Jillian PoV
"Finally... Gods above that was one of the worst Trials possible for us! All those mana resistant creatures paired together with absolute behemoths who could shrug off most attacks... that was just terrible..."
Rolling out my injured shoulder and listening to the pops and cracks coming from it, I winced but ignored the pain for the most part as I looked towards my two companions, getting agreent from them and assuaging so of the ntal anguish I felt.
"On the bright side we managed to acquire ourselves this vial of pills that is supposed to awaken an Elental bloodline within ourselves, so that is definitely worth the terrible battle we just endured. Additionally it was good practice for fighting so stronger people since they are definitely going to have enchanted gear and magical tattoos."
I just let out a grunt and continued to shuffle through the city, letting my mana heal the worst of the injury while using the pain to keep my mind sharp as I ntally reviewed everything and kept my guard up.
The monsters were challenging and the Trials were seemingly getting harder and increasingly vague in their descriptions, but to balance it out the rewards were far greater than before... which only raised questions for .
Questions that I wanted answered, though I already had a sneaking suspicion about what those answers could be... sothing that was all but confird as I felt the back of my neck prickle, all my hairs standing on end and overriding the wound as I prepared for... sothing.
"Has it not felt like soone has been... watching us? Inside of the Trials as well as out here..."
"Like that weird person that showed up or sothing else? Because I would chalk this up to that person being the one observing us. This is a testing grounds, after all, and we are being judged on our performances."
Ayla was as talkative as ever, so I looked towards Prumstu and waited to see if she had anything to add, the three eyed Arch Fiend walking slowly behind us as she pursed her lips; that was another confirmation for as I t her gaze, the bond we had developed over these last few months making it rather easy to know she understood my concerns.
"It feels like more than just an observation. More than soone weighing our worth; the Trials are getting too tricky, the challenges too steep... Where we were able to pick between sowhat difficult or sowhat easy Trials, now the options are only difficult or too easy. We’re being nudged into harder and harder spots."
"Yes, but that is judgent of our performances. This is rely a stress test designed to find our breaking point; if we exceed their desired values we’re likely going to be allowed to ascend, and if we fall short nothing happens. I don’t understand why either of you are surprised or concerned about this."
For a mont I felt the urge to just slap my wife for her haughty tone and the arrogant look in her eye, but after another second I just let out a long sigh and shook my head, stopping this argunt before it could even start.
Just because you think you understand sothing doesn’t an it is the truth, sothing Ayla should know by now... and with sothing like this, proclaiming you understand it and are unwavering in that understanding makes you stupid.
~~~
??? PoV
"Hm..."
"Are you going to continue to hum to yourself like an idiot?"
"Hm..."
Looking over the vast expanse before , I rubbed my chin and continued to watch, to study, to... judge; I just couldn’t help myself after what I had learned, and with nothing better to do I was finding myself further fascinated with what was unfolding down below.
"Oh for... Alright, tell . Why are you so intent on watching the peasants below? What makes them so interesting? Why not just train more and prepare for the next Tribulation?"
I let out another hum before turning my gaze away from the expansive pool, looking instead at my long ti friend and Socius, wondering yet again how we continued to prove the theory of ’opposites attract’.
Where they were hot blooded and temperantal, I was relaxed and stable, unwavering and content to go with the flow to get the most out of any situation; my Socius wanted to train and prepare, but I knew that it was too little too late.
The training we could do wouldn’t help anything with the Tribulation right around the corner, so instead I wanted to hone my mind and maybe uncover sothing about... anything; to just glimpse another wonder of the universe at play might help understand more about myself and my magic.
"Isn’t it fascinating? For us it has been rely years, but for them... it must have been centuries. Millennia even. How much has changed? What have they learned, what have they forgotten? Do they know we exist? Are they at a state where they can be allowed to ascend, or have they devolved into sothing... less?"
Grunting, my Socius lowered themselves down beside and looked at the pool, alternating their gaze between the two groups that had stumbled onto the Stairway Imperata; one was larger than the other and showed more promise, but the resolve... the determination...
"Does it matter? Hah... but very well, let play this ga with you. This group here, the one with the... Demons. They look reserved. Content. They have aspirations for their world, for themselves. The potential is there, but they don’t wish to realize it.
On the other hand, this group here is rougher. Darker. Definitely not as desirable, but they have the willpower, the resolve, the hunger. To the point that they understand the stakes. Understand the situation they are in, and seem to be striving to et the undefined goals set for them."
"If you had to choose, which of the two would you offer the option of ascending to? The hungry yet weaker group, or the larger, stronger, more well put together group? Does one deserve it more than the other?"
"You and your mind gas... You know the answer; the hungry ones are more deserving, but they would get devoured up here if they don’t adapt. I would take the risk on them and see if they have the resolve to further improve, because they want this."
"But they don’t deserve it. They are weak, ntally and physically. One of them is going to be presented with a harrowing choice when the ti cos. On the other hand, the larger ones are ready for this. They could thrive here. Isn’t that what we should look for?"
Snorting and getting up again, my Socius swatted the back of my head and said "No, because they don’t want it. They’ll spit in your hand and walk away before taking it. Stop worrying about either and focus on our own matters, idiot."
Leaving at the waters and preparing to go through the various techniques we had perfected, my Socius made chuckle softly as I looked back down at the mortals below, wondering if they were right.
Did they really have the drive to be here, and were they deserving of it..?
I suppose ti would tell, just like I had told them... so until they manage to reach the criteria, I suppose I should help my Socius further perfect our techniques... since most of the mistakes co from-
Before I could even think it a blast of mana smacked against the back of my head, causing to let out a long, slightly annoyed sigh as I got up and prepared to join my Socius, who was grinning at with violet flas dancing around them.
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