Noctis took a few steps back and Spirit Magi turned to look back at the sealed entrance again. The spirit then started to vibrate and the black scales of its 'body' started to scatter once more. It wasn't nearly as intense as when it had revealed the pale flame that was the source of Old Great One Animo's divine power, but the major difference was that the spirit's black scales were shining in an unusual light.
Soon, the wall that was the sealed entrance of the cave was gradually disappearing, as if it was always an abstract mirage that had been placed there to completely fool one's senses. During the process, the light of the outside world shone onto the dark cave, and it had profoundly affected Noctis's vision.
He had been in the cave with no natural light for several years, so he couldn't help but strongly squint his eyes and use one of his hands to slightly cover them in order to minimize the amount of light that was coming in.
Thankfully, he wasn't a complete mortal and was at the First Level of the Mortal Blood realm because it not only would've permanently damaged his eyes, but it would've taken a long time to get used to the light outside.
Noctis gathered upon the natural energy of the world and circulated it within his body to guide it towards his mind in order to cleanse it. He was able to do this in the first place because of the bridge connection that was formed between his mind and body due to accepting Old Great One Animo's divine power. Soon enough, he was able to get used to the bright light and had adjusted his vision to it.
After he had done so, the sealed entrance finally became unsealed and he reflexively moved his body forward. He walked towards the exit and felt the rush of wind brush past his face before he finally stepped out of the cave!
He had finally returned and looked outside onto the Dawnfire World!
The first sight that he was able to see was a grand beautiful sight of the clear blue sky overhead, and a large forest landscape with two small mountains surrounding the area. These smaller mountains seemed like they were placed near each other because both of them had a waterfall that formed a miniature lake on the ground and were connected through a series of small rivers. Not only that, but there were a few raised large plateaus near these small rivers that actually had small houses and people walking out of them, as they proceeded towards the ground level and into the forest.
Noctis lightly smiled and realized that these were most likely peaceful rural villages within Mount Trinity, which were away from the jurisdiction of the Hayden Kingdom. He then looked beyond the small mountains and into the horizon, and was able to see some clouds along with some flying creatures of the same sizes as they formed into an organized formation.
"I remember why this place was called Mount Trinity… it's because of these two smaller mountains that are joined together with this large mountain that I'm standing on… and it forms into a Trinity." Noctis thought to himself and breathed in some fresh air, but had abruptly turned around since he heard a strange noise coming from behind him.
He quickly found out that the source of this strange noise was coming from Spirit Magi, as the black scales of its body started to vibrate and scatter once again.
Noctis concluded that Spirit Magi was sealing up the entrance of the cave, so he didn't pay much attention to it and started walking around as he closely observed his surroundings. He realized that he was rather in an obscure spot high up in a tall mountain that overlooked the entire area and that he was standing on a rock-carved platform. He walked a bit farther and noticed that there was a path extending out of the rock-carved platform, which lead downwards into the ground level.
Noctis decided to turn back and wait for Spirit Magi, but before he was able to walk a couple of steps forward, he heard Spirit Ster's loud voice within him that had an extremely lively tone,
"Hahahaha we're finally out of the dame cave… well done, kid! Ah… the fresh sight of the outside world and that great pungent smell of the fragrant nature, it's all coming back to me now… Yup, it's still crappy as usual! The natural energy of the present world has become so damn impure that it makes you really wonder if the Age of Insight will last any longer… Trust me kid, I'm a spirit and I'm really damn sensitive about this stuff! Anyways, what's the first list in the agenda...? What is the first thing you're going to do that will make your name renowned to the world as you conquer all the 100 Races? As something that I used to say before… Cough… 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,' so what'll it be, kid!?" |
Noctis furrowed his brows as he expected that Spirit Ster's voice would come out of nowhere again, but he quickly changed his expression upon hearing the 'impure energy' of the world.
"…"
He opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out because he eventually decided to not pursue this matter. Noctis thought it was best to ask when he is well-situated since he had just left the cave, so instead he spoke to reveal his plans to Spirit Ster,
"Based on what Spirit Magi said, we are near the borders of Hayden Kingdom. I want to visit it because I want to check out any interesting news that has happened while I have been asleep… as well as news regarding my previous home, the Highwind Kingdom."
Noctis had already formulated this plan back when he awoke from the stone bed, and when Spirit Magi had revealed his current location. He thought that the best place to obtain any sort of news was in a very populated place, and luckily Hayden Kingdom was the nearest to him. He knew that he would also probably run into some rural villages and towns on his way, but wasn't quite sure if they were worth for him to check out.
Noctis pondered about this matter for a moment and then spoke to Spirit Ster again,
"Right now, the best thing to do is to increase my strength and cultivation base! There are most likely low-level creatures around this forest area that I could fight against… and I also need to enter into the Insight World again!"
"Heh, not bad kid… so you do have somewhat of a plan! But you are right, increasing your strength and cultivation should be first since you're so damn weak right now! That Insight World is also convenient as hell for you… don't waste time in there since every second counts!" |
Noctis nodded in response to Spirit Ster's words and soon he returned back to Spirit Magi just as the spirit had finished sealing up the entrance to the Animo Shrine.
Spirit Magi reverted back to its original form, and turned to look at Noctis before mysteriously saying,
["As far as I know, it seems like this world has stayed quite peaceful these past couple of years, but even I have felt that there are major undercurrents going on… and it will slowly unravel itself as the successor to Old Great One Animo's divine power shows himself to the world…"]
"?"
Noctis felt like Spirit Magi had become fairly strange and peculiar to him… or it had always been like this considering the spirit had been trapped in the cave for countless of years...
Spirit Magi continued as it floated in front of Noctis and moved as it led towards the ground level,
["Old Great One Animo had seen the fate of its own race and thus parted its own divine power to me, so that it could have a successor in the future… perhaps because it had seen a similar fate to the lower races…? One thing for sure is that Old Great One Animo was unwilling to grant its divine power to someone that was not destined to live up to its expectations, after all we're talking about the inheritance of an Old Great One! The great being made sure that the basic requirement to accepting the inheritance would be an individual that had a very unique and rare physique, and thus it is why you were able to accept it because you have the Grand Celestial Elemental physique!"]
Noctis became somewhat surprised upon hearing Spirit Magi's words and had thought for a moment before replying in a curious tone,
"My physique… allowed me to accept the inheritance? Could it be because my Grand Celestial Elemental physique allowed Old Great One Animo's divine power to bridge a connection between my mind and body? This would mean that this is a hidden function to my physique and is not known to the world…"
["Correct... Not only am I able to sense the people within Mount Trinity while I'm still inside the Animo Shrine, but I could sense the type of physique as well. Back then, you were within the range of Mount Trinity, which is why I did everything I could to pull you out of the river and give you the inheritance… and also because… I have longed to see the greater outside world."]
Noctis heard Spirit Magi's imposing tone falter near the end of its words, and it's deep and hoarse voice became somewhat desolate and had a tinge of melancholy to it.
"The conditions… what are they? What did Old Great One Animo wanted me to accomplish as its inheritor?" Noctis grew quiet after Spirit Magi spoke, but he eventually decided to break the silence between them and ask a more important matter.
He firmly prepared himself because he knew that they were definitely not going to be easy and that he would probably spend his entire life trying to accomplish them!