Chapter 116: Weight of Wisdom
Haku blinked, glancing back. "They are?" But when he turned to look at Darius, he was already gone. Haku frowned at the empty doorway. "Didn't even shut the door…"
In the center of the gathering grounds, Darius scanned the group, his eyes sharpening. "Stop, all of you!"
His voice cut through the air, and the children instantly froze, halting their breathing and quickly standing to attention.
Tem sprang forward, eyes alight. "What's wrong? I felt like I was almost there! Something big was about to happen!"
"Yes," he replied, ruffling her hair. "Something big was about to happen. You were about to die." His smile faded as he looked past Tem at the rest of them, his expression hardening. "Did I not warn you? I told you all to stop once you felt full. Or did I imagine that?"
They shifted uncomfortably, each looking down and muttering, "no…"
He let out a slow sigh. "I see. I can't trust you all to follow instructions alone. Seems I have to give you a reason to listen." Without another word, he settled into a seated position, waiting as the children gathered around, each one glancing at him with a mixture of confusion and guilt before they, too, sat down.
Once they'd all settled around him, Darius sighed. "What you felt was the beginning of your breakthroughs. Each of you has cultivated enough mana to condense your core. But without my guidance, you would have deviated. At best, you'd have crippled yourselves. At worst—death."
Milo cleared his throat, looking nervous. "We're sorry. Are you mad at us?"
Darius's expression softened. "No, not really. This was my fault." His mind flashed briefly to memories of Wu Chen, his once-impatient disciple who'd stormed out of his chambers more times than he could count. His long unheard voice still potent in his mind, 'I might have listened master. Odds are, I probably wouldn't have tried if I'd known a damn river goddess lived there!'
His thoughts returning to the moment, he admonished himself. 'Seems it's a habit of mine.'
"I should have explained why it's crucial to stop when I told you. But there will be times when I'll need you all to follow instructions without question. I need to trust that you'll do that."
Tem nodded firmly. "We get it. Promise, we won't mess up again."
"Yeah, I don't need to know why. I'll just follow." Each child echoed the sentiment, voices steady with conviction.
Darius nodded approvingly. "Good. It gladdens me to hear that. Now, I know you're eager to press on, but understand this: with every breakthrough comes great risk. Rushing it is a mistake you can't afford." He gave each of them a look of reassurance. "So, before we move forward, take the rest of the evening to rest. Tomorrow, we'll continue with proper guidance."
The kids let out a unified groan, barely suppressing their disappointment. Darius hid a small smile, keeping his expression stern. "No complaints. But as a consolation, I have a special story planned for you all tonight at dinner."
"I love stories!" Leek shouted, throwing his arms up in excitement before quickly lowering them, cheeks reddening as the others snickered.
Darius straightened, motioning towards the lake. "Why don't you all visit Ursie? I'll call for you when supper's ready."
He watched them scatter, laughter and footsteps filling the air as they darted towards the lake. Each moved with impressive speed, leaping and twisting like nimble acrobats as they disappeared into the trees. Pride warmed Darius's chest, the sight confirming their growing strength. 'Almost there. Just a few things left.'
Climbing the steps to the lodge, he smiled at Kahoon, who was dozing peacefully on the landing. "And one of those things is you," kneeling down to scratch the creature's soft head. Kahoon clicked and purred in response, shifting closer to his hand.
"I'll need to find you a mandrake root first," Darius spoke, more to himself than to Kahoon. "Or at least something close."
Touching his pouch, he produced a broad, deep-green leaf, its veins pumping faintly as though it had a life of its own. "Perhaps a little treat will help."
The moth's antennae twitched with excitement, his soft clicks growing louder as he grasped the leaf and eagerly began to chew. A subtle pang tugged at Darius as he watched. "Better savor it. That's a magical leaf—rarer than you'd think."
"What's so special about a leaf?" Haku's curious gaze settled on the Kahoon's treat, his confusion apparent as he exited the lodge.
Darius chuckled, "it's known as a Leaf of the First Tree."
"First Tree?" Haku's eyes lit up with interest. "If it's from the first tree, there can't be many left! Why're you just giving it away as a snack?"
"Not the first tree ever. When a new forest takes root, sometimes the very first tree to grow—if it survives—gains a unique status. Even though it will look like any other tree, It becomes the heart of that forest. Once it gains this status, if it dies, that forest dies. Fortunately, the tree itself holds no particular use, but its leaves possess certain… properties."
Haku's grin widened, imagining the possibilities. "We should grow a forest! What kind of magic does it have?"
