Liam and Lucy walked outside the building. Shouts and chatter filled his ears as a bright light suddenly blinded him. He brought a hand up to block the light and felt a light breeze blow over him. After his eyes adjusted to the light he stood there amazed. His eyes widened as he took in the scenery.
People of different shapes, sizes, colors, and races walked around on a road that circled around the massive building he had walked out of. Shadows caught his attention from above him, bringing his gaze to the sky. People with bird-like wings flapped around, laughing or talking as they went about their way.
He noticed there were a few tree-like buildings with the trunk as wide and as tall as a two story building. They were scattered about from what he was able to see. Windows and doors were placed throughout the tree-like buildings with hanging signs placed over the doors.
There were other types of buildings ranging from wooden or stone two stories to mounds with a single door that looked to lead underground.
Liam turned around to get a better look at the building he was in and was even more amazed. The trunk expanded farther than he thought. The crown of the tree was so high up he wasn’t able to see it from where he stood. Branches reached out with giant leaves that flashed periodically here and there.
“Jesus Christ,” Liam muttered not able to contain his amazement.
Lucy stood beside him, smiled, and watched the different facial expressions Liam displayed. “This building is called the Portal Tree. It is the biggest on the island and in the middle of the island. There are similar ones on the other islands and in the mainland. Those flashes you see in the branches are people coming and leaving through the Transportation Portals.”
“That is amazing,” Liam said as he turned his gaze to Lucy. “How did you come up with something like this?”
“It’s thanks to the combination of Magic, Runes, and Enchantments. There are also certain Crafting skills and abilities needed to create something this advanced, however, I won’t tell you what it entails. Each country has their own ways and methods and we can’t give away those secrets. I’m sure you will find out how it is possible if you ever reach the heights required. That and if the Cait Siths feel generous enough to share those secrets.”
Liam froze at what she had just said. “Cait Sith? The Cait Sith made this possible?”
“Do you know about the Cait Sith?” Lucy inquired as she raised a brow.
Liam caught the look in her eye. She knew he was a Cat-folk but he had purposely omitted the fact his Cat-folk race was Cait Sith. He had received a few warnings back in the Tutorial Area to not reveal that due to their masterful work when it came to crafting. As much as he was coming to love crafting, he knew he wasn’t at a level where he was a master.
He had a feeling that there was a chance if he did mention what he was he could possibly get some training from his race, but he still didn’t know if they would welcome him since he was a half-breed. Until he got more information on how they treated their kind he didn’t want others to know. Those that already knew were enough.
“We had mythology on Cait Sith back on my home planet and there was a character in a popular video game that was called Cait Sith, but that’s all I know about them,” Liam stated, playing dumb.
Lucy held her gaze on him for a long moment before saying, “The Cait Sith are a well known Cat-folk race in the Arkadian Kingdom. They are well known for their love of research and crafting. Their accomplishments through their work alone has granted them an entire island and massive amounts of land on three other islands solely for their work and research. Each place they own is blocked off from everyone except the Royal Family. They have a strict rule that only Cait Siths and those the Head Clan Elders have acknowledged are allowed within their lands and can learn their techniques.
“Rumors have it even the Royal Family aren’t allowed to know their techniques unless the Clan Elder okays it. The Royal Family agreed to their terms as well as executing anyone who ignores the rules or trespasses in their lands.”
Liam let out a whistle. “Damn that’s some serious strictness.”
Lucy nodded. She then turned away from Liam, started walking, and said, “Enough about that. Let me escort you to where you are going to stay for the next few days.”
As Lucy navigated Liam through the crowds, she pointed out key things about the island and the city. This island was the smallest out of all the islands that circled the Mainland of the Arkadain Kingdom. Cashat Port, the city they were located in, covered most of the island.
There were small pockets of forests, mining caves, and other places that were there for people, who didn’t venture into the dungeon portals, to work on their gathering abilities. The materials weren’t the best, but it was there for them. There was also a few sea ports for those brave enough to travel through the sea and not take the Transportation Portals.
The town had three sections to it. One section was the Residential District. This district was only for those that had citizenship to the Arkadian Kingdom and lived on the island. This district was located in the northern part of the island.
