Doctor became tired of waiting. Nameless's eyes regained focus. – "What? Ah, yes, this artifact is named Boundless Map. It can be used for investigation and storage…" – He explained the functions and even absorbed some things from the nearby shelf.
"That's…a pretty useful artifact!" – Doctor smiled. – "And is very good for your level of power. A purely offensive one would be too much for you to handle."
Nameless suddenly thought about something. – "Is my dagger also an artifact?" – He took it out for Doctor to see.
"No. The difference between artifacts and other weapons is that artifacts can be stored inside its owner's body and nurtured by them. Weapons don't have this room for growth."
[…]
From where they were talking Captain and the village Chief could hear everything inside the house.
"He even has an artifact…Boundless Map…I've already heard somewhere about it." – Said the Chief in thought.
John didn't particularly care about it. – "Yes, it was last seen during the most recent war of Godly Spirits. But after that it was lost another time. A toy with some story…"
"Yes! The war against the G'har…"
Captain suddenly interrupted him. – "Well, lets return to our business here. I need to go to the next island. Give me a guide. The boy who led us here is good."
Chief readily agreed.
John stood up. – "I also need to check the artifact and the wall."
"No problem, we can go right now."
[…]
After exiting the house John and chief went away leaving Doctor and Nameless in the village.
"I have to check something important. In a day I will be back." – Were the last word of Captain.
Meanwhile the summer was already over by an hour, and the trees were already covered by the typical autumnal orange dress. Captain left in hurry and Nameless had absolutely nothing to do.
Doctor was also bored since he couldn't kill everyone in the village. The boy tried to ask him about his hatred against the Timeless people, but Doctor avoided the question.
Nameless placed his backpack in front of him and took out a wolf's heart from the third island. It was emanating a very week ice-based energy.
"Doctor, what do I do with these hearts?"
"Just burn them with your fire. If I've seen correctly that purple flame burns and devours energy."
Nameless nodded and quickly summoned a purple wisp. He pushed it against the crystal heart and it immediately caught fire.
After a minute of burning Nameless felt than the energy in his body became indeed slightly stronger.
Suddenly a new information appeared inside his head. It was pleasant surprise.
He gave a mental command.
'[Freeze I]'
And the flame from purple became ice blue in color. The ground under the burning heart was instantly covered by a layer of frost.
'My purple flame can acquire characteristics of the things it burns!!'
He instantly tried to burn something else. 'Maybe It needs something with more energy?' The small bushes and plants didn't produce an effect apart a lot of ash.
Doctor was observing him from his spot under the tree. When he saw the change in the flame, he was genuinely surprised. 'Really an ability with lots of potential.'
"Try to burn that tree, boy!" – He pointed outside the village. Inside he was grinning evilly. 'Yeah try to burn it…hahahahaha'
Indeed, there was a very huge and ancient tree.
Some of the residents of the village wanted to stop him then he went near the huge tree but suddenly found that an oppressive might paralyzed them.
'Want to alert him? Don't think so…!'
[…]
'Wow! It didn't seem so big.'
It was hundred of meters tall with massive branches covered by thick amount of green leaves.
'It will be difficult to burn…'
He was dead serious set on burning it. Nameless concentrated and summoned the flame before placing it directly on the bark.
The purple trembling tongue greedily licked the wood and rapidly attached itself on the tree's surface.
Nameless only observed the whole thing happily. Suddenly with a powerful cracking sound the tree started moving.
An infinite pressure engulfed Nameless suppressing him on the ground.
The flame in the same moment continued to slowly consume the thee bark and was approaching a small branch near it.
The pressure increased and Nameless felt an intense pain from his entire body.
The flame was forcing its way towards the branch full of succulent green leaves but suddenly around it appeared a layer of emerald green energy. It covered completely the flame and started suppressing it.
Nameless felt his energy being rapidly depleted by the flame.
After a few minutes of struggle, it was completely suppressed and the pressure on the boy's body was about to increase when suddenly Nameless fell inside his own shadow.
It was the worst second in his entire life. His body couldn't move, felt cold and hot in the same moment and every single bone and muscle were teared by pain.
When he emerged from the shadow, he found himself near the smiling Doctor who was observing the raging tree in the distance.
"Sorry boy, I didn't tell that it was a life tree. They're very easy to enrage. But It's also a somehow fun thing to do."
'Sick bastard!' Thought Nameless. But the displeasure disappeared the next moment.
He activated his bloodline and gave a command.
'[Life IV]'
The next moment his whole body was ingulfed by a healthy green flame. It radiated aura of life.
The pain disappeared completely, and he stood up.
Doctor was looking at him with a very strange expression. – "Don't tell that you managed to gain something from than piece of wood?" – He was able to tell that it was a pure nature energy, characteristic of plant creatures.
Nameless only smiled.
"Damn you and your luck. The next time I will just leave you to be crushed. It's a class VII creature! And you managed to slightly burn it! What a brutal bloodline you have!"
Doctor was shocked inwardly. 'That dumb tree is still slumbering and acts only by reflex but to be able to burn it…'
Nameless was changing his three flames inside his hand. Suddenly he felt dizzy.
"You used too much energy. Burn some other hearts."
[…]
Then the Captain returned everything returned to normality. He found Doctor, bored to death, and Nameless burning some hearts of ice-wolves.
He returned quicker than anticipated.
Outside of the village the tree of life was still slightly enraged and moved its branches erratically, trying to hit something.
The village chief had some blood dripping from his hand but was as energetic as always.
"Doctor, Boy, we're proceeding towards the portal."
Herulè was already waiting for them near the village entrance.
The winter was rapidly taking over plants and vegetation. Red leaves completely withered in less than one hour after captain returned. It started snowing and it became difficult to proceed when the small group managed to reach the clocks edge.
This time there wasn't any bridge.
Their guide, Herule looked down and sighed. – "Now we need to jump."
"What?!" - Nameless immediately protested. – "Do you want to kill us?" – "Doctor and Captain also looked at him expecting an explanation.
"Down there is a broken Major Clock. And the portal for the fifth island is connected to this broken clock. There is no other way."
Doctor and Cap nodded while Nameless wasn't very convinced.
"Chill down, boy, he knows that I and Cap won't die from jump so if he is lying, he is signing the death decree for his whole village." – Said Doctor.
Nameless thought for a moment then nodded. Suddenly he thought about something and extended his arm in front of him.
The gray circle on the back of his hand suddenly flashed with purple light.
'[Explore.]'
Instantly before his eyes appeared a transparent three-dimensional map of everything in a kilometer around him.
Indeed, under their current position there was another clock. And they were just above a small lake.
'So, he was saying the truth.' – Thought Nameless. - "It's really the only safe spot to jump…Sorry."
Captain nodded and jumped down.
The next was Doctor.
Nameless and Herulè were somehow frightened but suddenly Doctor reappeared behind them and they were immediately enveloped by his liquid darkness.
"Quick. A man mustn't hesitate."
And he jumped another time dragging Nameless and Herulè with him.
They didn't even have time to scream.
Three figures fell rapidly. Their bodies pierced many clouds before Nameless could finally see the lake underneath.
They were approaching it at high speed when the boy suddenly saw a huge shadow on the ground.
He looked right and saw a huge winged serpent flying in their direction.
"F*ck! A Timeless Dragon! What is this thing doing here!"- Screamed Doctor.
Captain was about to unleash his sword then the creature suddenly accelerated.
The last thing he saw was a huge serpent like head with a single horn right in the middle of it, approaching him and Herulè.
After that came only blackness.