I was dumbfounded. ( Free.... Did she say free?) I sat there unable to fully understand what had just happened. "What did you do to me?" I looked her in the eye.
Sam stared back at me. "It was Hargo's request that his disciple not be tied down or limited by anyone. So he handed me a rune that would dissolve our familiar contract while leaving our current power and abilities as they are. You now have nobody to drag you down or chain you and drag you around." Sam turned and something hit my hand." I raised it to my face and sniffed.
( Salty smell.... a tear?) I got up shakily. My soul felt like someone had just stabbed it. "ssssss" I hissed against the pain. Call me a wuss if you want. You try having someone stab you and see how you like it. I went toward Sam's room. I heard sobbing on the other side and knowing nothing I could say would change the situation I went back to the room.
The next morning arrived faster than I thought. The smell of food drew me downstairs were I paid for a platter of eggs, bacon, and toast with a glass of strange juice.
When I drank the juice I felt a comfortable feeling fill me. It was like I had suddenly become one with the ground. I could feel everything for miles. Under my feet was strong stone, granite, marble, diamond, gold, molten lava that flowed in veins. After a little bit I found a massive beating heart the size of a mansion. ( What is this?) I thought as my mind touched it. As soon as I touched it I felt a zap and was shot back into my body. "whoa." I exhaled. ( That was something else.) I thought.
/ Host has consume Ostoria Egg. Using material for muscle building. Host has consumed Orc Bacon. Host has acquired stench resistance lvl 1. Host has consumed Earth Dragon Berry juice. Hosts earth element compatability allowed host to comprehend higher earth ability Molten Heart lvl max: Grant's host increased life force as long as host is touching the ground./
I ended up asking the serving dwarf about the food. The system never described what things were so I always had to learn about them myself. Orcs are apparently 5 foot tall pigs that have stone back plating and can weigh up to 1000 kilos. I was actually shown the Ostoria pen. They're ostrich sized chickens with blue feathers on their body while their head is a brilliant red. Meanwhile the earth dragon berries are easy to understand with a simple explanation. "When earth dragons die some plants grow from their body. There's a small chance ( 1/40) that it will grow a tree. This tree will allow for mages to gain a greater insight to the earth element while normal people just find it delicious. And lucky for us we had a dragon rancher send us four trees from overseas." The burly lady dwarf said.
I sat there for a bit continuously drinking the juice. I had no more experiences of diving into the ground or anything. Everything else I ate granted me materials for my body.
I heard the stairs creak slightly as someone came down. I looked and saw that it was Sam. She saw me and quickly went to the counter. After speaking with the lady at the counter she hurried back upstairs. "sigh" (.... I have no clue what to say....) I thought as I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. ( She didn't even give me a clue what she was going to do and to top it off she just handed me my freedom without compromise or promises.)
I asked for another cup of juice and handed the server a couple coins for the cost. As I sat there drinking I pondered. I eventually got up and went walking about the city. After a bit of winding through the streets I found myself at a fountain. With a statue of multiple people on it. Each was carved intricately. There were 10 of them standing there. Each of a different look, size, shape, or race.
"It would seem someone found the spring of the guardians." A reedy voice spoke. I turned to see the old dwarven man I had seen many months ago. Still cloaked and holding a weathered walking stick. "The reincarnated always find their way here. This fountain holds the greatest history and story of this world. Long ago there were 10 Monsters of great power. These 10 were originally beings raised by the gods."
He pointed at the statues one by one. The first was a dragon man. "Hand fed by the God of Fire was Ifrit. He granted men fire and made volcanoes where warmth could fill the world. Long since dead to the world after Aqua the Mermaid killed him for the jealousy of her master the Water God." He pointed at the mermaid sitting with water coming from her hands into the pool. "Aqua vanished after his death, but made the worlds waters flow in turn."
He moved to stand before the massive Blocklooking sculpture. "Golem The Immovable. Forged by the God of earth from the stars. It made the Earth beneath our feet and guards it's deepest treasures. Harpy The Swift Handfed of the God of Wind. She makes the winds howl or sing through the world." He looked up at Golems shoulder where a monster with a beautiful womans head but a birds body sat. He continued.
" Od the Sky Giant rules the skies and governs the birds and the weather." For his likeness was a statue that looked like a man made of clouds.
" Od had 2 daughters and 2 sons to help him thus creating the seasons. His first daughter, Frenza The Ice Woman governs the cold and frosty domains and is responsible for the winter season." There stood a woman made of blue stone with white diamond eyes. I felt a chill run through me. ( I hope to never meet her.) I thought.