On the western side of the town was the Adventurer District. This district had the Adventurer’s Association, a few Adventurer gathering spots like pubs, Adventurer shops, and a tower they called the Dungeon Tower. This Tower stood three stories high. Inside it had many different colored portals for Adventurers of different levels.
The rest of the city had The Merchant Association on the eastern side and the Crafting Association on the southern. Merchant stalls and buildings were scattered about with Crafting buildings mixed in.
Lucy explained that this island served as a secondary purpose other than a waiting city for those seeking Arkadian access or citizenship. They set it up for foreign merchants and crafters to showcase their wares and talents by allowing them to sell here on the island during their wait for the kingdom to see.
This was set up for certain Arkadian officials of different Beast-kin origins to see the quality and popularity of the crafters and merchants wishing to have access to Arkadian channels.
There were also merchants and crafters who set up shop here on the island for other foreigners since they found more profit that way instead of waiting for access to the other islands and mainland.
Liam understood what they were doing, but felt it was just too much. It didn’t matter much to him about the merchant side of the whole thing. As for the crafter side of it all, he understood that there was a big competition, especially when they were trying to appeal to well known Crafters like the Cait Siths.
He wasn’t interested in those things since his goal was too travel and see the world. If he could get access to better techniques in the crafts he was interested in, then that would be a boon, but he didn’t want to be shackled to a place. Even if he caught the eyes of the Cait Siths and they wanted to help him grow, he really didn’t like the fact he would have to keep secrets that could possibly hold him here.
Of course, that was just him being optimistic. He didn’t think that anything he crafted would be worthy enough to catch the eyes of Master-leveled Crafters yet, but you never know.
As she informed him about the differences between an Arkadian owned shop and a foreign shop, Liam took the chance to grab a pair of sunglasses. He did this because he noticed the stares he was getting when people noticed his eyes. Some looked interested while others scoffed and gave him less friendly looks.
“Here is the inn my superior has recommended, The Resting Roost,” Lucy announced as they stopped in front of a tall wide three story building.
Liam got a good look at it and noticed it wasn’t a specially made building made from a tree or anything like that. Instead, it looked like a traditional inn you’d see in any fantasy-like game or movie. Hanging over the wooden door was a sign with a picture of a creature laying on its back over a bed of straw with the name above the picture.
“Let’s get a room secured for you. After that I will take my leave,” Lucy stated as they walked in.
It didn’t take long for them to get things in order. He was able to get a room on the second floor. It was a bit bigger than the room at the inn he had back in the Tutorial area. There was a couple of desks, a bed, a bathroom with a shower, and a couple of Yooperlite lamps.
Liam slowly walked over to the bed and sat down. After a moment had passed he laid down and looked up at the ceiling. The bed felt comfy. He wasn’t sure what the materials were made from, but after laying there he knew they were different than the ones used back on earth.
As much as he liked the way the bed felt, he had a list of things he wanted to do today. The first he knew he could get done now since he was finally alone after the long morning he had.
Eri, you there? Liam thought.
A notification popped up adding to the long list of texts from his earlier conversations with his Matron Goddess.
“I am. What’s up? – Eri.”
A lot. Liam thought back to her. First off, I’m curious as to why they went out of their way to get me a room for a couple of days. Any thoughts on that?
“It does seem suspicious. However, it could also be their pride as Beast-kins since they messed up and not only almost arrested you for something you didn’t do, but almost got you hurt. Beast-kins are very prideful beings. Always have been even before the Great Bestial War. – Eri.”
Great Bestial War? Liam questioned. What’s that?
“The Great Bestial War was a war waged between two factions of beast-kins. Those who wanted to change how things were. The Revolutionaries. And those who wanted to keep the old ways going. The Traditionalists. – Eri.”
The Traditionalists and the Revolutionaries? Liam repeated with a brow raised.
“Something you need to know is before these factions were a thing, the Beast-kins didn’t have any country. Instead, they lived in villages that only had their race of Beast-kin. They believed themselves superior to other races and looked down on them. This was before deities existed. Instead, they worshipped the Primals. – Eri.”
Liam raised a brow as he grew more curious about this history lesson Eri was sharing with him. What are the Primals?
