As the trio was once again standing outside, they all carried a smile.
"Let's go find someplace to sit and get familiar with what we got," Penta said while marching off towards a scenic looking area where some students were nearby meditating.
As they were walking, Penta looked at little Sana with a gleam in his eyes. He was so proud.
Elder Vendra gave some generous offers in order to rope in Sana. She was well-intentioned and was honest about her goals. She was a totemic array specialist and a strong lightning ability user as well. Considering it was one of the more volatile and dangerous affinities, she held a reputation that allowed her to be part of the Sanctuary of Knowledges forces.
Though dangerous, the benefits of this attribute were far and wide. Especially to her who was a totemic array specialist. Her lightning arrays were deadly and not to any small degree either from what he got of her explanation.
The conversation was eye-opening and Sana getting a kind Elder like that was a big boon to them. She had gifted Sana a strengthened version of the bracelets that Sana was allowed to keep indefinitely. She also provided her with enough contributions to allow Penta and Kaya to hold their items for a month which gained her brownie points.
Sana was to train with her once the quest with Penta was over as little Sana was not so easily removed from his presence. She was growing very attached to him especially as her young mind turned him into something like a protector.
She didn't feel safe without him around but Penta wasn't worried as he knew that with training under Elder Vendra she would become a fine Shaman that he didn't need to worry about.
Elder Vendra was not too keen about their plan but did not speak her mind as she understood they needed contribution points to get on their feet as well as time to ingest what they had taken with them.
"This is a good enough place for now. Let's wait here for the others and learn what we can." Penta said as he sat down in the lotus position near a tree that provided great shade.
"Sana, follow Elder Vendra's instructions and try and get more familiar with your affinity as it will definitely become an important part of you in the future." Penta gently instructed little Sana that didn't know what to do as her item was worn and not a book.
"Kaya too, take this chance to understand what is available to you with your affinity and try considering a direction you would like to work towards." He continued.
"Okay, brother!" The sisters replied. Sana knew how to say the word but her adorable self always chose the baby way of calling him which almost made him smile at her antics.
Seeing them focus on their task and get to it, Penta finally had a chance to look into the knowledge orb he had. It was a simple diamond-like crystal with a black ring around it. It fit in his hand and was about the size of his palm.
Remembering the instructions to use it. He channeled his energy into the orb and suddenly a light started shining around the orb. It floated up and started hovering in front of his forehead.
He looked at it as he suddenly closed his eyes.
A stream of constant information started flowing into his mind. However, it wasn't imprinting the techniques but simply allowing it to be viewed from within his mind through a connection made with his energy and the orb.
It felt like a high-end hologram screen but playing out in his mind. He could also control the speed of the influx of information. He was surprised at the quality of this technology that worked with the shamanic energy. Nonetheless, he understood that this was very useful for the higher grade shamans that had much faster-thought processing power due to their increased consciousness or spirit.
To his mind, as he was a peak grade apprentice. It wasn't too difficult to read it at a faster rate than a normal person. The speed wasn't blindingly fast but it was still much faster than the top university students from his past.
As he sunk into this orbs knowledge, he started understanding the way he would maximize this skill.
The reason he wanted this was that he knew he wasn't the smartest nor had the best memory. His genetic changes caused him to be a lot stronger and possess the abilities of a roach emperor but he wouldn't be able to focus all his attention on supporting many of his ambitions if he had to split his attention everywhere. He wasn't some genius loved by the world. He was a roach that had evolved beyond its capabilities through sheer effort... and dirt.
His Nature's Evolution method complimented his ability to eat and get stronger through resources but he needed more than just resources. As such he decided that creating assistants may help him in this endeavor.
As he started reading more and more about the skill, he started seeing where its principal affinity laid.
Spirit creation magic is the use of specific totemic symbols, which if combined with certain items, creates small artificial spirits like the-wisp that Elder Vendra had used to monitor the people within the Sanctuary.
What the best thing about this magic became clear as Penta read along, he realized that the uses of these spirits can be modified depending on the ingredients used. This was still apprenticed grade magic but if pursued to the top, one can create mystical gardens with protective beasts and a control center that would manage everything.
It was in a way of creating a program that held some form of sentience to execute simple tasks. It was one of the reasons why totemic array specialists were so well regarded. They could create a self-cleaning room, with disinfectant arrays or a fully self-sufficient herb garden and some could even create battle golems through this technology. Its applications were endless.
One could only imagine its limits.
However, it wasn't universally dominant as the ingredients determine in large the quality of the arrays built due to needing special materials and a lot of energy to actually maintain such crazy arrays.
Nonetheless, Penta was not depressed. He didn't mind as what he was planning on making wasn't going to be that complicated. He was just starting his journey into this area and he knew that it would take time and knowledge before he can create the ideal version of what he wanted.
For now, he focused on absorbing all the information on how the different symbols interacted with the world as well as the different materials he would need to start training. He needed a foundation so getting ahead of himself was pointless.
Like this, an hour passed before Penta put away his orb and looked down to a sleeping Sana drooling while seated in a meditative posture, Kaya however was deeply engrossed in her book. Reading and rereading everything so that she remembers it all. It seems she may become a book worm from the looks of it.
