Zane hadn't thought much about the Red Moon Pagoda. It was always in the background propping him up. But his soul held up just fine most of the time. It wasn't much of a concern, he felt.
Only lately had it been tested. Only lately had it shown signs of cracking at allโwhen that False Ascendant had gotten its teeth deep into him, sank Corruption deep into his flesh and soulโit had cracked at the edges. Just a little.
It still wasn't like he felt a serious threat there. But he supposed he could do with a tune-up.
He figured the Red Moon Pagoda must have new stuff too, now that he was Nascentโnot just his Shield. It was good to check things out while he had time.
He sat down and closed his eyes.
***
The pagoda appeared in his mind like one of those ancient temples some emperor might have lived in. Lacquered red and gold, carefully and intricately crafted. It showed no signs of use or age. It hummed in resonance with Zane's soul.
He made his way into the lobby. The closer he got, the more the place seemed to light up, change color; the red was bleeding more and more to purple, washing over the walls of the seven-sided lobby, painting over each of those seven gilded doorsโฆ
A glowing red wraith shambled over. A man in plain robes, yawning like he'd just woken from a long nap, he rubbed his eyes.
๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐, said the Red Moon Spirit, sounding a little groggy, a little grumbly. Then he squinted, put his hands up to his faceโ๐ธ๐๐! ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฆ๐ฃ๐, ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ?! โ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค!
Zane blinked. Looked down. And only then did he realize that all that purple light seemed to be washing out from himself. He was rather blinding in hereโin the Astral Plane. Like a star brought low to earth.
Well this was new.
He wasn't even sure how to turn it down. He frowned, sussed it out with his senses, tried focusing more closelyโthere. Waves of power poured out from him, as natural as body heat.
It took a little finagling, but he managed to rein all of it in. Until they hovered just over skin. The Spirit blinked at him.
๐๐๐๐. โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐, โค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ. โ๐ ๐จ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐โ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ช? ๐๐จ๐ ? ๐ ๐ค๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ'๐ง๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ.
"I did?" said Zane.
โ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐, said the Red Moon Spirit. It frowned at him. It frowned deeper. โ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐.
Zane waited.
๐ป๐ ๐'๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ'๐ฃ๐ โ๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐, said the Red Moon Spirit.
"Yeah," said Zane.
One of its eyes started to twitch.
๐๐๐๐ฅโ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ?! it cried. โ๐ ๐จ ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ โ
It cut itself short. Put its hands up. ๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ช, ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐จ. It sighed, pinched the bridge of its nose, muttered something under its breath. Zane stood there blinking.
The Red Moon Spirit finally crossed its arms. ๐๐๐ฃ๐ช ๐จ๐๐๐! ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ, ๐๐ชโฆ ๐๐๐ค๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐๐ช ๐จ๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ โฆ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐?
Zane scratched his head.
Usually, he was quite happy about his size. But it had become something of a sore point for the past few hoursโhe wasn't quite sure how he felt about it at the moment. For a man whose basic life philosophy was, "there is no such thing as too big," today was quite a confusing experience.
Anyway.
He figured he could deal with this little existential crisis later.
First things firstโ
"I want to upgrade my shield," said Zane.
๐ ๐ค๐๐, said the Spirit. ๐๐๐คโ๐๐ ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ'๐ฃ๐ โ๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ, ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ. ๐๐ ๐ฆ'๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ช ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ช - ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ช. ๐๐ ๐ฆ'๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐ก๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ.
It paused. ๐๐๐๐! ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐, ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐'๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐. ๐ป๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐.
It turned, strolled to the second door of the seven set deep into the walls. ๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ค, ๐๐ ๐'๐ฅ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ?ย It said without turning back.
"You throw some trials at me. It tempers my shield. I Level it up."
๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฆ๐๐ค ๐๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ก. The Spirit waved a hand. The runes on the door began to spin like gears cranking, and it rumbled open. The Spirit rubbed its palms together.
โ๐๐๐๐ฅ! ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐?
Zane ambled in after. Up a staircase, into a misty miasma realm; gray mists tickling his ankles, spreading horizon to horizon, fuzzing out the distance, the ceiling. It was impossible to tell how big the place was. It seemed some sandbox realmโmuch like the first floor of the pagoda, in his memory.
It was just that the mists here were endowed with thicker essence. The very realm was; the fabric of reality here was firmer, harder to tear. This was a higher grade space.
โค๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ! said the Spirit, waving a stern finger. โ๐๐๐๐ช ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ค๐๐๐. ๐ฝ๐ ๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃโ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ช-โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐โ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐๐๐๐!
It turned out the Spirit was just about right.
This time around went much like the first time.
The Pagoda conjured up a bunch of ghostly monsters. Hydras to blast him with flickering blue fireballs that seared in the astral plane. A swarm of ice-phoenixes that set upon him, showering soul-piercing icicles. A crowd of earth ogres whose clubs bashed the soul as much as the body...
Zane took out his Shield of the Blood Moonโbolstered now by his Primordial Nascent Soul. And took them head-on, one by one.
The more he wielded his Soul the more he felt the difference. There was always some leak, some essence lost, when other Nascent Souls tried powering their Skills. It came seamless with him. No weakness in its structure. Which made quite a bit of difference in the raw power he could put through it.
The Shield he got goingโa massive scarlet circle, a bloody backgroundโwas a proud and powerful thing.
