"I trust you will keep our conversation in the strictest confidence. Should these words reach unwanted ears, it would bring nothing but discord and suspicion," Was the reminder Lady Calanthe left for Moulin once their session ended.
Moulin had returned to his room in deep thought, hiding the scroll in his clothes and evading Ordan's all too suspicious gaze. When he arrived in the room, he got a closer look at the dark artifact, noticing the moving swirls of energy within the thin paper. Fortunately, Lady Calanthe had also given him a small bag infused with concealnt magic to hide the artifact's dark aura.
To be twice as safe, Moulin had also constructed a barrier of his own to block the senses of those who would dare scour the room with their magic. Being surrounded by several powerful people truly made it hard to hide secrets.
Lady Calanthe would help him practice the forbidden spell if he was hell-bent on doing it. But she thought it would not take long for soone to notice its existence. Thus, soon, she would be the one to aid Moulin in convincing the court of the reason why such a dark spell was being used. Oblivious to Moulin, regrets subconsciously lingered in the sorceress's mind.
Stuck in the tiny study located in the back of his bedroom, a certain silver-eyed young man gently unraveled the scroll, breathing in the thick energy emanating from the writings. Moulin did not dare to use Galadin's gift to search the scroll's mories for fear of letting the dark energy taint his mind and enter his inner core.
Instead, he made sure to seal the vulnerabilities of his core's barrier and took in the writing.
Golden runes filled the paper, looking as though it was spiraling out of control. Moulin's eyes trembled as he read as much as he could.
Drip!
Drip!
"Huh?" Moulin froze as a sudden drop of blood splattered on the paper. The tiny red dots seeped into the runes.
Was he bleeding? Fingertips touched the skin beneath his nostrils, and he felt sothing damp and runny. Blood had stained his fingers. His nose was bleeding.
With a silent curse, Moulin took out a handkerchief from the desk drawer and plugged his nostrils. All of a sudden, pressure surrounded his body. Overwhelming heavy energy bursts from the scroll's writings, trying to enter his skin and devour every bit of holy mana within his flesh. The youth's eyes widened in shock.
Excruciating pain followed, making him grit his teeth. He shook uncontrollably and stood up embracing his body. The chair beneath him toppled back with a loud thud. Every piece of furniture within the room shook as though a small earthquake had occurred.
It felt as though millions of ants were ripping him into tiny pieces and he was doused in hot boiling water.
The spell in the scroll was active!
Moulin tries to clear his mind despite the scorching pain throughout his body. He held the scroll in his hands and hurriedly evoked control of his energy. When the scroll sensed the flow of his mana, it grew excited, trembling slightly, eager to swallow it whole. But Moulin would not let it get its way.
Anger flashed in his eyes. Silver pupils glowed with ferocity and determination. The scroll felt a sudden vicious power entering its core. It tries to defend itself by releasing a murderous energy to engulf its enemy. However, the energy abruptly veered away as though in fear.
In one single strike, pured mana swallowed every wisp of malevolence and ravaged through the scroll's protective spells. Moulin closed his eyes as little by little, the pain slowly faded. His mind was as clear as the waters of a holy spring.
Silence and peace sank in his surroundings.
...
In the next minute, a steady breath left the youth's lips as he finally opened his eyes. On the open scroll within his grasp, another sigil joined the ss. However, it was glistening white like freshly fallen snow underneath warm sunlight. Contrast against the dark paper and the eerie deep golden color of the ssy handwritten sigils that fill the scroll.
Moulin's sigil appeared like a stamp of dominance, overpowering the restless evil sealed within.
Forced to do his bidding.
It worked?...
The youth's heart skipped a beat, and he abruptly straightened. A soft, trembling whisper. "I-I reversed it?..."
I reversed it...
A wave of excitent washed over his body, making him feel jittery. He took a few deep breaths before analyzing the spell once more. This ti, the scroll was silent, allowing him to scour the veins of the spell within.
Knock! Knock!
Moulin jumped and almost dropped the scroll. Silver eyes imdiately turned to the door in the corner of the study.
"Moulin?" Ordan's voice sounded with a hint of concern. The man's thick brows are drawn together. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes!" The word ca out of his mouth before Moulin could think.
Sohow, Ordan went silent for several seconds before saying that he was summoned back to Falowright and would be back before midnight. Mouin replied with understanding and waited until the man's presence finally disappeared.
With a sigh, Moulin turned to pick up the chair and sat. He opened the scroll and began studying, writing down notes on a separate piece of paper. He should organize them neatly before reporting them to Lady Calanthe.
Reversing the scroll was a step closer to his goal. If he could create a reservoir that could produce endless pured mana, then it was one problem less for the struggling soldiers and civilians defending against the Kron.
