Hearing Sylvester, Jody was further frustrated.
Still, he walked over to the other side obediently. He had an abnormally large sense of trust for the young sky wolf. Right before crossing the dividing line, he stopped abruptly. He looked up and saw a seven-colored ball of light floating in the air. If he wasn't mistaken, this should be his little twilight imp. But what was it doing? He couldn't sense its presence, and he just knew instinctively where it would be.
He then turned his body to look at the giant grimoire hanging wide open in the starry void. Jody received the strangest sensation as he was about to cross to the other side. The [Cosmos Revolving Grimoire] seemed to be calling out to him. As he neared the grimoire, it also floated lower to accommodate himself until it met Jody right in front of his face. This huge ancient tome was not as massive as it was on the Destiny Platform. However, it reduced further until it was half his current size at nearly 140 cm tall. The grimoire did not speak to Jody, its source spirit seemingly operating under different restrictions. Instead, the two seemed to have an innate telepathic connection. He could feel the grimoire's intent as if the information was being written on his soul.
The grimoire needed a password so that he could summon it. Jody remembered that [Pharaoh's Law] had registered the name Trippy of its own accord, likely for the same purpose. The difference is that he was using the urban jargon of his past life at the time, not speaking literally. This time, he could make a conscious decision.
"Cosmo."
After speaking, there was a message waiting in Jody's mind.
[Cosmo, registered.]
Jody then tried to will the grimoire to answer his questions. The grimoire flipped to its first page, which then lit up in ancient-looking hieroglyphics and characters. Interestingly enough, these characters seemed to resemble dhivãc. This wasn't the first time that Jody noticed variations of this writing that he could vaguely identify with. They were all over the walls of his home and even the other places he had visited. This was the language of high clans, such as the high negus and the high elves.
Upon closer inspection, all the characters were made up out of many tiny runes that moved around as if they had a life of their own. To Jody's surprise, he understood most words that were written. His mother was actually such a great teacher. He failed to identify a few meanings but could still comprehend them due to his telepathic link with the grimoire.
He honestly didn't even need to read it.
However, being studious as he was, Jody still tried to understand the intricacies within these symbols and enhance his understanding of dhivãc. This was an ancient language of the hero gods, and the grimoire had practically given him a free thesaurus. Since the grimoire explained to him what these words meant and even transcribed the verbal pronunciations, he memorized this knowledge so he would be able to utilize it later.
"The perfect status refers to the level of synchronization. So, there are five levels? Wow!" Jody interpreted, visibly surprised, "A perfect synchronization just means that the souls are fully cooperative and possess unlocked consciousness. This is also the rarest of the rare statuses, nearly unrecorded throughout the eons. The benefits have to be greater! How awesome. 'Dual' means that both source artifacts baptized me in chaotic force. Chaos...and twilight? These forces seem to be the same, but I guess not quite?"
In the end, Jody wasn't so impressed with the new information, but the grimoire was worth exploring. He shook his head and floated back to the other side. However, he suddenly stopped and glanced back at the artifact, "This tome has three core source abilities, and the first is the source ability Summoner. Each ability has a set number of seals, with Summoner possessing eight. I guess I must call it out into reality to gain more information."
Jody's eyes brightened, but he moved on nonetheless. There was no information on unlocking source abilities or the accompanying seals. He would have to try summoning Cosmo later for more information. There was nothing else for him to learn in the host space.
After crossing to the other side, Jody felt his mind surge with surprising strength. His thoughts were more evident than ever, and the flow of his thinking was even faster and smoother. He felt as if the speed and depth of his ideas and constructive thought processes had increased by about 45%. This was a startling increase, and even his ability to quantify it left him astounded.
"What in the heavens is going on?" Jody exclaimed in awe.
[Welcome, host.
The first and second seals of the source ability 'Prime' have been released.
Activating Pharaoh's Law will result in spiritual force augmentation.
Prime's Current limit: Increases spiritual force by one level.
