"Get back here, Marcy! I'm going to get you." a voice giggled, resonating in the vibrant green forest. In response, a voice filled with joy replied, "Hahaha, you're going to have to catch me first, Daisy." Their colorful wings flapped, propelling them through the azure sky, leaving a trail of radiant light in their wake.
Suddenly, Daisy came to a halt. "Haha, I got you, Marcy!" she exclaimed, colliding playfully with her sister. Something had caught Marcy's attention.
Daisy turned to look to where her sister pointed, and there, on the ground, lay a wounded, dark creature. The sisters quickly flew closer and discovered a wolf in desperate need of water. With the sun blazing overhead, Marcy rushed to fetch water while Daisy remained by the wolf's side.
Together, they nursed the creature back to life, offering it a chance for survival.
As the day wore on, the trio played together until the sun descended below the horizon. With the arrival of night, the dark wolf bid them farewell, disappearing into the shadows.
The sisters sought solace by the river, preparing to rest after their eventful day. As the midnight hour struck, an eerie silence enveloped the forest, stirring Marcy from her slumber. She turned to awaken her sister, only to be met with a haunting sight—a horde of ravenous eyes fixed upon them.
Before Marcy could utter a single word, three wolves pounced upon her, tearing her apart with merciless ferocity. Beside her, her sister faced a familiar face as she was devoured alive. The blood of the sisters tainted the river, staining its once-clear waters.
Al gasped, his eyes snapping open, jolted awake. "Just a dream," he exhaled, a tinge of relief in his voice, and rolled out of his comfortable bed. Ever since being teleported into the I.P.S Institute for Practical Science, he and their Phantom Seed had been assigned a room, a far cry from the stone units of the Blood Leafs 15th Mortal Ring. Here, he had a soft bed and a small study area.
"I need to enter the Mental Domain as soon as possible." Al contemplated, his mind lingering on the awe-inspiring power he had wielded during the previous battle. "After all I'm essentially swinging a bladeless handle." Determination fueled his thoughts as he stared at his twisted knife.
"But for now, I need to look for a way to stop these stupid dreams." With that in mind, he left his room, determined to seek a solution to his recurring nighttime disturbances.
As Al opened his door, he found himself face-to-face with a familiar figure—Agnethe. For whatever reason she had chosen to abandon her Phantom Seed join theirs. "I was just about to knock," she said, her gaze fixed curiously on him. Uncertain about her unexpected visit, Al responded, "Um, okay. Is there something you need?"
Agnethe's eyes locked with his, and she spoke, her words tinged with a hint of intrigue, " Are you really a Stubborn Will Cultivator? When you transformed, I felt something stir within me. My Titans Will"
Embarrassment flushed Al's cheeks, and he hastily stopped her, "Look, I don't care how I made your insides feel. I'm not interested in a relationship, so sorry if I gave you the wrong impression."
His stern response caused Agnethe to recoil, her voice laced with frustration. "I didn't mean it like that, you idiot. Ugh, just forget it!" With those words, she stormed off down the corridor.
"What a strange encounter," Al thought, shaking off the confusion, he continued his stroll down the corridor. However, as he passed Ellie's room, a sudden realization struck him, prompting him to retrace his steps and knock on her door.
The door swung open, revealing an empty room. But as soon as Ellie spotted Al, she materialized with her floating mirror at her side. "Oh, hi Al. What can I help you with?" she cheerfully greeted him.
Al's gaze fell upon her floating mirror, which he had seen cracked before, now restored to its former state. "I see your Etheric Shell has been completely restored," he pointed out.
Ellie beamed, radiating joy. "Yes, thanks to Loh' and Robert. They found a way to enhance my connection to my Etheric Shell, accelerating its recovery."
"Wow, that's incredible," Al remarked, and then asked where he could find those two geniuses. After receiving directions, Al made his way to the lower floor of the sprawling underground base that extended deep below the surface, encompassing hundreds of levels.
"She said they were in one of the laboratories on the lower floor, studying Asoto's Ancestral Essence crystals," Al murmured to himself as he swiped his badge on the scanner. He had walked in to three different wrong room, and this was his fourth.
The door before him obediently slid open, revealing a sight that left him dumbfounded. Cesar had arranged a row of pillows, each dedicated to one of his dead brothers and sisters, while two larger pillows represented his dad and mom.
It was a funeral without bodies and away from home. Cesar wept, unaware of the door opening behind him. holding a bible, he read from its pages, his tears dampening the sacred words.
Memories of his brothers and sisters flooded his mind, he had a loving family with ups and downs but through it all his father and mother's love kept them together. All of that was now a mere memory, swept away by the sea.
"What are you doing?" Al's voice reverberated through the room, interrupting Cesar's solemn ritual. Startled, Cesar quickly composed himself, his voice trembling as he replied, "I'm mourning my family."
