"Bring the Great Runes here." Arnold didn't answer her.
"….." Tanaera quickly did as he said. She handed it over to him.
Arnold looked at her face.
Her dead eyes seemed as if they were staring into his soul.
Arnold decided to just take the runes and ignore Tanaera's hostile expression.
What's going on with her, he had a fleeting thought.
He placed all four paper sheets on Kalda's body.
Rafaela poured more holy water over the body, dampening the paper as well. The runes glowed in all sorts of lights for a few seconds.
The light meant that the runes reacted positively to the divine properties of the water. Godworm silk also has divine properties since the worm it comes from is the larvae of a Divine Beast insect-type.
'It's a relief that it works. It would've been a pain in the ass to fight a divine beast just to kidnap one of its kids.'
He could also raid an old nest of one of those divine beasts. The larvae tend to excrete a lot during their infant stage. The excretion was known as Godworm silk since it looks and feels like regular silk despite smelling horrible.
"Did you learn the proper incantation?" he asked Tanaera, "If not then I can recite it for you."
The runes had the incantation written inside of them which would be easy to spot if the user is an experienced mage. It's only short phrases and words bundled together so an inexperienced magician would have a hard time deciphering it.
"I know it."
"Oh? That's good then," he stood up, "Do what needs to be done."
Tanaera approached Kalda's body. She surrounded her hands in black mana. Afterwards, she placed her hands on two of the four runes.
This would've been faster with two people since Tanaera only has two hands.
That was what Arnold thought before two black, shadowy arms spawned out of Tanaera's back.
He was taken aback at first.
'…So she can use her dark magic to cast other forms of magic… I guess I shouldn't be surprised after seeing her multicast several high ranking spells at once.'
"We'll have to leave the room once Tanaera begins," said Arnold, "You'll see a lot of things appear out of nowhere trying to break the sealing barrier."
"What do you mean?" asked Sceptim.
"Vengeful spirits—basically people who died in this palace—will manifest."
"Can they harm the living?"
"Yeah. Using these great runes causes them to physically manifest in the real world. There's no way to stop it if you try to confine a soul. Of course, they can't escape these walls," he looked down at Siana, "While the barrier will prevent the spirits from trying to take Kalda's soul, whoever is trapped within the barrier will also materialize as a vengeful spirits. Meaning that you'll meet Kalda again if you stay."
Siana visibly trembled when Arnold said that.
"Then it's best if we leave before Miss Tanaera begins. Come, Lady Siana." Sceptim helped Siana stand up.
The two quickly left the bathroom. Rafaela alternated her gaze between Arnold and Tanaera before deciding to leave as well.
Arnold stood in silence.
He suddenly recalled what he did.
Caerwyn didn't seem affected by what happened.
Why was Tanaera acting different?
"—What did you see?" Arnold suddenly spoke.
"…."
"You were inside my head. What did you see? No, the better question is how far did you go inside my memories?"
"...I'm busy. Do you not want me to create the sealing barrier?"
"All you're doing now is pouring mana into the runes. They'll glow once they're ready for the incantation. Surely someone like you can talk while pouring mana into the runes."
It's easy to multitask if you're experienced enough in magic, especially for Tanaera.
Plus, Arnold knows how long it'll take for the runes to activate.
"….What makes you think I was lying back when I said that I didn't go that far into your memories?"
"That's too vague of an explanation. It's like you want me to guess at which point you stopped. You're playing mind games with me that way. What went through your head when my sword almost cut you down? What made you fear me in that moment?"
What's she scared of? She should've known that Kalda was controlling Arnold to do her bidding. Luckily he managed to stop himself from carrying out Kalda's order. Things should've ended right there but now Tanaera is acting so distant, which he never expected from an extrovert like her.
Tanaera turned her head to look at him.
"I've started studying mind control magic the past few years. It's part of my plan to learn every single dark magic spell known throughout the Nine Realms."
"What does that have anything to do with this?"
"…I remember reading a research paper written by some magician. It said that mind control—regardless of the rank of the spell used—only works on those with feeble minds or those who have gone through a certain trauma that leaves them emotionally defenceless and spiritually weakened. The latter being tortured prisoners or emotionally weak people. You are neither of those things."
"Meaning…?"
"Your mind is defenceless against mental attacks. If your mind is taken over then you have no hesitation in murdering people. You fall victim to your urges and desires. The mind control is like an activation code. That's what makes you…" she turned back, "…dangerous."
Going by what she said… Does this mean she thinks Arnold is just a killing machine?
"….."
"I saw everything. I doubted the inevitable at first since to me it seemed like your will can never be broken. A warrior with too much pride but had the strength to show for it. That was just an illusion. You might be strong on the outside but you're weak on the inside."
A psychopath, she muttered under her breath.
'Weak? I'm weak?'
For some reason, he recalled all those times his mind was invaded.
That vision of future Arnold sitting on his throne.
The abyss where he met another version of himself.