“The Primals were powerful ancient beasts. No one knows how old they were. They have always been a mystery. No one knows how they got their power nor how they came to exist. The Beast-kins might have more knowledge about them and maybe the Fae since they too worshipped them…I think there might be some that still do. All that I know about them is they were extremely powerful and they protected the land, seas, mountains, skies, and more from the corruption their mortal enemies tried spreading. – Eri.”
Who was their mortal enemies? Liam inquired.
“The Seven Immoral Vices. – Eri.”
That explains why they reacted to that Incubus earlier. Liam stated. His brows started to scrunch as he sat up while a thought came to mind. Wait. If the Seven Immoral Vices are their mortal enemies then does that mean they are ancient as well?
“*Shakes head* No. The Seven Immoral Vices individually are not ancient. At least…not the current leaders. – Eri.”
What do you mean by that? Liam asked, confused.
“The original Seven Immoral Vices were very powerful beings that rivaled the Primals and were thought to be indestructible. They, too, were a mystery. However, when the Era of Deities arrived, the original Seven Immoral Vices were trapped and locked away. However, even when trapped and locked away, their influence leaked out and transferred to those who were suitable to wield their power. – Eri.”
Holy shit. Where were they trapped? Liam asked.
“That I do not know. Only the deity who trapped them knows. He has more knowledge of them than anyone, but we have deviated from the original topic. The beast-kins not only had to be wary of those who sided with the Seven Immoral Vices, but other races who believed the Beast-kins to be a threat.
“As time passed, a new era had begun. The Era of Deities. The other races started to grow stronger by worshipping deities while the beast-kins stuck with their traditions. Many beast-kins were not happy with this and believed they needed to change with the times if they were to keep their families safe. They also believed that being separated by race was something that needed to change as well. They had other ideas for change, but I forget what they were. These were known as the Revolutionaries.
“The Traditionalists, agreed with some of the things the Revolutionaries were saying, however, the one thing they would not agree to was the worship of anything other than the Primals. The Revolutionaries begged and pleaded since they saw the major power-ups those that sought to kill them had. However, the Traditionalists denied them. Many Beast-kin villages were slaughtered, kidnapped, and captured after a few years had passed. This made many of the Beast-kins start to resent the Traditionalists who didn’t have to worry about this.
“After a while many of the beast-kins started to come together and build a city to better protect their loved ones. Within that city they met a couple of Deities who found the Beast-kins worthy of their blessings. The Traditionalists didn’t like this and destroyed the city and the temples that were erected for their newly found Deities. This started a war. One side was the Traditionalists, that was led by the Dragon-folks and the other were the Revolutionaries, which were led by the Arkadians. – Eri.”
Wait…are you saying the Arkadians is a race of Beast-kin? I thought it was just a name for the Kingdom? Liam questioned.
“It is the name of the Kingdom, but yes. The Arkadian Kingdom is named after the Beast-kin race of Cat-folks known as Arkadians. The war lasted for a couple of years and came to a draw. This draw led to a split amongst the Beast-kins and from that two countries were born. The Arkadian Kingdom and the Draconic Empire. – Eri.”
Shit. Liam said, unsure what else to say to that.
“One thing you will find while you travel around this world is not everyone is keen on Deities. While there are some that are helpful and are genuine to mortals. There are some that are the exact opposite. Some Deities look down on mortals and treat them like tools to gain more power or ways to control over others. It really comes down to the nature of the seed they had cultivated over the years and training they did. – Eri.”
Nature of the seed they had cultivated? Liam asked.
“Speaking of seeds. You should probably look at the one you received from me and pick a Field. You shouldn’t have any troubles planting it now that you are away from Nalia and the other Champions. – Eri.”
You’re right. I totally forgot about that. Liam said as he pulled up his Mystical Landscape.
His Seed of Arcana appeared right in front of him letting him see the multi-colored roots that grew from the violet seed. Some of the roots were thicker than the last time he had looked. A smile grew as he stared at it. That smile lasted for a minute as something caught his attention and curiosity grew in him.