Al squinted his eyes, a mix of concern and frustration evident on his face. "Yes, but it's been days now. How long will you continue to shed tears? Didn't you once tell me that everyone eventually leaves the nest? You took that leap of faith and flew, while they remained in the tree, only for the tree itself to be cut down. But you're flying now, so fly."
Suddenly he recalled a certain woman who had enraged him after "Mark" had died. The reversal of roles sent a shiver down his spine, and before he could apologize, a fist came hurtling towards his face, knocking him to the ground.
Blood leaked on to the floor beneath him. Al looked up, his gaze meeting Cesar's furious eyes, the weight of his rage palpable. Drawing upon his Stubborn Will, Al healed his broken nose, wiping away the blood as he stood up.
Cesar braced himself, anticipating a fight as Al approached him. However, to his surprise, Al simply placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder and silently walked out of the room, leaving Cesar to continue mourning his dead family.
Al entered a few more rooms until he finally located Loh' and Robert in a bustling room filled with scientists peering through various microscopes. Robert focused on studying a minuscule crystal speck, sharing his observations with Loh', who diligently recorded the information.
As Al walked in, Robert called for a break, instructing the team to stretch and replenish their energy. The room quickly emptied, leaving only the three of them.
"I need something to help me stop dreaming at night. It's affecting my sleep and hindering my cultivation," Al stated, getting straight to the point.
Robert responded promptly, listing off several options, "Well, there are a variety of substances we can utilize to reduce your dreams. We can prescribe Benzodiazepines, Risperdal, Seroquel, Zyprexa, Haldol, certain SSRIs and SNRIs, Cannabinoids, or even alcohol. I can even isolate the specific affects you desire and design a custom pharmaceutical drug for you."
Before Robert could delve further, Loh' interjected, his voice filled with caution, "Wait, Al. Dreaming is a natural process. Even us Tonovians who enter a deep sleep that can last for hundreds of years, and even we experience dreams, spanning years within them. It is because of these dreams my ancestors discovered the process for creating crystals from Ancestral Essence I don't think it's wise to 'turn off' your dreams. In fact, I would advise against it."
Upon hearing Loh's perspective, Robert shifted his gaze away, silently acknowledging the truth in Loh's words. Al turned away, contemplating their advice. Just as he was about to move on, Robert added, "I'm not sure if Cesar has informed you, but we are planning on sending the six of you to Zambia, the heart of Africa. We aim to establish contact with the God Leaves. While they have refused to engage with the I.P.S, Loh' explained how the Lightning-Stone Leaf is interested in speaking to him."
The mention of the upcoming mission piqued Al's interest as the science team began reentering their workspace, Al nodded in acknowledgment and headed back to his room.
Shortly after Robert noticed an issue with their synchrotron and decided to take their microscope to the repair shop, leaving Loh' in charge.
As Al approached the staircase, he heard Robert's voice calling out to him from behind. Surprised, he turned around to see Robert catching up with him.
"What's up?" Al asked, curiosity evident in his voice.
Robert, slightly out of breath, replied, "Hey, if you're still interested, I can create that custom medication to help with your dreams. What Loh' said is true but we can work out any side effects."
Al's voice filled with excitement as he responded, "Yes I'm still interested! I really appreciate it!"
Robert smiled and shook Al's hand, ready to part ways. However, a sudden thought crossed his mind, causing him to pause. "Wait, Al, with your Stubborn Will, you could probably donate blood all day and you'd be just fine."
Al quickly interjected, "Just cut to the chase. How much do you need."
Robert raised his eyebrows, caught off guard by Al's directness. "Oh, we don't need much, about 3 liters or so should do."
Al contemplated the idea for a moment, considering the proposal. Given his Stubborn Will, he knew at most he would feel some fatigue.
Throwing caution to the wind, he shook his hand for a second time before parting ways. Unbeknownst to them, Cesar had overheard their conversation, silently pondering the words exchanged between the two. "This Robert really is a snake." Cesar thought to himself.
A few days later, the 7 were in a room with monitor screens displaying different sites around the world. Agnethe was shooting daggers at Al, who appeared well-rested, while Asoto' would steel a quick glance every chance he could at Agnethe. Ellie and Jin sat nearby, listening intently as Cesar spoke, Loh', was standing beside him.
"We'll be heading to Victoria Falls in the country of Zambia. One of the Phantom Seeds that works for the I.P.S. has information about an entrance to an Immortal Ring that belongs to the Lightning-Stone Leaf. We will be accompanying Loh' who will hopefully make contact with the Rings Immortal Captain. This is an escort mission, so we shouldn't expect direct combat. Nevertheless, we should remain prepared for any situation," Cesar explained.