anything so far, Adion knew there was something interesting deeper inside the grand hall. He had felt it with his space mana a few days earlier, and they should be able to reach it with just a little more effort. So Adion felt pretty excited about getting back to work.

“By the way, Shindo,” Adion said as he got up to his feet, “What do you think about my paintings?”

“What do you mean?” Shindo asked and started walking down the hallway.

“Do you really think they’re good?” Adion asked, following Shindo. 

He had been complimented by both Minru and Shindo before, saying that his paintings were spectacular. But Adion hadn’t really seen what was so great about them. Isn’t a well-painted painting to be expected by someone who has put the effort in?

But as Adion painted more and more, and his memories started to become clearer, he realized that his paintings really were above the ordinary. The special feelings you could feel from just looking at his paintings was something he wasn’t close to being able to accomplish before. It was like he suddenly became a master after his captivity. 

Adion felt he wouldn’t even lose to Quahim anymore.

He didn’t know how the change came about. The only thing he could think of was that his memory-recovery and painting ability had some kind of special synergy that made it all possible.

It seems like having to remember something buried beneath the cloud of the Persmytha tea flexes the same type of muscles as imbuing emotions in paintings. 

That’s really lucky. It seems I at least got something out of this whole ordeal.

I can also remember things more clearly now. I won’t have to be afraid of forgetting things in the future. That should make learning runes a lot easier in the future.

“I’ve said it before, haven’t I? You’re paintings are incredible. Even I’m somewhat envious,” Shindo said, “Of course, strength is always better.”

“I don’t see why you can’t have both,” Adion said with a smile. “But what level would you say they are at? I haven’t come across many paintings before, but you should be more experienced, right?”

“I guess I have seen a few paintings at your level, but it is very uncommon. Unless you count paintings from past Ages that have somehow made it through time, I don’t think anyone has reached a much higher level than you.” Shindo said.

“Really? It’s rare even on Quemer?” Adion asked.

“As far as I know,” Shindo said, “I thought Shiora was much more advanced in this area based on your ability. Your teacher must be better than you, right?”

“Well, maybe,” Adion said.

Looks like doing what I do isn’t easy to learn.

“You mentioned paintings from the Age of Wonder? Have you seen any?” Adion asked.

“Unfortunately not,” Shindo said, “Even on…Quemer, there is not much left from before that calamity. I have a hard time seeing most paintings making it through. But I know there exists at least one.”

“Really? Where? What kind of painting is it?” Adion asked.

“I,” Shindo hesitated slightly, “I don’t know where it is exactly. I was never that interested to dig up the information, I’ve just heard from a reliable source that there is such a painting.”

“Well, when I go to Quemer, I’ll see if I can find it,” Adion said.

“You’re going to Quemer?” Shindo asked.

“Eventually,” Adion said with a nod, “The Academy is going to send a team of students over to compete in some kind of competition. I’ll probably stay over there to explore for a while.”

“I see,” Shindo said, slowly nodding. 

Adion noticed that Shindo seemed to be in deep thought all of a sudden.

“What’s the matter?” Adion asked.

“Well, nothing,” Shindo said, “Just thinking it would be fun to travel with you.”

“I’m sure that would be fine,” Adion said with a shrug, “It would be nice to have someone around who knows the place.”

“I haven’t traveled around Quemer much besides the area I grew up in, I’m afraid,” Shindo said with a wry smile.

“Well, it doesn’t matter. If you want to tag along, I’m sure it will be fine. But if you want to go with the Academy, you better be prepared for the Headmaster's questioning. You won’t be able to be as slippery with your answers as you can be with me.”

“Better forget about it, then. Hehe,” Shindo chuckled.

Just what is he hiding?

Adion was really curious, but he had plenty of secrets himself that he didn’t want to share with Shindo, so he couldn’t be upset that Shindo kept some things to himself. 

It didn’t take much longer before the two were standing in front of a huge boulder. Adion gestured toward him and said, “You first.”

“Really, I can’t understand the point,” Shindo muttered. But he still went ahead and conjured his lightning, doing his part.

The boulder was close to pulverized after Shindo’s two attacks. 

“Your lightning is much better at doing a proper job,” Adion commented as he walked over the small stones left behind, waving off the dust in the air. “We always have to clear the small stones left behind when I do it.”

“I would be happy to carry rocks if I don’t have to conjure lightning,” Shindo said, panting.

“Well, that’s how it is. How about some wind?” Adion suggested.

“Ruthless,” Shindo muttered. But he still conjured a small gust of wind to clear the dust.

Adion got a clearer view of the way forward. He released his space mana and realized that it wouldn’t be difficult to reach the platform further ahead.

I hope it doesn’t end up being nothing.

“Step back so you don’t get hit by anything,” Adion warned, preparing his volatile space.

“Are you sure this is the way to go?” Shindo questioned. The two had been following the wall the past two weeks in hopes of discovering another room before Adion changed direction.

“Yeah, something is up ahead. You’ll see,” Adion said.

He grabbed hold of a pocket of space with his Authority and Willed it to become volatile. It was an almost instant process now. He didn’t need to think about each step meticulously.

I feel like my volatile space resembles a concept more and more. That’s good. I can make it more and more powerful.

Adion got to work, and the boulders were crushed in front of him one by one. 

He soon reached the platform, noticing it seemed to be made of a slightly different material than the floor. It was a clear, black, glass-like material. 