Even so, the first time he went up against that hydra, it got a pretty big crack going. The thing was the ghost of some Ascendant beast, it seemed. He felt that first blast rattling down his shield, felt the vibrations rattling through him, trembling his very soul. Almost knocking him over where he stood. Then the next blast came, and the nextโฆ
It took some jaw-clenching and brow-furrowing on Zane's part to stick it through. But all the whileโ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ -> ๐๐
Zane's shield had got a good deal brighterโhad started to exude some of that purple light going around him. And the hydra's blasts had trouble making so much as a dentโฆ.
Untilโ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ [โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ (๐) -> ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ (๐)]
And the ghost-hydra sputtered out.
The old Spirit was staring at him.
โ๐๐, it said.
"What," said Zane. He was still breathing a bit heavy.
๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐จ, it said slowly. ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ ๐'๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ช ๐๐ ๐จ.
Zane blinked at it.
โฆโ๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐ ๐ฆ'๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ช ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฅ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐, ๐ ๐๐ค๐ค๐ฆ๐๐?
Before Zane could even respondโ
๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ค๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ฃ๐. โ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ!
Pretty much the same thing happened with those ice-birds.
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
Untilโ
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ (๐) -> โ๐๐ฃ๐ (๐)]
And those ogres too, swarming him bashing and slobberingโcracking his new Sky-Rare Shield so much it started to shake, so much Zane had to fight, groaning under the onslaught, just to stick it throughโฆ
But by the end, it was much the same.
โฆ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐กโ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ [โ๐๐ฃ๐ (๐) -> ๐ผ๐ก๐๐ (๐)]
It threw a field of giant flowers at Zane that spewed some kind of hypnosis powder. They made him yawn, but that was about it. Some half-naked sirens on rocks, singing to him, who for some reason looked exactly like Reina. They did not have much of an effect on him either. The psychic attacks, anyway.
Eventuallyโ
๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐น๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ [๐ผ๐ก๐๐ (๐) -> ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ช (๐)]
Zane's Blood Moon's bloody aura had grown as blinding as his Primordial one by then. New features began showing up on itโlittle craters and false oceans, as though on a true moon. It had gained some sort of life-ness; the quality of its aura had changed at the most basic level.
โ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐! said the Spirit, and the last of the illusions vanished, leaving the two of them blinking at each other. ๐๐๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐๐๐จ ๐ก๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐ ๐๐๐ช ๐ธ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ช ๐ ๐ก๐ค๐ช๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆโฆ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐๐! ๐ผ๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐พ๐ ๐๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐. ๐ธ๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐๐๐'๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐-๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ค๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ค, ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐โ๐๐ฅ'๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐.
Zane nodded. This was pretty much the shield tune-up he had been hoping for.
"So," he said. "What now?"
๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ค, said the Spirit, frowning at him. ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฉ๐ฅ? ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐โ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ค ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ฅโ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐คโฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ ๐๐ฆ๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ! ๐'๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ช.
"But that won't be until after Ascendant," said Zane.
๐๐๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ. ๐ธ๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จโ It stroked its chin. ๐ธ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก ๐ฅ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆโ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค๐. ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ฃ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ โ๐๐๐ ๐๐.
Zane nodded. That didn't take too much of his energyโhe figured he had capacity to get at least one more Skill here.
๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ค๐๐๐, ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐, said the Spirit. ๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ช-๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ'๐ค ๐๐๐๐. ๐๐ฅ ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐, ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐'๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐คโฆ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ โ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ค. ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ-๐ช๐๐๐ฃ๐ค ๐๐จ๐๐ช ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐!
That did sound interesting to Zane. Not so much because he wanted to shoot at folk from a distanceโthat did not interest him much. He preferred face-to-faceโreally fist-to-faceโways of conflict resolution, most of the time.
But maybe there was some carry-over to his Concept problem. Making his soul into an attacking shape was his main issue, after allโฆ
๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐,said the Spirit. ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐๐๐, ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ก๐.
It had a thought. ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค, ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ช, ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐ช ๐๐ ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐๐ช ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐.
It seemed quite relieved at this thought for some reason.
"Hmm," said Zane. This sounded something like his problem with his Stormfire Concept.
He followed the Spirit up a murky staircase which opened out of nowhere, going into seemingly nowhere. Until it vanished behind him, and Zane found himself on the third floor.
The third floor's mists were tinged red. The sky was the shade of dried blood, the grounds some uniform blackened wood. But otherwise it wasn't so different from the second floorโjust a different shade of purgatory, it seemed to Zane. Another kind of sandbox floor.
๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐คโ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ ๐ ๐ผ๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฃ'๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ, declared the Spirit. ๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐จ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ก๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐ฆ๐! ๐ธ๐ฃ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ช?
"Yup," said Zane.
๐๐๐ฅ'๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐.
It summoned a Monster, plopped it right in front of Zane. About the size of a barn, looming over him. Six wings, four eyes, a forked tongueโa sleek body rippling with dark scales, smoking with shadowโฆ
๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐ป๐ฃ๐๐๐ (๐ผ๐ค๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐)
๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐ , said the Spirit. ๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ค๐ฅ ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐. ๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐ฆ๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ค ๐ ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐ค๐ ๐ฆ๐โ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐จ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ค.