Only he was able to wield this kind of divine energy within his body. Thus, only he could achieve this.
'Am I now fulfilling the role of the kingdom's Saviour?' He questioned himself feeling uncertain.
.....
Two days later in the realm's gardens, mana pulsed in the air making the breeze colder and the blooms brighter. The mindforge thrumd as a delicate snowflake formation slowly materialized anwhile with closed eyes, Moulin calmly steadied his breathing, keeping himself calm and his mind clear of distractions.
Not far from the platform stood Na'El wearing a serene expression as he observed the youth's performance.
When the snowflake shattered for the third ti in four hours, Na'El could not help but speak. "You are getting better at controlling. In a few weeks, perhaps you might make it halfway in forming the formation."
Moulin frowned, sighing as he stepped down from the platform. "Is that supposed to comfort ?"
The elf smiled, "You are already progressing quite well. It's safe to say that you can now proceed to creating complex sigils and artifacts."
With those words, the youth's brows lifted. This was great news. Perhaps, now he can persuade Lady Calanthe to guide him in the formation of the sigil he has been working on for the past few days. The only thing that was missing was a strong enough mana crystal to withstand the heavy burden of the spell, strong enough to last and powerful enough to defend itself.
"Moulin?" Na'El's eyes were filled with amusent as he crossed his arms. "You seed to be excited?"
The youth frozed and imdiately cleared his throat. Straightening his back, he faced his ntor. "I am just looking forward to the new lesson."
"Hmm, I see." Na'El stared at him for a few seconds which made the youth feel as if his mind was being read. "However, you will not be attending your lessons with Lady Calanthe today."
"What?" Moulin stood, surprised. "Why is that?"
"Because you will be having a session today with Lady Celeste," Na'El responded. "She will be waiting for you in the ground floor study. Her Holiness will be guiding you to connect to the divine realm because, with the nature of your mana, full of mysteries and power, you would have to acquaint yourself with its origins."
Origins?
"Oh, and you must bring your pet with you.""
"..?"
Confused, Moulin was sent away to look for Snow. He spent a good hour scolding and finally catching the little brat in the kitchens. Two trays of perfectly baked loaves that Ordan had delivered to the realm were wasted on the ground with several little bite marks on them. Moulin guiltily left the kitchen as he chided Snow who whimpered pitifully in his master's arms.
The door to the study opened with a soft creak. Moulin stepped inside and his eyes were welcod by the sight of the noble high priestesses sitting on a couch enjoying the silence with a cup of tea in her grasp. But all that serenity shattered the mont Moulin entered the room.
"... Good morning, Your Holiness." Moulin politely greeted as he released Snow who scurried towards the couch opposite the lady.
Lady Celeste's beautiful deep eyes assessed the youth for a few seconds before she nodded, gesturing to the couch before her where Snow sat comfortably, waiting for his master.
It seems she had always been tolerating his existence. Moulin let his thoughts wander a bit as he observed the woman.
Once he was seated, she began. Her voice is soft and slow. "Us, Dileans, were trained since children to worship and connect with their Gods. Each month, one's spirit must be purified, a sacred cleansing to renew the bond with the divine. Through fervent prayers and daily rituals, their faith must be strengthened, like a blade honed by the hands of the devout.
All trivial emotions must be cast aside, purged from the heart, for only in such purity can one truly dedicate themselves to the service of the higher beings."
Her eyes closed slightly as she looked down at her reflection in the teacup. "Only then shall they finally be recognized by their Gods and be blessed by their divinity."
Moulin listened intently, noting that she was telling a bit about herself to him. Lady Celeste lifted her eyes and t his calm gaze. It was difficult to discern what she was thinking about.
"In your situation, none of our teachings seem to apply, and yet you have managed to earn the favor of not one, but two Gods. Nonetheless, you are mortal like the rest of us so I will impart to you our training and rituals."
The youth's slender brows are drawn together once the last of her words end. "Why should I be subjected to such training?"
Lady Celeste paused.
"Because... you are not aware of the power you hold. Of the extent of its power and what many things you can do if you unleash its full potential. I may not have a rare soul like yours but I possess ample knowledge about the realm of the divine." Lady Celeste narrowed her eyes slightly.
"However, there isn't much to know about a divine soul resting in a mortal body nor there is much about the divine soul itself. Yet, should we find a way to unlock a passage to the divine being who has bestowed upon you such powers, we may harness this knowledge to forge a deeper bond between you and your deity."
Easier said than done. It had been a long ti since he had felt Morhas's presence. Moulin frowned. "How... do I do it?"
Lady Celeste calmly placed her cup on the table and stood up from her seat. Moulin and Snow watched as she approached with unhurried steps.
What is she going to do?
When she was but a few steps away, she spoke with an expressionless face.
"Please remove your clothes."
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