The time Angelica almost trapped him in the Land of the Hollows.
Thinking about all those times… isn't what Tanaera saying true? That he's weak?
Isn't that what makes him dangerous?
He remembered the endgame Arnold from the game.
What could happen if someone or something controlled the mind of such a man?
Mortals are given a will—which is the strongest defence against mind control—by Melis. Could this mean he had no will to speak of? Or was his will just so weak due to his negative karma?
What if mind control lights the embers inside of him to reveal his true self?
Activation code—kind of like robbing him of his humanity.
"Then you've seen what I did. How many people I've killed."
"I did."
"Would you change your mind if I tell you why I had to do it?"
Memories won't give you all the answers, he muttered.
"I don't want to know. There's an alternative to everything."
Alternative? Like risking his own life?
He had the power to do what was necessary so he did it. No one has the right to blame him because he saved millions. Had he not done that then the Sky God Dungeon would've become a tourist attraction with people dying left and right before the Offspring get unleashed into the world.
Surely the reason the Sky God had his people erect all those walls was because his interests aligns with Arnold's?
"Are you saying that you don't want to travel with me anymore?"
"I'll go to your world along with the queen and her knights. I see no better option. I overheard that she wants to travel the world so I'm going to ask her if I can accompany her. I would've done it even if you didn't suggest it."
"There's still someone I want you to meet—"
"Whether I come back or not is up to me alone. I have no obligation to uphold that promise I made."
"You…"
Arnold went silent with a frown on his face.
If Tanaera doesn't meet Elizabeth then Elizabeth's potential will remain untouched. Of course, there's a possibility that she'll encounter that same witch from the game much earlier or have another chance encounter.
However, Arnold doesn't like leaving things up to chance unless there's a certainty of something happening. Unlike a certain someone.
If Elizabeth doesn't fully awaken then he won't be able to recruit her as an ally. Also, he won't be able to cure her condition if she doesn't awaken her true power.
She's remain a monster with skin as hard as dried up raisins.
"So you're scared of me?"
"..."
Elizabeth needs her to unlock her true capabilities. This will benefit him in the future once he wins her over with his charms.
"What can I do to make you stay by my side?"
"…If it means that much to you…" she glanced back, "Then become stronger..."
Going by what she's been telling him so far, she probably doesn't mean he should get stronger in the physical sense.
-"The spirit is linked to the mind. The mind controls the person, thus the spirit requires the most training."
That was something Sebastian told Arnold during his training.
Arnold had never taken any of Sebas' philosophical teachings to heart. All that mattered to him was how to punch harder and the amount of skills he could learn.
Adding onto what Sebas said: If an intruder invades the mind then the body becomes a weapon against oneself or the people around you.
Arnold stood there silently, his hands shaking.
He was a puppet with its strings loosened all along. A puppet that was waiting for the puppet master.
Kalda briefly took rein of his strings but he managed to forcibly break himself free.
What if he's never able to break free should another incident like that happen?
What if the theory—that the Star Beast took control of Arnold—becomes true?
Arnold remembered the version of him in the game.
Was that really Arnold at all?
'What does it matter now? Things won't end up the same as in the game.'
This isn't the game. Of course, it's naïve to think that there wasn't a possibility of someone controlling the one in the game behind the scenes. If it's possible in the game then it's possible in real life.
The only way to find out the truth is to ask someone who was on the development team.
What did they do with Arnold's character when he left the empire to become a warlord?
Of course, the above is easier said than done. For all he knows, he could be the only person who transmigrated.
◇◇◇
Arnold walked down a hallway. Tanaera refused to talk any further so he decided to leave her be.
To the uninformed, mind control might seem like a trick to benefit one person by controlling another's actions. People well-versed in this form of manipulation understand the dangers very clearly.
"A weak mind weakens even the strong—wasn't that what you said, Sebas?"
He thought out loud.
Would he have met his alternate self had things been different? Or would he have met the future Angelica?
No. He would have still been under Liam's control and not get all his memories back.
There's a silver lining to everything, even having a vulnerable will, it seems.
What about that first vision he had about Arnold sitting on a throne, awaiting the hero's arrival? Could future Arnold have invaded his mind?
Arnold leaned over the railing and inhaled the cold air.
"The fact that I've met my alternate self and got kidnapped by the future Oracle wasn't just a mere coincidence. This is something that would've happened even if I prepared countermeasures."
The only effective countermeasure was—as Sebastian told him—to train his mind. A warrior is someone strong in body and mind. Something Arnold never managed to become despite possessing the strength fitting of one.
How will he go about training his mind?
Didn't Flora do the same thing in the game when she hit a bottleneck in her potential?
She fought for years to deserve the title of "Sword Master".
What about Arnold with his feeble will?
One day he dropped out of the academy in his seventh year then out of nowhere he destroyed a nation and started a war with Eulia empire and its kingdoms.
A fitting target for the Hero.
Arnold doesn't want to go on some lonely warrior's journey. He has too much to do, too many responsibilities to bear.
