Stepping outside the cathedral's territory, I felt a crisp breeze brush against my face.
My blue arcane robe, inscribed with silver runes, flapped subtly in sync with the wind's rhythm.
"Ah, quite refreshing," I exhaled.
Finally, Edward had left the confines of the cathedral.
His time within the ruins had been cut short due to time constraints, but he still managed to uncover invaluable items of great significance.
Unfortunately, the staff he had been so excited about turned out to be merely a glazed trinket.
The Staff of Mortem, named after the Latin word for "death," held great potential when used correctly, especially with its dragon heart core and excellent mana conductivity. In the end, Edward found the item to be useless.
The source of Edward's displeasure stemmed from the fact that he already had several invaluable comrades; thus, he questioned the usefulness of a staff.
As he pondered the obvious solutions, Edward accepted the item, planning to use it as cover.
"Depending on when I get back to Earth, I could very well—"
["I take it you got the 'Whimsical Crinicals'?"] a calm, friendly voice chimed in from above.
After being interrupted abruptly Edward looked up, realizing who it was. he replied "I have. Just don't forget to hold up your end of the deal."
["Don't worry, Edward. I'm already working on bringing you back,"] Glacias replied, a spark of excitement detected within his voice as Glacias stared at the golden-bound book in Edward's hands.
"Before I hand over the book, though, let's sort out the contract first."
Even though Edward had an incomprehensible control over frost—so much so that it seemed inhuman—he still lacked the necessary firepower to unleash any of his former strength. He was no match for the monsters of the Lionheart clan.
At the end of the day, he was still weak. However, his journey had proven fruitful; it fetched a significant price: 5 ½ years in the spirit realm, which equated to just 5 and a half months in the regular world.
This created a small issue: Edward's physical appearance was still that of a 15-year-old in his adolescence. As a result, his siblings, who should have been two years younger than him, were now three years older.
"That's going to be a problem,' Edward mused inwardly.
[Just extend your hand,] Glacias spoke, interrupting Edward's train of thought.
As they raised their arms, Edward and Glacias formed a spiritual pact. Once it was complete, Edward felt a subtle connection to Glacias.
With a deep focus, Edward turned his vision inward to evaluate the completion of the process.
The contract yielded large success.
His already powerful affinity for the ice element increased even further. The mana pathways in his body had reached even colder temperatures. The frost woven into his muscle tissue was also strengthened. His Frost Flame Formula and spiritual core had completely evolved into repositories for his large pool of frost essence.
"That was simple," Edward thought, feeling bemused as he manipulated the energies within his body.
[... why would it take an extended time to just form a contract?]
"Never mind, it was just a meaningless thought... just take the book," Edward replied, tossing the book to Glacias.
Catching the book, Glacias stared intently at the front cover and quickly regained his composure. ["Are you ready to return?"]he asked.
"I think so," Edward replied confidently.
["Just to let you know, once you leave the spirit realm, you can never return."] Glacias warned
"Even if I wanted to stay, I have no reason to do so."
["Well, I suppose this is our farewell, at least in person."]
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:} I hope you well