Chapter 51: A bond of soul and spirit
[Sungrade lands, 4th Cradle: ]
"Skiiiiiiiiiii...!"
Unlike the other cradles that were closed off areas protected by magic barriers, the fourth cradle was located south of the city of Oren, in the open grassland meadow located between the demonic forest on its east, and a high mountain region on its west.
There, protected by a strange natural phenomenon, surrounding a lake area present in the meadows, was a mystical garden.
People who walked inside this region either got lost or found themselves standing at the point where they had entered from.
It was a strange place, and so few people could traverse through it aside from all the special beasts that found that environment to be their perfect home.
-Oooooooooooooooooong...
Here, in this mystical place, the Sungrades raised creatures with high Mana sensitivity: spiritual creatures like the Fays and spirits.
The dense and pure energy of the deeper parts made a perfect environment for the spirits. The elders that looked after this place were mages or elementalists who could use the powers of various elements.
They were powerful and had a great bond with the spirits that they contracted with. Of these elders, the one who was the best spirit mage, Elder Van, was someone similar to the young Alex, an individual blessed by the spirits.
"Skiiiiiiiiiii...!"
He was the one primarily looking after this place, and he was also the one Prism was helping out right now.
"After you have established a thought connection with the spirit, try and apply the formula we practiced earlier."
He was standing beside the elder who sat in a meditative state, a large spirit resembling a crocodile with red skin present before him.
The translucent red of the spirit creature’s body was pretty different from all the balls of light that floated around them.
The water of the lake present behind them was ignited by the light of hundreds of spirits that were present here, and even among them, very few of these spirits had a concrete shape like the croc.
In addition to that, the creature was of a great size. Both the elder and Prism looked like children before this elder spirit, and yet, neither of the two people before it were affected by its presence.
"You must use [Dive] to enter the mind of the spirit and through [Oneness] you must use the connective formulation to ’see’ core of your contract."
Prism was teaching the elder even though the purpose of the test was originally to gain their acknowledgement.
"Skiiiiiiiiiii...!"
Things would have proceeded normally if he had stuck to the original conditions, but, when he saw the elder spirit and the state it was in, he understood that the spirit connection between the spirit and its tamer had weakened significantly.
If left unattended, both the master and the magical creature would meet their natural end. And, the elder had already sensed that much.
"Good... you’re doing just fine."
The elder knew the things weren’t the same as they used to be.
They were too old now. There were no great wars happening that they could participate in.
In their time, they were called [Pyromancers of the battlefield]. But, the world was different now, and they had nothing left to work on anymore.
Much like any bond, even the spirit bond born of the spirit contract wasn’t eternal. A relationship doesn’t stay the same if you do not attend to it.
Even if the connection remains, its strength would degrade with time. And since their very souls powered these connection, they would degrade as well... but, Prism couldn’t see them go so soon when he could help them.
-Oooooooooooooooong!
"You’ve found it. Now, it’s all up to you."
A bright light exploded between the elder in an orange-red hood and the great spirit as a smile spread on Sam’s face.
He invented the Aeon method in his past life, the technique that allowed one to connect their astral forms with their spiritual creatures to enter the realm of the spirits.
It was something he never got to experience himself directly, but he was using the principles of that technique to help the elder deepen his connection with his old spirit.
"Skiiiiiiiiiii...!"
The two of them had lived with one another for decades.
The experience that they shared was untenable. The passage of time had simply fogged their connection pathways.
Age did play a role, but the main factor behind the degradation of this particular kind was the distance from the very past that maintained their bond.
’And since not everyone is like me, they just had to see themselves once again.’
Prism helped them tap into their contract core.
They were strong enough to do something like this and that was the only reason he was teaching them like this. If it were someone else with a different kind of problem, he would not suggest them to do something so complicated.
However, the two of these old beings were compatible with this method.
"Ah..."
Right now, through the core of their spirit bond, they were experiencing the essence of their bond, reliving the moments that had strengthened this bond, walking back on the path at the end of which they were currently standing.
’The only way forward present at the end of a path starts with a step backwards.’
The elder spirit was sharing the experience of their trainer, and they were experiencing something special.
He left the two for their moment, and then, he looked up.
"Skiiiiiiiiiii...!"
Ever since earlier, they were hearing the voice of an eagle.
When he looked up, he could see a big predator bird with red patterns on its wings.
"Looks like they will be coming back soon."
He was aware of what this creature signified.
Sam could not see any letters on the creature but the presence was enough a signal for everyone in this forest and the city.
Those who knew this bird knew what the signal was.
"We can start now, m’Lord."
Lady Markeet and the Sungrade patriarch, who had already received the letter from the eagle, were also preparing for an important meeting with the first lady of the Sungrade... the representative of the family who went to the [Annual Conference] of Topaz, along with the eldest son of the family.