Thus, he has to find another way to overcome this.
Death flags, other villains in the main quest, his city, his relationships, unlocking all his skills, and now the severance… When will this end?
When will Arnold get a break and live peacefully?
"—What are you thinking about?"
Arnold heard Sceptim's voice. He was so deep in thought that he didn't sense Sceptim at all.
"How does a warrior train his mind?" Arnold asked a question instead.
"Hmm." Sceptim leaned on the railing with him, "It differs from person to person. It's just like overcoming our fears. Fears can be many things and there are countless ways to overcome them which makes them similar to training one's mind."
"In order to overcome your fears, you have to face them. Is that right?"
"Correct." Sceptim smiled, "However, a fear is much easier to overcome than fighting the severance of body and mind. You must know what's causing the severance and what actions led to them being separated. It's not an easy thing to do. There's no single solution to it, just as anything else. Most warriors go on fighting for years without finding peace with their minds. This is why there are so few actual warriors on a battlefield."
"What do you mean?"
"You must've read books of great wars that took place in your world. The books should've mentioned leading figures in the wars, right? They don't even have to be warriors to be regarded as such."
"Come to think of it, you're right."
There were many people who are "named figures" in the history books. They were alive during the harshest of times on Diacree continent.
The third leader of the Murim Martial Alliance, Isshin - The Martial Demon.
Fairy Queen of Plant and Essence - Resellalia(The first Fairy Millennium).
Dark Moon Spear Master - Asdek.
Sword Saint of the Thousand Blades - Obekaria.
Oracles of Melis - Gwylowin.
These were just some of the many figures who influenced war on a massive scale.
Of course, Resellalia being a fairy and all means that she shouldn't have involved herself in wars. Her people and Elves alike despise wars. However, she couldn't sit back and watch thousands die.
Her mastery of Druid Magic could buff and heal an entire army at once(just like the oracles). Of course, the oracle of her time couldn't assist everyone in war—since war was happening in every nation back then—so Resellalia had to step in.
Then there's Isshin, one of the prominent founders of a great organization that passes on the martial arts of the martial gods of old. He stood next to the Hero Promethius in battle. He even sacrificed one of his arms and his eyes just to let Promethius deal a final blow to a demon lord. Of course, all this was in vain since Arsnoria survived and was able to resurrect all three demon lords who perished in the war.
Dark Moon Spear Master, Asdek defended his nation—Republic of Zrek—against an army alone. It took four days for him to exhaust every ounce of energy in his body. With his efforts, his people could assemble an army strong enough to deliver a powerful blow to their enemies, thus winning in the process.
The Sword Saint of the Thousand Blades was one of the first users of the forbidden arts "Sword Tribulation". She could control any weapon, even the weapons of her enemies, during battle. This allowed her to slaughter thousands just by walking amongst them.
Not only was she one of the first users to use the forbidden art, she was also the first to perfect it.
Despite her valiant deeds of putting herself right in the middle of enemy armies numerous times, she was wrongfully executed by her own people.
She died with a smile on her face.
Her last words were:
-"You fear me for my strength, this is why you're doing this. But I forgive you."
In retaliation for what he did to their "hero" the king was murdered by his people.
Next is the Oracle, Gwylowin who saved millions with her miracles. She was travelling with the Black Dragon Lord at the time.
He fights and she heals—It was a code the two lived by as companions of war. This code allowed them to save all those people.
"What do they have in common?" Sceptim asked.
"…Some of them sacrificed themselves for the greater good. Others put their lives on the line for the same reason."
"No, that's not the right answer. They did what had to be done. If it's as simple as sacrificing themselves then their resolve would've been meaningless. Does war end just from the death or sacrifice of a single individual?"
Resolve…
"No."
"People don't give up their lives or bear difficult situations just because they want others to live happy lives. It's much more than that. They understand what it means to have the power to do something. They are just opening the doors for others to find their own happiness."
"Is that how you break the severance of mind and body?"
"I said earlier that there's no single solution to everything. One person's resolve could be making important decisions in battle by ignoring their lack of determination—oftentimes called 'false confidence'. Another could be helping the needy because they've set their mind to it. And another person's resolve could be to steal food to feed their family despite the consequences. One can even kill if you set your mind to it. All of this stems from doing the right thing. Whichever morals society imposed on you don't matter."
'Then…!'
"….." Arnold looked at Sceptim in expectation.
'Is that the answer I've been looking—'
His thoughts were interrupted by what Sceptim said next.
"But a resolve can also be the reason for the severance between mind and body."
Sceptim turned towards him and smiled meaningfully.
"….."
"Come now, Lord Arnold. Allow me to show you the treasury and armoury." Sceptim began walking away, "I'm sure there will be something you'll fancy!"
"…."
Arnold stood still for a moment before scoffing.
I see, it won't be that easy to find an answer, thought Arnold.
Still, somehow he feels that speaking with Sceptim brought him one step closer to that answer.