He smiled at the two and looked around as his mind needed a break from the constant influx of new information so he stopped. It apparently used up spirit energy to read through an orb and he wasn't able to keep up with his consumption.
As he looked around, he noticed a few others like them doing their own training and some more people further away walking. Looking closer his eyes narrowed.
He saw Griss.
Griss who was walking towards his aunt's residence suddenly felt a chill. He was careful to avoid Penta all morning. They might have had a great meal together but Penta was much too overbearing with them, somebody of his stature couldn't be ridiculed or else his family would start to look bad.
Unfortunately, the eyes of the roach emperor started piercing into his skull with the intent that he takes notice.
Griss tried his hardest not to turn to the side but finally caved. As he looked in the distance he noticed the very man he was avoiding that smiled at him and waved him over. Griss sighed.
"I can't escape it seems," Griss mumbled as he started making his way over to them looking depressed.
As he got closer, the girls came back to reality. One from sleep while the other from her book. Seeing the familiar newcomer they waved a greeting.
"Now now, don't look so depressed. We have a mission to do today. Where are the others?" Penta said as he got up and smacked Griss in the back which shook him lightly.
"Sigh, you do know this is YOUR mission right? Also, I don't know where the other two are, I haven't seen them all morning." Griss replied downcast at his fate to be the first of the three to be caught by Penta.
"Nonsense, this is our mission like we agreed. Now let's go find those two. I want to eat some boar today!" Penta said while declaring proudly.
'You made the choice without even consulting us!' Griss thought while trying to keep his composure.
"I have to go see my aunt right now as I requested an audience with her. I will meet with you all later." Griss said trying to escape.
"Oh, it wouldn't be the fiery Elder that destroyed my sword would it?" Penta asked curiously.
"Urgh... y-yeah." Griss replied nervously. He didn't know what he would do at this point.
"Great! Let's go together then, we can explain that we are going on a mission while we are it." Penta once again declared as he started marching while Griss stood there terrified.
"Y-you c-cannot do anything against my aunt! She will destroy you and kill me!" Griss said with the fear of god in his voice.
"Ah relax, I bear no grudge so no reason to worry. Anyways might even see the other two while we go to your aunt's! Come now, show the way!" Penta said while grinning.
"Sigh" Griss could never win.
They made their way to a large courtyard. Elder Natasha Briskflame's residence was written on the wooden plaque hanging above the arched entryway.
Griss was slightly shaking but gathered his nerve and entered alongside the others.
In the middle of the courtyard, you could see Elder Natasha sitting in a meditative posture while wisps of bright fire circled her body in a way that seemed erratic yet orderly.
As they neared, Natasha calmly returned from her meditation. She looked up and saw Griss but the moment she laid eyes on the other person she immediately shot up and looked at him seriously.
"Woah there! No need to get all guarded around me. I bear no ill will towards you Elder." Penta said while scratching his head. He didn't expect her to be so on guard against him even though she could definitely kill him.
"Griss explain what you are doing here with him?" Natasha calmly looked over to Griss expecting an answer.
"U-uhm I was here to..." Griss started stumbling with his words. He was originally here to ask advice about how to deal with Penta. Crying on the inside the man himself was right next to him so it was inappropriate.
"We are going on a mission together! Maybe you could give some advice?" Penta chimed in seeing as Griss was stuttering. They had to go places so he wasn't willing to wait.
"Oh is that true Griss?" Natasha asked wondering why her nephew was just mumbling but as she asked he suddenly came back and nodded.
"Yes, we are taking a mission to Hayak Village in the west due to something with some beasts causing issues and to investigate." Griss just gave up on his original plans seeing as they had been prevented quite easily by Penta.
"Oh, I see, well you aren't necessarily needed to report to me when you take missions but hmm. Here take this. It will allow you to report any incidents and request back up from the Tribe if the situation is beyond your control." Natasha said while handing over a small crystal talisman to Griss.
Penta clicked his tongue in response and quietly mumbled. "Rich relatives, how nice." This caused Kaya to shake her head with a sigh.
Natasha ignored his comment and asked if there was anything else.
"About my swor-" Penta was cut off as Griss, Kaya and Sana pulled him away while Griss overshadowed his voice with his farewell.
"Thank you aunt, I will use this in case any unforeseen issues arise. We wish you a great day!"
Looking at the spectacle and at how fast they dragged him away. Natasha chuckled. "He was going to ask for his sword again wasn't he? hehe. Teach you to mess with me, hmph."
She went back to her meditation as she was satisfied that the idiot was still suffering because of the sword.
Further away from the Elder's courtyard.
"Why did you all just drag me away!? I was going to ask for my sword compensation..." Penta was upset at what they did.
"We have a mission and we need to go find the others. You can ask for your sword another time! When I'm not there either!" Griss said while holding back his urge to yell at him for trying to cause strife with the Elder.
"Oh look Bwutha!" Sana pointed as she yelled at Penta.
As they looked over they saw a beaten-up Faren and Karu limping in their direction. They were holding each other while making their way forward.
"What the hell happened to them?" Penta asked with a frowning gaze.