It was a flash of ghastly green a few feet to the left of his Seed of Arcana. At first Liam thought maybe he was just seeing things, but after a minute had passed it flashed again. The flash let Liam pin point where it was coming from and when he peered at the spot he noticed there wasn’t really anything there, but dirt. When the flash happened again he noticed it was the dirt flashing. To be more precise the ghastly green flash revealed an outline of a seed.
Liam tried to assess it.
“Seed of ?????? (Information Sealed). Progression to fully planting Seed of ????? (Information Sealed): 10%.”
Eri? Do you know what this is? Liam asked, curious to know if she could enlighten him on this.
“See what…Oh? What is this? – Eri.”
I’m not entirely sure. I was hoping you would tell me. Liam stated.
“Hm…Is that…no it can’t be…Liam when did you get this and how? – Eri.”
I received a notification when my Devour ability had finished processing…I think it was some kind of spirit. Liam started to explain. It stated I received a portion of a Seed. It wouldn’t tell me what kind of seed I received, but I can’t plant it yet. I have to devour more spirits to reveal it. I’m currently at ten percent.
Eri didn’t say anything. There was a long pause before she responded again.
“I see. If that is the case then you should find more spirits and devour them with your ability so you can plant that seed. – Eri.”
Do you know what kind of seed it is? Liam questioned.
“I have a feeling I do. – Eri.”
Liam let out a sigh. You’re not going to tell me what you think it is are you?
“Nope. *Smiles innocently* - Eri.”
“Innocent my ass,” Liam mumbled.
“*Sticks tongue out* Don’t focus on what can’t be revealed now and focus on what you can. – Eri.”
Fine. Liam responded before looking at a black seed with red stripes planted a few feet to the right of his Seed of Arcana.
“Would you like to open the Seed of Discord and allow a Root to grow? Yes No?”
Liam mentally accepted and watched as a new notification appeared.
He was expecting a long list of Fields to appear for him to choose from but was confused as only one appeared.
“Field of Discord. Would you like to root the Field of Discord? Yes No?”
Hey Eri…why did only one Field appear? Also why does it have the same name as the Seed? Liam asked with a confused look on his face.
“That’s simple. Just like when you opened your Seed of Arcana, you have to slowly get used to the seed before other Fields can be available. As for the name…I’m not entirely sure. – Eri.”
But the process to open the seed wasn’t like how I opened my Seed of Arcana though. Why is that? Liam inquired.
"The Seed of Arcana is different from a seed you receive from a Deity. The process to open the Seed Of Arcana was for you to accept it through gaining enough Knowledge Theory. Once when you raise the level of your Arcane then you can get Fields. The process to open a seed given to you by a Deity is to endure the nature of the Deity that has given you that seed. That isn’t the only difference though.
“The Seed of Arcana allows you to practice the Arcane through spells it provides once when you open it. A seed given to you through a deity doesn’t have that process. Instead, it allows you to receive a field tied to the nature of the seed so you can practice the nature of the seed to get a better feel for how you would like to grow with it. Does that make sense? – Eri.”
Kind of… Liam mentally replied as he let out a sigh. He thought about what she had said and tried to summarize it in a way he could try to understand it. So, are you saying the seed you gave me is one made from your nature and is completely different from the Seed of the Arcana that I had to make myself?
“You could think of it that way. The abilities and power you receive from a seed given to you from a deity works more around the nature of the seed rather than ability of the field you can choose. You’ll come to understand it more later. – Eri.”
“Cryptic as ever,” Liam muttered to himself before mentally accepting the Field of Discord.
“Which Focus Point would you like to root? Field of Discord: Discord Manipulation?”
“Is there really a point to ask if there’s only one to choose?” Liam muttered before accepting the Discord Manipulation Focus Point.
Liam felt a pulse wash over him the moment he accepted. The pulse echoed in two places, his heart and mind. He felt a wave of dizziness hit him for a moment before it disappeared. He shook his head to clear his mind before seeing the black seed with red stripes glow intensely for a few seconds. After a few seconds had passed a crack appeared at the top of the seed. It was a small one with a tiny thin root poking out.
Before Liam could comment on it a new notification appeared.
“Congratulations! You have received Field of Discord from the Seed of Discord. You have received the Focus Point – Discord Manipulation. Field of Discord and Focus Point – Discord Manipulation has reached level 1! Progression to level 2: 0%!”
