While Klaris continued practising his Hydra Hearts Art, Magnus decided to continue hunting. He needed the gold to continue living in Hummolus. That, and he planned on stocking up on supplies for his trip into the mountains.
He was able to earn quite a lot over the week that he kept on hunting. Klaris also strengthened himself to 1.9-stars over that period of time. His hearts were beating blood with fervour, strengthening his body ever so slightly as well.
The most noticeable increase was the fact that Klaris now had double his original Spirit Energy. Even without the Hivemind, he could cast Mirror World Thief twice in succession.
With Magnus filling up his reserves constantly through Soul Devouring and his Vow of the Unchained, Klaris could cast Mirror World Thief thrice every week.
Klaris also stole an entire fruit tree from Tyrm to feed Javelin, bumping the little guy's rating to 1.5-stars.
Magnus was exasperated when he saw the tree suddenly appear inside the inn through Klaris' eyes. With the ceiling above broken, Klaris had to pay for the damages, and thus he sold the tree to the owners who were very happy to receive such an item.
That, and a few unripe fruits were also available to them because of the transaction.
Overall, Klaris made it through almost getting imprisoned. Again. As usual.
He also learned that his Blessing consumed more Spirit Energy the larger the object he stole. He just never realised it before because the only items he stole weren't as big as a tree.
Stealing the tree, with its leaves, fruits, roots, bark, and flowers, consumed at least half of the Hivemind's Spirit Energy Reserves.
Magnus had to devour quite an entire Undead Heart to rejuvenate his losses.
"Overall, it was a productive week," Magnus nodded as he finished recounting all the stuff he did with Klaris.
"We should now be ready to head into the mountain. We will be spending our last allotted week there, right?"
"Yes," Magnus nodded again, "Let's move."
Klaris and Magnus both evaporated into light as the new Restiel appeared. The angel spread his wings and soared into the late-afternoon sky.
.
.
.
After flying for a dozen or so minutes, Restiel began ascending the mountain. He zoomed past century-old trees and over cliffs and creeks.
A few rivers and springs here and there dotted the mountainous slopes, as undead pollution gave it all a black tinge.
The sun was setting quickly, and Restiel found a place to land.
From there, he was going to proceed close to the ground.
Scythe in hand, he advanced. The rare ghoul that would dash towards him would feel the wrath of Magnus' sudden gravitational appearance. His scythe would then easily decapitate them, allowing Restiel to continue forward.
At some point in the trip, Restiel had to dim down his aura of Divine Energy. The light that he was exuding was dangerous to have constantly active.
Ghoul Gangsters made their appearance, together with a 4-line Zombie as their shield.
Restiel had no choice but to flee as fast as he could while Magnus stalled them by enhancing Thare's gravitational pull in the area.
Restiel also raided another Skeleton General camp, successfully assassinating the Skeleton General with the help of Klaris and Magnus, who were both wielding weapons of bone.
"Hm?" Restiel spotted a warm light in the distance, "A torch?"
It was heading towards his light. Like moths to a flame.
Restiel decided to wait, covering his face with a mask. Magnus was sitting nearby, sharpening his bone dagger. Klaris was sitting opposite the orange-haired boy, also wearing a mask.
They engaged in small talk as they allowed the minutes to pass.
Eventually, the torch arrived at the scene, and Magnus saw a familiar face.
"...Fae?" He recognized the most wounded girl in the group.
Instantly, the eyes of the group all flickered with different emotions. They stared up at the young man, younger than them, sitting atop a mountain of melted bones and ashes. An angel was nearby, floating in the air like his own personal sun.
There was fear, wariness, and even relief.
"M...Magnus?" Fae muttered weakly as she coughed and grimaced in pain, "I'm glad that you're still alive."
And then, she fainted.
"Oi, Fae!"
"Faefae!"
"Young lass!"
Three other voices hurried to her aid. Worry laced their tones.
Magnus creased his brows as he gestured to the nearby Klaris.
"Fruit,"
Klaris nodded as he began his invocation.
"I am the thief of mirrored creation,
The cloned child,
The descendant of greens,
And the walker of reflections."
The sound of Klaris' chant instantly drew the attention of the group. Wary nervousness flashed in their eyes.
"Calm down. I'm a classmate." Magnus smiled, but his smile looked horrifying with the dark aura he exuded.
Instantly the group felt shivers run down their spines. The only thing that kept them there was the light of Divine Energy that warmed their hearts.
Poof!
A basket of fruits appeared in Klaris' hands at that moment.
"Here," Magnus offered it to the group through the masked Klaris. "Feed the juices to her. It should help heal her wounds."
A woman received the basket of fruits with confusion in her gaze.
"It's safe," She whispered to her companions before bowing to Magnus, "Thank you,"
Magnus simply waved his hand.