Meditating within Host Space will grant the host 25% of the first seal's augmentation without summoning Pharaoh's Law and 50% when summoning is active.]
The robotic voice of Trippy echoed through the space before Jody had a chance to ponder. He felt dumbstruck once more.
"I'm so sick of voices in my head!"
Still, this wasn't important.
The spiritual elevation he felt was only 25% of the augmentation!? That's important! The source ability was that strong?! Xavier thought the grimoire was a cheat code? No, this, this was a cheat code. Improved spirit meant improved faculties all across the board. If he could improve his spirit by activating the source ability of [Pharaoh's Law], then would he ever deactivate it? He would wear the crown everywhere.
Then, instead of hearing another voice, Jody saw a grey prompt.
[Trippy: Responding to host's query: Activating source artifacts consumes heavenly power.]
[Trippy: The source artifact will stay active as long as the host has enough energy to endure.]
"Well, as they say, 'There is no such thing as a free lunch," Jody said to himself, knowing it wouldn't be so simple. "What are these grey prompts anyway?"
[Trippy: Responding to host's query: Draconic authority has many useful quirks.]
He looked at the static-charged nimbus cloud hiding the huge dragon egg within. He could feel it resonated with himself on a spiritual level, pulsating like a heartbeat. He still felt as if he was inside the hard shell himself, slowly accumulating momentum.
"It's been quite a while, I think. I should return."
As this thought occurred to Jody, a majestic-looking sparkly bone throne, perfect for his size, appeared in the sky a few meters away from [Pharaoh's Law]. With a thought, Jody was sitting in the seat. He instantly felt connected to his body once more. Suddenly, he remembered two particular issues. He closed his eyes and tried to focus on the ball of seven-colored light above.
And then, he saw more prompts appear before the closed eyes of his spiritual body. However, these prompts were seven-colored. Apparently, they had been waiting for his attention.
[Twilight Proxy: Thanks to the evolution of the host's soul, the system proxy will require a nickname.]
[Twilight Proxy: Host consciousness blocked for 365 consecutive days. Auto-selecting nickname based on host's previous thoughts.]
[Twilight Proxy: Registering the name 'Imp.']
[Imp: Twilight System is undergoing a forced upgrade.]
[Imp: Twilight Store level cannot exceed system and host levels.]
[Imp: To accommodate host level, the True Pharaoh of Twilight has authorized an upgrade in your authority!]
[Imp: Congratulations! You have inherited a god beast bloodline!]
[Imp: Awarding 50 stars and 100 crystals.]
[Imp: Congratulations! Natal flame seed planted in the host's matrix.]
[Imp: Awarding 25 stars and 15 crystals.
[Imp: Congratulations! Assimilation of the sacred artifact of fate completed.]
[Imp: A bold accomplishment!]
[Imp: True Pharaoh audience comments - Awesome!|Magnificent.|No, don't, please!|Daaaamn.|You dirty brat, do you want to die?|Woohoo! He did it!| I win, you old jerk.
[Imp: Rewarding secret celestial class labor—Melancholic Demon Dance. 110 stars and 115 crystals remaining.]
[Imp: Time for awards!]
[Imp: Awards are given by celestial audiences at the end of a viewing.]
[Imp: Each comment cost one award, so get more comments!]
[Imp: Host received seven awards during the celestial viewing!]
[The True Pharaoh of Twilight awards 100 Twilight stars and 22,000 Twilight shards for being awesome.]
[Imp: The True Pharaoh of Fate awards 1,000 Fate Stars for the possessor of Destiny's star.]
[Imp: The True Pharaoh of Fate awards 500 Fate Stars as a prayer for mercy.]
[Imp: The True Pharaoh of Twilight awards 100 Twilight Stars 11,100 Twilight Shards for defying expectation and touching upon destiny's doorway!]
[Imp: The True Pharaoh of Fate awards 99,999 Fallen Shards for the betrayer of expectation.]
