THE BATTLE WITH THE SERFS
"Argghhh"
Suddenly I felt pain in my heart again but this time I wasn't in a blackout.
The magic of my templar skies didn't belong to an actual sky. They were manifestations of powerful magical ability that resided within a magical space inside my body, in particular, my heart. Once I awakened my templar magic, my heart would be transformed and evolve.
My heart became magical.
Magical heart does evolve and grow and absorbing magic from Tanith's serpent heart would promote that growth. But consuming magic wasn't enough to grow my magical heart. There must be a combination of intense magical strain, external forces, or a pivotal event, which cause my magical heart to shatter before it would evolve.
By near death experience fighting with Tanith would have provided that strain.
My magical heart was shattered into countless fragments.
The rupture of my magical heart left me vulnerable, weakened, and disconnected from the source of my power. As the broken pieces of my magical heart lay scattered, I experienced shock and disbelief as I grappled with the sudden loss of my magical prowess.
Yet, intertwined with these feelings of despair was a glimmer of hope. The knowledge that my heart would be reconstituted, and my magic made stronger ignited a sense of determination within me. While the process to repair my heart was undoubtedly daunting, the prospect of emerging with newfound strength fueled my resolve.
With the reconstitution of my magical heart came a surge of revitalized power. I could sense the enhanced energy coursing through my veins, an exhilarating and intoxicating sensation.
I could even see my templar skies when I focused on them.
There were changes to my templar skies since the last time that I inspected it. More inhabitants resided in my templar skies now. There was a new star that emerged in each of the varied regions of my templar skies.
"I must have advanced to Awakening Level 2", I told myself.
------
I came out from Tanith's lair and looked for my friends.
They were no longer in the shuttle, and I believe they must have returned to town after I left them for so long. But I didn't blame them for leaving me in the forest because it was the prudent way to go. This forest and its creatures were too dangerous for them as it was for me.
But without my friends around, I was left with the chore of bringing Tanith back by myself.
Dragging the large Tanith back to the village wasn't an easy chore but after I advanced a level in my Templar magic, my strength and speed increased remarkably, so that I could actually do it with my bare hands.
But I didn't go straight to the Butcher but back to my master's hut first.
There were many uses for a Mercury Tiered creature like the Tanith.
The Blood of the Tanith could be used for magical ink, and all its internal organs while not as potent as its heart could be dried up as magical reagents. Its skin could be sewn into beautiful scaly jackets and pants which offered some armor protection, and the meat could be preserved as rations.
----
"Orion we are so happy you made it out alive, we thought you were dead in the forest, and we dare not tell your father and we dare not search too far in the forest for you", Raven told me with a guilty composure as tears fell from his eyes when he came to the hut to find me together with Bommurs.
After my friends returned to the village, they realized I wasn't back, so they came to the hut to look for me.
"Me too, I felt do guilty for leaving you in the forest. I am a coward", Bommurs said to me as my friends gathered to hug me.
"It's alright I'm well, you guys did the right thing to return here", I told them before they cried even louder before me.
"Erm..I have something to cheer you guys up", I told my friends.
Their eyes lit up immediately and came asking for my surprise.
"I have these for you guys", I told them as I gave them some clothing, tough clothing.
"What are these?" Bommurs asked me.
"It's an inner pants-vest made from the Tanith's scales which is roughly equivalent to having magic armor worth three extra stars in the Constitution region of the templar sky", I told my friends.
"Wow, my magic armor would be effectively at Level 6 while wearing this", Bommurs gasped as he admired the pant-vest I made for him which took a whole night of sewing, while Raven inspected them meticulously.
Although Michonn often showed off the magic armor that his father bought for him, we never had such magic armor before. And the Tanith armor was much tougher than anything Michonn had.
"Did you kill the Tanith?" Raven asked me.
"Yes, I did, and I have some preserved little Tanith hearts for you guys too, they would help with your magic gathering", I told them as I gave them some preserved snake hearts.
"How could someone kill the Tanith by himself", Raven asked me again, but I didn't answer him directly.
But luckily for me, Raven's and Bommurs's attention were all focused on their newly acquired magical armor and would stop interrogating me.
-----
"It's you scum again", Bellum said to us as we were walking to the market.
"You are the scum, boot licking lizards", Bommurs scolded back to Bellum.
"What, do you want to die you scums?", Bellum shouted at us as Tallum and other serfs of the Baron came forward to give us a planned beating.
"Huh it's been some time since I whacked these trashes, I'm going to have some fun again", Tallum said out loud as Michonn looked on from behind, unconcerned but smiling.
"Bang..bang,,bang"
Bellum and Tallum charged at us with their fists that crackled with energy, coursing through their bodies with deadly Templar magic. Their powerful superhuman enhanced punches landed on both Raven and Bommurs and they expected the two poor kids would fall to the ground, wounded and disabled for the next few months.
However, to the surprise of Bellum and Tallum, the windy grounds whipped up the light sand and ash in the dirty market road surrounding both boys, effectively lighting them up in an aura of dust.
"What is happening to those two boys?" the stall owners in the street asked themselves as they witnessed Raven and Bommur's growth and transformation.
"Even if they have advanced in their magic, they shouldn't be the match of the baron's son's serfs", another shopper added to the gossip.