We found the shrine that Korys mentioned, where the portal was located. It was much simpler than the temple, with similar stone sculptures. The statue of the goddess of light stood in the courtyard as if welcoming guests. Despite being inside this dimension, the shrine looked well-maintained. Did Korys spend more time here than in the real world?
"You made it," a voice called from inside the shrine.
It was Korys. He stepped out holding a broom, perhaps sweeping the floors when we arrived. He looked surprised when he noticed Blanc with me.
"It looks like you made a friend during your travels, and a Lesser Fenrir at that," he said.
"What's a Lesser Fenrir?" I asked.
Korys looked even more surprised at my inquiry. "I'm shocked that someone doesn't know what a Lesser Fenrir is," he said, his face a mix of puzzlement and amusement. "Lesser Fenrirs are a rare species of wolves and are considered one of the most powerful creatures, just below the rank of Divine Beasts. An adult Lesser Fenrir could singlehandedly obliterate a town in minutes."
It was fascinating information, though I found it hard to believe that Blanc could raze a town.
"What you have there is still a pup. When it grows into an adult, its latent abilities will manifest."
"Wait, this is still a pup? It's already big enough for me to ride. How big can an adult Lesser Fenrir get?"
"They can grow as tall as a small house and as long as a carriage, horses included."
I stared at Blanc in amazement. Blanc looked back at me, puzzled, seemingly unaware of our conversation.
"Anyway," Korys coughed, "I have one more test for you before I can let you pass through the portal."
"You'll have to fight me," he said.
I was taken aback. This was someone who could go against a 'drifter' like Bizar. Would I even stand a chance?
Korys then exuded a murderous aura that made Blanc step back, growling. I grabbed my spear and shield, preparing myself for the fight.
Korys had a serious expression, then smirked and vanished instantly. He reappeared behind me, landing a kick to my right side, targeting my ribs. It seemed he was still holding back, but the impact was enough to knock me back several steps.
I managed to regain my footing and faced Korys, but he vanished again and reappeared behind me, delivering another kick to my right side.
I tried to focus and anticipated another attack on my right. As he vanished, I swung my shield to block his kick, only to get hit on my left side.
He knew what I was aiming for and attacked the opposite side.
"Come now, Egil, are you even using everything you've got?" Korys taunted.
I couldn't figure out his movements. The way he disappeared and reappeared so quickly—it didn't seem like he was moving at light speed.
"Wait," I thought to myself. I was missing something.
I remembered waking up three days after the fight with Bizar, already at the temple in Brogue. How did Korys manage to get to Three Roads in time and transport me and my companions so quickly?
I put the pieces together and finally figured it out, but the problem remained: how could I counter such a skill?
I observed Korys as he moved, searching for any clue I could use against him while trying to stand my ground. There was nothing—not even a distortion of light or a disturbance in the air. I kept getting hit until I fell to the ground, bruised but not quite beaten.
What if the answer was in front of me, but I was failing to notice it?
I got back up and closed my eyes, trying to concentrate.
"What have you been doing in the forest for over a year, Egil?" Korys asked, disappointment evident in his voice. "I think you're not ready and need to spend more time back down there."
Once again, he vanished and reappeared behind me, ready to land a finishing blow, a kick to the head. But I managed to grab his leg with both arms.
He was stunned. He used his other leg to kick me, trying to break free from my grip.
He was using teleportation. I figured it out by chance after closing my eyes to observe the mana in my surroundings. Before he teleported, I could sense the mana accumulating behind me, indicating where he was going to appear.
I looked at him and smirked before vanishing from his sight.
His gaze widened in surprise. He didn't understand what happened until I reappeared in front of him and bashed his face with my makeshift shield.
He stumbled back, then looked at me with furrowed brows.
"You," he said, "what did you just do?"
It was my first time using this blessing on a living person. The blessing "Transfer" was bestowed upon me by Eris, the goddess of jealousy. I could temporarily copy another person's skill if the target was still alive. Additionally, I could permanently take the blessing of a deceased person, as I had done with Lucia and her father's blessings back on the island.
It was the same blessing I used to give Ness the power I inherited from Ness' father, Eogan.
Korys tried to create some space by teleporting away, but I could tell where he was going by the accumulation of mana in the area. No matter where he went, I was there, grazing him with my spear or bashing him with my shield. I had figured out the intervals between his teleports and the time it took for him to cast the skill.
After his last teleport attempt, he stopped. He stared blankly at me, then raised his right hand in the air. Suddenly, a dense concentration of mana gathered above him, and golden spears materialized, darting towards me.
I dodged the first spear, but the explosion it caused upon hitting the ground was intense. I was forced to use teleportation to get away. More and more spears appeared, flying towards me in rapid succession. I lost count as they rained down.
Korys had clearly lost his reason; his face was expressionless as he fought unconsciously. I tried to stop him by teleporting behind and hitting him with my shield, but he anticipated this. Golden spears emerged from the ground, encircling him.
I instantly teleported away, and fired 'Magic Missiles,' but they were intercepted by his spears. Running out of ideas and with Korys getting more out of control, I realized that if I couldn't stop him soon, this entire island would be reduced to nothing.
The barrage of spears kept coming, and even the shrine wasn't safe. Blanc had already taken cover while I dodged every spear by teleporting. This was the power of an emissary of Hemerea, and his attacks only grew stronger. Clouds of dust and debris covered the mountaintop, and each spear detonated like a missile upon impact.
Unfortunately, one of his spears landed close to where I teleported, and the blast sent me flying. I crashed into a tree and fell to the ground. Korys noticed and turned his gaze towards me, who was struggling to get up. He conjured as many spears as he could, almost blotting out the sky.
I thought to myself that I was going to die again. I hoped Korys would stop once he was done with me, and that the pendant would still work. As he was about to unleash everything on me, a voice echoed throughout the island.
"Enough!" said a woman, her identity still unknown.
With just a word, Korys' spears vanished, and he collapsed unconscious to the ground. Blanc came running towards me, noticing the cessation of attacks.
Then, the voice began to address me.
"I'm sorry, emissary of Hecate. This wasn't part of the plan," she said.
She knew I was an emissary of the goddess Hecate. Could she be the goddess Hemerea?
"You see, my emissary is usually calm and collected, but unfortunately, he's a sore loser. He was supposed to train you as Nox requested, but it seems Korys could learn a thing or two from you instead," she added.
Even though I couldn't see her, I was awestruck with her voice alone. I was used to talking to Ness when she was still a goddess, but Hemerea exuded such authority that I couldn't react properly.
Suddenly, a bright orb of light appeared in front of me. When the light dissipated, a small pouch lay on the ground.
"Take this as compensation," the goddess said. "You should know how to use it as an emissary of Hecate."
As I picked up the pouch, the scenery changed instantly. I was back at the temple, with Korys still unconscious on the temple floor. My condition was the same as before we entered Daydream. The clothes that had been tattered from over a year in that place were restored, and my overgrown hair and beard were neatly trimmed.
I was surprised when I heard a dog breathing behind me, only to find it was Blanc. He had become smaller, reflecting how time worked differently inside that dimension.
Thrilled to be back, I ran to where Ness and the others were. They were surprised by the expression on my face, which led to a moment of awkwardness, and then we all burst into laughter and drank throughout the night.