[Imp: The True Pharaoh of Twilight awards 100,000 Transcendent Shards for her cute little buddy!]
[Imp: The True Pharaoh of Twilight awards 200 Twilight Stars and 1,000 Twilight Crystals for Here's your cut, don't say I never did nothing for ya.]
[Imp: Merging all shards into crystals.]
[Imp: Danger! Fallen Crystals are trying to fuse into Fallen Stars forcefully!]
[Danger! Onc F ll n cr st ls i fil rat sys e ...]
[.....]
[.....]
[Imp: Transcendent stars illuminate the clouded soul.]
[Imp: Disaster has been avoided by the True Pharaoh's quick thinking.]
[Imp: This karmic disaster has cost you ten stars.]
[Imp: Twilight Balance - 500 stars and 1,446 crystals remaining.
[Imp: You have unlocked the feature - Sky Status.]
[Imp: Time until upgrade complete - 310 hours remaining.]
Jody was completely speechless as he processed all this information. There were simply too many emotions, and it was suffocating. He didn't even know where to start.
"I have a question, Sly," Jody raised his voice to call out to the sky wolf pup. The latter opened his eyes to meet Jody's gaze from a distance. Jody could feel his intent and continued, "I read that one can only have a maximum of thirty-six doors of origin. I seem to have forty. Was the knowledge recorded here just wrong? It seems unlikely that they would be so mistaken so often."
"Hmph," Sylvester closed his eyes again, no longer caring about Jody. "The answer to your mystery is right beneath you. You are no longer a mere hero. You now walk the paths of the Draco Volos and the Skyslaughter. You are a fey like no other. Leave me."
Jody was baffled briefly before glancing at the enormous magical egg. At that moment, he came to a realization. His mind finally relaxed, and his consciousness retracted from the Host Space. Opening his eyes, Jody found himself in the same meditation posture as before. Only his surroundings had changed slightly. He was no longer eclipsed in a cloud of darkness but back in the room he initially woke up in.
A day could have so many changes...
"Welcome back, my little heartbeat," who could this bell-like voice belong to, if not Jody's mother, Isis?
She wore a glamorous sky-blue dress and was seated elegantly at a table, drinking tea. Jody jumped up and ran to his mother, hugging her long leg that seemed to be made of the most beautiful jade. The latter put down her cup and picked her big son up into her lap to hug him back. Even though he was rather big now, she couldn't bear treating him like his height.
"It's good that you're fine. It's good that you're fine." Isis released a radiant smile from the bottom of her heart, tears welling up in her eyes.
As Jody looked up at this now fondly familiar face, he felt an intense blood connection for the first time. This woman was his mother, and his heightened senses could smell it. He could feel her pure love for him warming the deepest parts of his soul. Suddenly, his eyes begin to water as well.
From someone who grew up as an orphan, surrounded by evil and treacherous people, to suddenly gaining his own authentic, loving family was a truly wonderful feeling. His mother even doted on him so heavily. Jody had officially accepted his role as Josiah, if only for his mother's sake. He was the third child of the medjai Lord of House Trillwolf and son of the First Lady in the same house. If there were no mistakes, then Jody was the most eligible to be heir to the house.
On top of that, as a medjai, he was eligible to found his own House. But this was his home. This place became the start of his story. When he becomes a legend one day, it would be him the wolves bow down to, not just his father and Uncle Saint!
Finally coming to terms with his fate, Jody separated his head from his mother's bosom and asked, "Where's pops at?"
The next thing Jody heard was a round of boisterous laughter. Two men, one young and majestic and the other old and noble, appeared from the shadow of Isis.
"So you're finally able to remember your old man, ey? Excellent," said House Lord Osiris, as a magic wind wrapped around Jody like a pair of hands and lifted him from his mother's lap, gently placing him on the ground. "Now, come, kid. Show us your strength."
Jody nodded at his father's words and tightened his fists as he sensed his own energy.
