"The world has recognized your oath, which means you can stop core hunting altogether."
"What does that mean?"
"Come on Ingen, you're better than that, it's called an Oath Mark, and I just said the world recognized your oath, it means that now you have to work hard to completely stop core hunting."
Professor Lana lazily made a portal to show me my forehead, as it turns out, I had a brand new runic diamond. It looked exactly like Orin's except for its runes and color. Now that I can read the runic alphabet, it read: Bure (Bond), Ordu (Order), Oure (Oath), and Wund (World). Whereas my companion's mark was: Bure, Yent (Beast), Gen (Companion), and Orin, Orin's name was a unique rune that I only knew because we share a mind, when you see your rune you always know that it's yours.
"What happens if I don't and if I do?"
"An Oath mark depletes your lifespan until you complete your task, and if you do finish that task, it doubles your lifespan."
"How much?" I was starting to feel the nerves, but my sentence was too short to make big words.
"Usually, naturals with an Oath live to be sixty if they fail or 160 if they succeed."
'Given that the average natural lives to be eighty it's a risk to have a 25% reduction in lifespan, but the rewards are amazing, I think I just won the lottery.'
'Ok, now you just have to stop all crime.'
Spirit was feeling dejected, he just lost 25% of his lifespan.
'Hmph! No confidence.'
I ended the mind-link and addressed the room.
"Thank you, I'm very grateful that you guys would wait at my bedside."
"Don't mention it, for once you weren't just born into this." Devin joked
"Hey! That's mean!" I feigned indignance
"Why do you think I said it?"
"You are so lucky I'm tied down by these restraints and my girlfriend."
"Oh? Feel free." Laura called my bluff
Laura got up and undid my restraints. I couldn't move a muscle. I tried using Eneru, but that was locked too, apparently, I exhausted my Eneru so much that I can't even be trusted not to use it.
"Are you gonna get up or what?" Devin taunted.
"You people are assholes," I said, accepting my defeat
"Hey!" Every adult in the room said simultaneously.
"Oops."
I just swore in front of a bunch of adults and they were quick to notice.
"You need more rest, lets give him some space." Mom covered for me, announcing loudly to the adults that they should cut me some slack.
Everyone but Orin left the room and I was left to my own devices.
It was very boring for the next two days. I couldn't talk to Spirit for long because of my restricted Eneru, if I tried talking to him for more than five minutes an hour, I would get a headache. I couldn't talk to Orin much either, he was also recovering and slept most of the day. On the bright side, my bond with Orin was back. Plus, periodically someone would show up and hang out with me, and they always brought food.
At some point, Devin showed up and we started talking about the differences between this world and our old ones.
"The days are sooo much longer! I did an experiment and each one has to be at least half a day longer than my old world. Plus we grow up way faster I'd say that I'm fully grown already and I'm just 13!" Devin said, kicking us off.
"Wow, my old world had days three times as long, but it was much darker, the sun was nearly burnt out and was constantly blotted out by smog."
"The air pressure here feels so much thicker too, there is no way you could take off with your tiny wings in my world," he added.
"Actually, me too, I was very surprised at the high pressure in this world."
Nurse Nalep entered the room and ushered Devin out so I could get bloodwork. After a while, I pondered over how I was supposed to do this 'Oath' thing.
"I see two options. One: become a leader and crack down hard on it. Two: invent something that defeats the purpose of spirit cores. So far I see option two as the more likely option." I touched my hand to my chin, which had recently started growing a tiny beard.
"Am I interrupting? Or are you just planning your next suicidal plan?" Laura walked in carrying a basket.
Laura and I grew even closer from the recent incident, as it turns out, the closer you are to losing something, the tighter you hold onto it.
"Yeah, just rehearsing my evil doomsday monologue."
"Pfft, you couldn't hurt a fly, let alone the world."
"You never know. That would technically fulfill the requirements of my oath."
Laura giggled "I guess, but would you kill me?"
"Of course not, we would be the king and queen of the rubble!"
Laura sat down next to me in high spirits.
"I brought coffee this time, I heard you never had it and you've been missing out."
Laura opened her basket and pulled out a mug that looked like an Erlenmeyer Flask with a handle.
"I saw you using this in your workshop and you rambled on about it for like an hour, so I had the glassblower make it for you. It's your birthday present."
My eyes lit up, it was a very creative gift and I appreciated it with all my heart. "Thank you! It's perfectly sciencey! Plus it came from you." I tried to reach up and give Laura a one-armed hug, but my arm felt like it was on fire on the first attempt.
'Is this how you felt after you bound my horns to the world energy?'
'Well, I can't feel pain so, no.'
"Hey, back in this dimension!" Laura leaned down for a kiss, and I was happy to oblige.
It was a childish kiss, just a peck, but it was our first and that made it special.
"How was that for a birthday present?" she asked
"Perfect."
"Now it's time for you to try my coffee." She said as she handed me my Erlenmeyer Mug and sat me up.
It was plain black coffee, and at first sip, it was way too bitter. I reflexively spat it out.
"Sorry, I guess coffee just isn't for me." I felt guilty
"No worries, try this." she pulled out a few cubes of crushed milfoil and a small test tube of milk.
"Did you just raid my lab to give me my glassware?" I asked as she added her ingredients to the mix.
"No, but I was tempted to." she stirred by shaking the flask.
"I could see myself accidentally drinking my work thinking it's my drink." I joked
"You'd better not, if you die I'll kill you." She finished stirring. "Try it now."
She helped me drink, and this time it was amazing, it felt like my tastebuds were dancing in their joy. Not only that, but now I felt energized, like the fatigue of constant pain was long gone.
"I'm hooked."
The bell that signifies the end of class rang.
"Well, that's good, but I've got to go, I can skip Self-Defense, but there is no way Professor Unda would let me get out of individual lessons."
"Bye, send Denny down here later! He listens to you!"
A little bit later Denny burst through the wall. The wall started to repair itself immediately, but it was slow.
"I still can barely move, otherwise I would give it to her in person, but since I can't, I want you to tell Devin to go to the tree, under the workbench that I always fall asleep at, there is a loose floorboard that leads to where Laura's gift is, have him bring it to me so I can give it to Laura. Don't walk through any walls."
And with that order, Denny walked out of the room through the recently added doorway.