"Don't mention it. An old friend is an old friend."
.
.
.
Magnus waited around for Fae to wake up. In the meantime, he had Restiel and Klaris continue hunting.
They made sure to pull away any monsters away from the small camp that they put up.
"Is there something wrong?" Magnus asked as he noticed the visible discomfort on the faces of his fellow Earthlings.
"It is nothing, young man," A middle-aged man managed to gulp down his saliva, "It's just that you feel like an undead."
"Do I?" Magnus patted himself down.
'I'm corporeal right now... Could it be because of the fog? My eating of Undead Hearts?' He thought. 'That's not good... I need to control this.'
Magnus closed his eyes as he felt around his soul.
It took him a few minutes, but eventually, he found a peculiarity. His Spirit Energy was swirling in a ghastly manner around him as his Curse creates it. He tried forcing his Spirit Energy to stay within his body.
He wasn't so successful, but he saw progress.
But it seemed like the others of the group felt like a large part of the weight had left them.
"Is this better?" Magnus asked as he floated down his mountain of bones.
"It... it is..." The middle-aged man said.
"Urgghhh," At that moment, Fae groaned.
It instantly drew the attention of the four Earthlings as they waited, holding their breaths.
Fae's eyes snapped open.
"The demon! Where—" She sat straight up as if coming out of a nightmare, "Where am I...?"
Fae looked around and spotted Magnus' familiar face in the torchlight.
"Magnus...? That's right... We escaped." Fae muttered.
Only to be tackled by the woman from earlier.
"Oh, Faefae, we thought we were going to lose you! Please don't sacrifice yourself again like that."
Fae let out a wry laugh, "I'm still alive, aren't I? You haven't lost anyone, Julia."
"Still," Julia tightened her hug. "I've lost enough people."
"That is the same for everyone here," The middle-aged man spoke, "So don't worry us like that again. Alright, young lass?"
"Yes, Mr Dwight." Fae smiled.
"You did well in surviving," A man, about Klaris' age, nodded at Fae.
To which, the young girl rolled her eyes, "Is that it? No better celebration, Octavio?"
"None," A prompt reply.
It made Magnus chuckle.
"Fine comrades you have there, Fae."
"Thanks," Fae blushed in embarrassment. "How about you? Where are yours?"
"They're out hunting. We still have to kill a few more monsters before the month ends, after all." Magnus gestured in Restiel's and Klaris' general direction.
"I see," Fae nodded, "You've changed since I last saw you. Are you a balloon now?"
Magnus choked, "What a comparison..."
He then dodged the question and pointed at Fae's waist. "You've changed too. Since when did you wield a sword?"
"Since I was given a Blessing," Fae answered. Conflict clouded her face.
"Personal Trial?" Magnus asked.
"Yep... It's a long story. Perhaps I can tell it to you over a cup of tea." Fae grinned, "Your treat, as usual."
Magnus rolled his eyes, "The rich girl is asking for a treat? Wow."
He then turned around after tossing them a handbook and a map.
"Take these. I've memorised them already. I still have a place to be."
Magnus began ascending into the sky.
"If you see Nicos, tell him I said hi."
And with that, Magnus left the group staring at his flamboyant back.
"Boyfriend?" Octavio asked.
Fae swiftly shook her head. "No!"
"Ex-boyfriend?" Julia asked.
"Y-yes... but that was when we were younger. We did not know what a relationship really was." Fae pushed Julia's face away.
"It's good that you can still be friends, then," Dwight laughed a hearty laugh as he leafed through the handbook Magnus left behind. "We aren't going to get lost anymore cuz of him. He seems like a good kid to have guard your back."
"Haa,"
Fae sighed.
"He's indeed better as a friend. I learned the hard way that all he loves is the thrill."
"Unless these Trials change him, eh?" Julia prodded.
"What if he becomes a prince charming the next time you meet him? I mean, he's pretty cool as it is now..."
"He won't," Fae pouted.
"It's just going to make it worse, I know it."
.
.
.
"Whoa!" Magnus was staring at the tallest waterfall he has ever seen.
Restiel was sitting at the very top of its skyscraper-level heights, looking like a toy figure from where Magnus stood. He illuminated the rushing waters that looked akin to a wall that came crashing down with the force of a tsunami.
A pair of eyes flickered from within the depths of the plunge pool, startling Magnus.
He felt his entire body tense up, but luckily, he could control gravity. He instantly ascended into the skies just as serrated maws of death chomped at him.
"A giant fish!" Magnus was startled, but his reactions were primed for battle.
Instantly his golden gravity sphere was sent out.
The fish that had leapt out of the waters now had nowhere to go as it was sucked into a gravity vortex.
"Kukuku~ Well well well, look what we have here,"
Magnus cackled.
Dinner was going to be served.