"For beasts, I'm not entirely sure," Darius admitted, watching as Kahoon devoured the leaf with gusto. "But for humans, it's said to bestow various benefits—longer life, resistance to certain… ailments," he gestured down, "and it's also rumored to enhance wisdom. Let's hope it does the same for Kahoon."
"Like a mandrake root, huh?" Haku tilted his head thoughtfully. "He's a bit dim, but hopefully he doesn't turn out like Ursie."
Darius rolled his eyes, "not exactly like the root, intellect and wisdom are two different things." Nodding as Kahoon finished every bit of the leaf, his antennae bouncing happily as he looked up, seemingly pleased.
Haku tilted his head, his brow furrowed. 'What's that mean? He sayin I'm not wise?'
Examining the moth, Darius noticed no immediate change, "Might take time, or maybe I just wasted it," shrugging, he gave Kahoon a final pat before heading inside.
"Is Glabe still writing?"
Haku shrugged as he followed, "not sure, but he's sitting in the dining hall if that means anything."
Darius stepped into the hall and immediately spotted Glabe, who was already rising to meet him, clutching a stack of papers.
"Finished?"
Glabe handed the scrolls over, his face hollow, hair unkempt, and a slight unsteadiness in his stance. "That's everything. Had to rewrite it twice… apologies for the delay."
Darius placed a steadying hand on Glabe's shoulder. "Come now, have you eaten anything since you started?"
Glabe blinked, as if the thought had only just occurred to him. "I… might've forgotten." His knees gave way slightly, and Darius guided him to sit.
"A bit foolish, considering your age," Darius chided lightly. "Stay here. I'll take care of the meal tonight."
Scanning the lodge with his mana sense, he honed in on Crelos's fiery aura, the mage hunched over her desk, furiously scribbling over various papers. 'I'll bring him something later.'
Darius left Glabe resting in the hall, asking Haku to watch him before heading to the resource room. Inside, compartments overflowed with rare herbs and preserved beast parts, each item exuding its own distinct scent. He scanned the memory tome for the specific ingredients he wanted, selecting a handful of mana-rich herbs, a few cuts of high-grade beast meat, and to his pleasant surprise, Golden Fleet grain.
With his gathered ingredients, Darius entered the All-Room. The vast stone chamber transformed, the walls shifting as counters and cooking stations rose from the ground, forming a full kitchen under the flickering glow of warm lights.
Moving swiftly, he removed the husks and milled the fleet before preparing each of his ingredients, his knife and hands moving with practiced precision.
He began seasoning and preparing each dish, rinsing and boiling the fleet with tender strips of fried meat rich in mana, careful to lock in the flavors and the strength it would impart.
For Haku, he seared a massive cut of roast beast to perfection, while Kahoon's salad was a delicate mix of fresh, mana-infused greens. For Glabe, a nourishing Iron-Ox tail soup brewed gently, its aroma filling the room as the tail simmered down to enrich the broth. With Neko, the lightning weasel only had a pallette for crystals, so a few high-grade beast crystals would be enough. Lastly, he scooped himself a simple bowl of golden fleet, uncorking a bottle of matching fleet wine.
Taking an elegant pair of chopsticks he'd crafted for himself, he sat back for a moment, taking a bite of his meal. A warm, drawn out smile covered his face as he sipped a bit of his wine. "It's not rice, but it's close enough."
Satisfied after enjoying the moment, he then gathered everyone besides Crelos, even summoning Ursie into the Codex, as he had plenty of left-overs from cooking. As they arrived, the All-Room opened into a grand, low-seated dining hall, pillows set around an expansive table laden with the prepared dishes. The air was warm, filled with the scent of each specially crafted meal.
Near one end, an oversized ornate trough awaited Ursie, filled with various finely cleaned bones. As the rest of the group settled in, murmurs of surprise passed among them. Every seat, every dish had been arranged with intent—each tailored to restore, strengthen, and prepare. Darius poured a glass of wine, quietly surveying the scene as the All-Room, now an elegant dining space, buzzed with life and anticipation.
"Tonight, I have a story to tell." Darius's voice commanded the room, silencing even the eager glances toward the steaming dishes laid before them. "For most of you, this tale is new, though the others have heard part if not most of it. So please, go ahead—start eating while I speak."
Eyes fixed on him, the children and Glabe listened intently, forks hovering over plates. "This is the story of a man from another world, named Xue Feng. And this is no mere legend, but truth. Xue Feng reached the peak of strength in his world only to find himself, at the end, facing something he had not anticipated—a second chance."
A hush fell over the room, anticipation thick in the air, as Darius began to weave the tale of his life leading up to his final moments, and his mysterious rebirth that followed.