Adion stepped up on the platform and started destroying the stones around him.

Wait!

Adion let go of his control when he noticed something peculiar further ahead.

“Is this what you felt? Some kind of altar?” Shindo asked as he stepped up behind Adion.

“Come, there is something over here,” Adion jumped up on one of the smaller stones in his way and rushed to the center of the altar. Shindo hurriedly followed

“What’s that?” Shindo asked.

“I don’t know,” Adion said in a low voice.

In the middle of the altar, there was a pedestal packed with runic patterns. On top of the pedestal, there was some kind of light yellow, almost gold, crystal.

Adion and Shindo approached the pedestal slowly.

“What do you think?” Adion asked after a moment of silence. Adion had never seen anything like it, but Shindo always seemed to have an explanation for everything.

“How should I know?” Shindo questioned.

“Well. Isn’t there something like this on Quemer?” Adion asked.

“Not that I know of,” Shindo said. 

“Shoul we touch it?” Adion asked.

“I’ll give it a try,” Shindo said and stepped forward to lay his hand on the crystal.

“This,” Adion also stepped forward. He didn’t want Shindo to carry the possible consequences alone. 

As Adion laid his hand on the crystal along with Shindo, he couldn’t help but hold his breath, ready for something to happen.

But as the seconds passed, he realized he had been overthinking it. 

“Do you feel anything?” Adion asked.

“No,” Shindo said, “Should we try to pour our mana into it?”

Adion thought about it for a few seconds before saying, “Let’s take a step back and control the pure mana around us.”

“Okay, that seems like a good idea,” Shindo said.

The two stepped back, and Adion started taking control of the pure mana around him, guiding it to the crystal.

Shindo looked up in surprise. “Why are you so good at controlling pure mana?”

“Huh? Is this good?” Adion asked.

“What a freak,” Shindo muttered, “Why do you always have these random abilities you excel in? If I feed mana at your pace, I wouldn’t be able to handle a tenth of what you can.”

Is it that exaggerated? Well, it’s always nice to one-up Shindo.

Unfortunately, the crystal didn’t react. The pure mana Adion fed it simply traveled straight through. The crystal didn’t seem to have any ability to hold on to it.

Let’s see if I can affect the runes somehow. 

Adion guided his small stream of pure mana to the pedestal, searching for a place that accepted his inflow of mana.

“Ah!” Shindo yelled out in surprise. 

Adion also noticed that his mana seemed to be able to enter a certain place in the middle of the pedestal. As a result, a gentle light started glowing from the crystal. 

“This…I see!” Shindo yelled out in realization.

“What do you see? What’s going on?” Adion asked.

“Wait,” Shindo said, closing his eyes and facing the glow as it hit his face.

This guy…

“Yeah,” Shindo said with a nod. He smiled wryly and turned to Adion, “It seems like this is a place to contemplate concepts. Unfortunately, it’s the light element, so it’s not really of any use to us.”

“Are you sure?” Adion asked, “How do you know?”

“Do you see that crystal?” Shindo asked, “I figured out what it is. It’s a beast core. And an extremely powerful beast at that.”

Adion opened his mouth in shock. That crystal was bigger than his head.

“How powerful must a beast be to have a core like that?” Adion questioned. He stopped feeding pure mana so as not to waste his Will and stood up to examine the crystal once again.

“Size isn’t the sole indicator of the strength of a beast, it depends on its size to a large part as well,” Shindo said, “But considering this place is from a past Age, and that the light had such power from just a small trickle of pure mana, it could very well have belonged to a god.”

“A god?” Adion exclaimed.

“It’s possible,” Shindo said with a deep nod, walking up next to Adion to look at the core again. “Perhaps not a powerful god, but still.”

“Powerful god? They have different powers?” Adion asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Doesn’t everyone? You think every god was exactly the same strength?” Shindo questioned.

“How do you know all this?” Adion asked. Shindo seemed to hold knowledge that he had never heard about all sorts of different things.

“I’ve studied a few things,” Shindo said with a shrug, “And we have a similar way to train concepts in our family, so I was able to see the intended use of this pedestal. Still to think runes could be used like this, it’s incredible.”

“What you have isn’t like this?” Adion asked.

“No,” Shindo said, shaking his head, “These runes are incredible. Just with the core from a beast, anyone can insert mana and receive a gentle version of this beast's powers when it was alive, and thus study the concepts of a god. If we could figure out these runes, do you realize how world-changing that would be?”

Adion wasn’t an idiot. That would elevate the strength of the world's mages to a much higher level.

Damn. I wish I knew more about runes so I could understand these things.

“This seems like it is very important,” Adion said.

“Just as big as the teleportation formation, I’d say. If not of even higher importance,” Shindo said. “I’ll definitely take my time to study this thing carefully. If I can bring this home to my family, it would be the greatest contribution in history.”

It’s rare for Shindo to be so impressed. I guess I can’t let this opportunity slip either. I’ll have to note down each and every one of these runes. 

“If you want to study the teleportation formation, you should hurry,” Shindo said.

“Huh? Why?” Adion asked.

“We can’t risk the Empire coming over,” Shindo said, “We need to destroy the formation.”

Adion frowned slightly, but he could see Shindo’s point. 

“You’re right. I’ll tell the Academy about this place when I get back. I can’t have this place under the Empire’s forces at that point,” Adion said.

“Good,” Shindo said with a nod.

Looks like I’ll have to get busy.