Fayden Leywin POV :
I had another vision this time.
Or rather a visit.
It was the same man I had seen last time, the one who warned me to brace myself.
We stood in....I don't even know.
There was nothing but darkness till as far the eye could see.
And he was standing right in front of me, a small frown on his face.
"I understand losing your friend was a painful thing, but entering that state....do you have a death wish?"
"Huh?"
"It was fairly easy to save you when you fought against the mutated elderwood, but this time you almost died. Even as you currently are, it will take a good few days for you to heal yourself back to 100%"
I was confused by the whole thing, but I managed to speak once, "What if I use [Tartarean Vitality]?"
"If you have enough 'nacht' as you call it, even then it will take the better part of a day."
"And what if I only healed enough to stay conscious?" I asked.
"Half an hour." He replied instantly.
I nod sagely, "So, you were the voice who guided me that day?"
He nods, before speaking, "And I can't keep saving you each and every time you bite off more than you can chew. So try not to get into such situations in the future."
"I make no promises." I told him.
He shakes his head at my sheer stubbornness.
I guess I share that trait with Arthur.
Suddenly the ground underneath me gives and I start free falling.
"Wait, at least tell me your name!"
His levitating form spares me a glance, and he speaks one word.
Yet I couldn't discern what it was.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Pain.
Unparalleled pain racks each and every muscle, ligament and bone in my body.
I didn't dare move, instead trying to heal myself as much as I can.
So I enter my first phase, and I send small sparks of [Tartarean Vitality] through my body.
But what I didn't expect was the pain to increase a hundred-fold.
Damn were my internal injuries that bad?
Was my last coherent thought as I start thrashing around wildly.
I didn't even register the ground disappearing from beneath me as I start falling yet again.
Fortunately I was saved as a cold platform forms under me.
Unfortunately that jarred my entire body, causing my to scream out.
All the way though I didn't once stop the inflow of the sickly green flames through my entire being.
I feel the platform under me beginning to descend.
No one interrupted as I thrashed around for what seemed like eternity, which in reality was only a few minutes short of half an hour.
And after the pain became more bearable I deactivate my first phase.
As I open my eyes I see the forest canopy, and a setting sun.
"You're awake!" The unmistakable voice of my twin brother reached my ears.
I look around me and notice the five lances around me, with Arthur sitting near me, shackled just like me.
"What was happening to you?" A gruff voice spoke.
And glancing at the source I notice a bronze skinned dwarf looming over me.
The Lance, Olfred Warend.
I grit my teeth as I got up, "That," I breathed out, "Was my healing spell doing it's job."
"A healing spell you say? It looked anything but that." A cold emotionless voice spoke.
"Yeah well, my spells aren't what you usually see."
She nods, accepting my reasoning, before she comes to me with an artifact in her hand.
Glancing at Arthur I notice him having a similar artifact over his sternum.
Without a word she clamps it down my torso.
Only to have it be shot back at her.
And her face morphs into one of pure shock.
"How?" She asked.
"How what? What even was that?" I shot back.
"That was a device used to drain all the mana out of one's core, incapacitating them." Olfred answered.
"Huh, that so?"
How indeed?
As far as I know my core is normal.
...
Could it be the shell?
"I think it might be the shell covering my core, acting as a defense mechanism." I explain.
"A shell?" Varay asked.
"Yeah, can you guys not sense it?"
"No we cannot." Olfred spoke.
Varay looks at me skeptically, but before she could say anything else, likely accusing me of using some form of artifact to negate the effects, Arthur interfered.
"It's there, and it has gotten even more darker." He says.
"Eh?"
I focus on my core and notice, that the shell did indeed become darker.
It's almost opaque now.
"Either way, we have a problem now." Olfred spoke.
"Huh? You seriously expect me to fight against the five of you? Yeah I'm smart enough to know my limits." I retort.
"You can cause trouble in other ways, we are extremely close to the beast glades." Olfred answered.
"And? You guys are five white core mages. You're telling me a mana beast would be capable of defeating all five of you?" I asked.
"We are still mortal. And the beast glades contain many worthy foes, that if they gang up on us...We might be white core mages, but there are stronger beasts." He explained.
"....Makes sense when you say it that way." I mumble.
Before I enter a coughing fit.
After a few seconds of dry coughs, with maybe a few drops of blood in them, I spoke, "Yeah, I'm in no state to do anything. Neither am I suicidal."
Olfred nods, yet he keeps an eye on me.
"We will be watching you closely." Varay let that warning hang in the air.
"I know." I reply, before getting into a meditative stance.
I need as much nacht as I can get, so that I can at least be able to stand on my own two feet when we reach wherever the Lances are taking us.
So I begin meditating.
Yet whenever I close my eyes, the cold, lifeless face of Nathan comes to my mind.
Maybe if I had arrived earlier.
Maybe if I paid heed to that feeling...
Shaking my head I remove such thoughts.
What's done is done, I can't go back in time to save him.
For now, I only have one goal in mind.
Become strong enough to keep the rest of my family and friends safe from Alacrya.
And for that, I would need to train with gods.
Or rather, Fallen gods.