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Outside the Vault, within Barrond's domain, the ground trembled beneath the massive steps of the world-bear. Barrond paced in a wide arc at the center of an expansive field, occasionally, his gnarled paw would swipe at the earth, leaving deep gouges in the soil. His stone and root-entwined brow was deeply furrowed, a storm of thought etched into his ancient face.
At the edge of the field sat two colossal figures, their presence undeniable. The first was a massive creature, its towering frame covered in thick black fur and jagged stone plates that formed a natural armor. Its bull-like head bore a pair of immense horns that curved upward, each etched with glowing runes that pulsed with light.
Its humanoid body, seated and rigid, exuded raw strength, with powerful arms resting on its knees. In its grasp were twin axes, their stony surfaces blending seamlessly with the creature's form, as if carved from the same indestructible material as its hide. The legs ended in massive stone hooves, each one sinking slightly into the cracked and compressed earth beneath its weight.
Beside the stone-plated titan, stood a elegant stag-like figure. Its bark-like hide glowed with vitality, smooth yet unyielding, intertwined with clusters of vines, moss, and delicate flowers that smelled of spring. Each slow, deliberate breath it took carried the scent of fresh earth, like a forest after rain.
Its legs, long and impossibly slender, ended in glowing green hooves that left faint trails of radiant life wherever they stepped, as if nurturing the field itself. Its eyes shone with a steady emerald glow, deep and knowing.
Most striking of all were its immense antlers, branching high and wide like ancient trees. Twisting limbs reached outward, adorned with dangling vines and small, glowing fruits that throbbed like pumping hearts. From their surface, tiny spores drifted lazily into the air, each carrying a faint glow as they settled into the ground, feeding life into the already fertile soil.
Silent and motionless, the two creatures exuded an aura of immense power, as if the weight of the natural world rested calmly within their forms.
Barrond's deep voice rumbled like distant thunder, snapping the two figures to attention. "Why now?! He isn't ready!" The ground quaked as the massive bear collapsed heavily onto his haunches, the tremor swaying the trees surrounding them.
The stag-like figure stepped forward, its glowing hooves igniting bursts of vibrant flora with each step. "My lord, why are you troubled? Simply hide the truth from him."
"It's not simple." Barrond's tone darkened, his rooted brow furrowing. "There is no way to keep it from him forever. And when he does find out—and he will—we will become his enemies. There's no question."
A snort of steam erupted from the bull-like figure as he stood, its towering body glowing as it slammed a hoof into the ground. "What's there to fear in that?"
"Everything!" Barrond's roar silenced the air itself, forcing both figures to stiffen.
The world-bear's heavy gaze shifted between the two. His voice deepened, his aura swelling until the earth beneath them groaned. "Do not be deceived by his mask, you two. Especially you." His focus landed squarely on the bull. "The moment you underestimate him is the moment you'll lose your life."
The bull narrowed its molten eyes, gripping its twin axes tightly as it stepped forward. "With all due respect, my lord, from what I've seen, I see no reason to believe this… boy is a threat. We are the Guardians of your domain. What could possibly warrant such concern?"
"Boy? Concern?" Barrond echoed, his voice softening into a murmur as if speaking to himself. He paused, his massive paw resting against his chin. "When I first met him, he seemed just a scrawny child, surrounded by five Elemental Kings."
The two exchanged glances, unease flickering in their features at the mention of the other Kings.
Barrond's next words cut through the air like a blade. "It was only for a moment, but it was the first time in centuries that I felt the fear of death." His gaze turned razor-sharp, pressing down on both figures. "That is no mere human. He is something that has never walked Gaia before."
The stag tilted its antlered head, its glowing eyes unyielding. "If he is such a risk, why allow him to grow stronger? Why keep him alive?"
"Because he is necessary." Barrond's voice was steady, though his massive form seemed weighted. "But this new problem threatens everything. If I tell him, he'll leave. If I don't, he'll feel betrayed."
The bull scraped its hoof across the ground, a deep bellow reverberating from its chest. "Then let it be simple! If he wants to leave, he must fight me."
"We cannot use force," Barrond shook his head, the motion slow and deliberate. His massive paw crossed over his chest as he leaned back, his other tapping rhythmically against his head. "Think, think, think... Wait." His eyes brightened, his voice lifting slightly. "That's it!"
Turning to the bull, Barrond's gaze burned with intent. "Do you know what a Cauldron of Force is?"
"Cauldron?" The two towering figures exchanged a glance, their confusion clear. After a few moments, both began to nod, their focus sharpening as Barrond began to outline his plan.