Jody felt an enormous rush of energy surge through his body until it burst from him in a brilliant rainbow of mana. The sheer intensity was overwhelming, and he could feel its raw power as if the very essence of life were pouring out from within. The light seemed to fill the room, so powerful that it almost threatened to consume everything in its wake before slowly being replaced by a dark rukh aura that permeated the air with a chill of dread.
Osiris laughed boisterously, very pleased with his son's exceptional energy control. He could tell it was instinctual, the boy didn't even realize he was doing anything strange. That was a true talent. On top of that, Josiah had managed to open doors of origin for both Mana and Rukh. Otherwise, the boy wouldn't be able to display this power level. Osiris even believed his son's light and dark seemed oddly compatible with each other.
This would do wonders for the boy's future force formulation.
"This is excellent son. Next, we will show you how to formulate magic force from mana. This is an essential practice for a sage, as spell circles are made from magic force. Once you're a bit older, you'll start warrior training…" As Osiris spoke, he glanced at his son, who looked to be quite older than he was in reality.
He suddenly realized that he could probably advance his plans for the boy's training. Jody's body was so sturdy and strong already. What exactly was he waiting for again? Even if he was young, he should be capable.
"Mn, perhaps in a couple of days. Now, about that necklace you're wearing. Initially, I thought it was another arcane tattoo. However, it has become tangible after you use your power. Is that your source artifact? It's amazing that you can call it out so early. Quickly harness it before you lose this feeling. What's its function? Also, these special source imprints inscribed on your chest…what are their origin? Do you know how to activate them?"
Jody's eyes widened at his father's words. They implied far too many things. He looked down in complete shock and noticed he was indeed wearing a necklace all of a sudden. It was a gold rope with an ancient and marvelous ankh the size of a finger. Jody recognized this miniature version of the artifact of fate he hadn't chosen. This was the Mighty Ankh! Merely how could this be? Why would he have a third source artifact? How could that even be possible? Unless…
He suddenly noticed a seven-colored light appear in his vision.
[Twilight Ankh]
"Right before I met Janair Mazi, the twilight imp seemed to stay on the destiny platform…so it should be that." Jody rapidly considered what was happening but suddenly remembered that the Twilight imp had dove into this exact Twilight Ankh.
So the underway upgrade for the Twilight System is thanks to this [Twilight Ankh].
"Ah!" Jody's confused eyes suddenly shined with an understanding light. "My twilight proxy, Imp, is now bound to a medium, allowing me to access the twilight god system directly once the upgrade is complete. This [Twilight Ankh] is the medium. I wonder if I can still consider it a source artifact? Will it come with unique abilities? Is this the reason I feel so strong?"
However, he kept his thoughts to himself for now and told his father that he indeed encountered his Twilight Ankh on the platform and could tell they were one. After all, this was the absolute truth. Jody simply couldn't comprehend everything that happened on the Destiny Platform, so he wasn't lying at all.
"How intriguing…" Lady Isis leaned close to her son and watched with interest as the [Twilight Ankh] faded back into a tattoo, seated calmly in between the others. "We will have to explore the depths of these new powers slowly. We can't have you harming yourself, little Jo. For now, let's get you settled back in."
"Yes, mother dearest. I wonder for a pittance of favor. Can we satisfy our hunger first?" Jody asked with pleading eyes. His mother smiled and lifted him into her embrace. Jody felt embarrassed and struggled slightly before saying, "Ma, wait, not the kiss attack…"
"Precisely the kiss attack!" giggled Isis as she snuggled and kissed her son.
Osiris watched this scene with a relieved smile on his face.
Lately, Isis was truly too much to deal with when absent of Jody's presence. Inwardly, the House Lord wondered if her behavior had anything to do with the fallen soul of Niagara. He had heard stories of fallen ones regaining their light. If Niagara grew unhappy with her current role, could they be reversed? Mind you, this was part of the plan. But would Niagara really commit to the plan?
Osiris suddenly desired to study a bit more as the group all departed in happy conversation.