" His second daughter is Fera. She is responsible for the Summer months where the wind blows sweet and hot is the sun. He is very fond of Fera hence why summer lasts so long. Rather than 3 months we get 5. Makes for a good harvest." Her statue was a red, green, and blue statue that was beautiful. She was shorter and had short hair. The impression I got from the statue though was one of self importance and ego.
"Ods Eldest son is known as Marsh. For he governs the spring and the new years life. A very lively and moody son. Of spring we have 3 months." There stood a statue made from the largest emerald I'd ever seen. It was carved to look like a beefy barrel chested man with vines growing around him. But the most disturbing fact was that he had no face.
" The youngest of the 4 is the most deathly. Medan The Forever Dying. His is a tale of misfortune as old as time. When the others had chosen the seasons they sought only one was left. The fall. When the chill creeps along the land and all things freeze, sleep, or die. Medan was tricked into it by his elder brother and youngest sister as those two got along the best. His Sister Frenza became angry and sought to destroy the other two in her anger for deceiving their brother."
" When she went to destroy them with her cold, He stepped in front of her taking the blow. But his father refused to let him die and fed him Phoenix blood to save him. From then on he became forever dying and reviving. He revives every spring and dies every winter." The man said solemnly. This statue was one of a boy standing with a rose in his right hand and a skull in his left.
"The last two.... Tenebris and Lux. The Fey of Light and Darkness. Husband and Wife. Created by the God of Balance and creation. They created the sun and moon. Guided the stars into alignment. And sent this world to spin and were the point of times beginning."
There in the center of the fountain stood two beings. A woman clad in purest white and crowned with the sun for her hair. The other was a man carved from the darkest onyx with red eyes and the moon was his crown. They faced each other seemingly looking into each others eyes forever.
The dwarf turned to face me. "Now you must have questions for me young one. I left your questions unanswered last time we met." He sat down slowly on a bench across from the fountain. I hesitated in thought before sitting.
" If you're going to answer my questions I suppose I'll start with this one. Which God are you?" My eyes locked onto him.His figure was frozen solid. Then I heard something. A chuckle. After a second the chuckle turned into a roaring laugh.
"Hahahaha! Ahhhhhh..... How did you figure that one? Me... A god.... hahahaha!" (He is trying to bluff it off) I felt my instincts tell me.
"I really don't like it when people lie to me old man. Even less so when they know one of my secrets." He paused. "Sigh..... If you think I'm a god then you should have some inkling of who you think I am?" He raised an eyebrow as he raised his eyes to face mine. As I looked into his greenish red eyes, I felt different. I felt the fires within me jumping happily as I sat there with that gaze.
"The God of Flame." I said slowly. The old man's smirk turned into a smile as his old ragged coat flew off and revealed what he looked like beneath. He was full of muscle and covered in scars. His body had looked small before but that cloth must have been something strange. His body was a dwarfs. But his muscles were large and covered with burn scarring and tattoos of flames. His eyes changed to yellow and red as his red hair stood on end.
"Not bad kid. Even my Ifrit had a hard time figuring out it was me when I visited. Names Aed. You've changed alot since I met you last. Your other form was impressive but I think this one suits you well too." He raised his hand and patted my shoulder. "You should be more careful of people Dorian. Not everyone is a God like me. Besides what gave me away?" He asked.
I cringed a little. I was unaccustomed to being called by my name after so long. After a moment I tapped my chest "The flames reactions and also only the Reapers know what I am. So unless you're a God or a Reaper, you shouldn't know what I am. And considering reapers are busy dealing with dead people that leaves only one option."
He nodded lightly as he faced the statue with a slightly sadder look in his eyes. "You know I've had my eye on you for a while. You caught my interest when you saved my people at the harbor town. My Ifrit was much like you. Selfless at times, but also willing to do what is necessary. Though he had a lot of friends, he should have watched his back more. Maybe then he could have seen Aqua coming." He huffed out a sigh.
"I imagine the girly set you free from how you've been in a daze most of the day." He stated. I looked at him unsure what to say and hung my head a little. " I don't know what to do. I'm used to the life of a familiar. If I'm not a familiar.... what am I besides a monster?"
Aed looked at me. "I supposed that's up to you." He got up and started walking before he stopped. "Ah. I made a bet I almost forgot." He turned and smacked my shoulder.
I felt a searing sensation and a tickling feeling go down my arm. "From now on your my guardian.Think of it as something like a cash prize. You get a boost to fire abilities and fire immunity. But of course you already have those. Don't think too much about it." He jumped and with a flare of fire dissipated into the air. I heard a whisper pass by. " Every God needs a guardian of some kind. And every girl needs a hero. Stick by her and you'll see why." Then it was gone.