“Congratulations! You have received the ability – Strife Inducement! Strife Inducement has reached level 1! Progression to level 2: 0%!”
“Strife Inducement – Ability to cause the target to feel confrontational. The level of Strife that is brought out within a person or creature is determined by the level of ability. Has a 5% chance of making the target turn on an ally. Ability Type – Chant. Target – Single. MP Cost – 50. Cooldown – N/A.”
“Huh, that’s an interesting ability,” Liam stated. “The chance of making a target turn on their ally can be really helpful in a group fight.”
“At higher levels you will get more effects from it. I suggest you practice it as much as you can even if there is only one target. – Eri.”
Alright. I’ll do just that…After my Stat Shatter Debuff wears off though. Liam commented.
“That might be a good idea. For now, I suggest you check out the town and see if there are any places you can practice your other stuff, like your crafting. – Eri.”
Good idea. Liam said before looking at his internal clock.
It was a few minutes pass eleven a.m. To him it felt like majority of the day had already gone by, but after seeing the time only a few hours had passed.
He then stood up and stretched his arms before saying, “Alright. Lets go see what this place has to offer.”
As soon as he stepped out from the building he turned his head around to figure out which direction he was going to go, but before he could decide his body suddenly tensed.
“Liam?!” a voice called out in surprise. It was a feminine voice.
Liam and Lucy walked outside the building. Shouts and chatter filled his ears as a bright light suddenly blinded him. He brought a hand up to block the light and felt a light breeze blow over him. After his eyes adjusted to the light he stood there amazed. His eyes widened as he took in the scenery.
People of different shapes, sizes, colors, and races walked around on a road that circled around the massive building he had walked out of. Shadows caught his attention from above him, bringing his gaze to the sky. People with bird-like wings flapped around, laughing or talking as they went about their way.
He noticed there were a few tree-like buildings with the trunk as wide and as tall as a two story building. They were scattered about from what he was able to see. Windows and doors were placed throughout the tree-like buildings with hanging signs placed over the doors.
There were other types of buildings ranging from wooden or stone two stories to mounds with a single door that looked to lead underground.
Liam turned around to get a better look at the building he was in and was even more amazed. The trunk expanded farther than he thought. The crown of the tree was so high up he wasn’t able to see it from where he stood. Branches reached out with giant leaves that flashed periodically here and there.
“Jesus Christ,” Liam muttered not able to contain his amazement.
Lucy stood beside him, smiled, and watched the different facial expressions Liam displayed. “This building is called the Portal Tree. It is the biggest on the island and in the middle of the island. There are similar ones on the other islands and in the mainland. Those flashes you see in the branches are people coming and leaving through the Transportation Portals.”
“That is amazing,” Liam said as he turned his gaze to Lucy. “How did you come up with something like this?”
“It’s thanks to the combination of Magic, Runes, and Enchantments. There are also certain Crafting skills and abilities needed to create something this advanced, however, I won’t tell you what it entails. Each country has their own ways and methods and we can’t give away those secrets. I’m sure you will find out how it is possible if you ever reach the heights required. That and if the Cait Siths feel generous enough to share those secrets.”
Liam froze at what she had just said. “Cait Sith? The Cait Sith made this possible?”
“Do you know about the Cait Sith?” Lucy inquired as she raised a brow.
Liam caught the look in her eye. She knew he was a Cat-folk but he had purposely omitted the fact his Cat-folk race was Cait Sith. He had received a few warnings back in the Tutorial Area to not reveal that due to their masterful work when it came to crafting. As much as he was coming to love crafting, he knew he wasn’t at a level where he was a master.
He had a feeling that there was a chance if he did mention what he was he could possibly get some training from his race, but he still didn’t know if they would welcome him since he was a half-breed. Until he got more information on how they treated their kind he didn’t want others to know. Those that already knew were enough.
“We had mythology on Cait Sith back on my home planet and there was a character in a popular video game that was called Cait Sith, but that’s all I know about them,” Liam stated, playing dumb.
Lucy held her gaze on him for a long moment before saying, “The Cait Sith are a well known Cat-folk race in the Arkadian Kingdom. They are well known for their love of research and crafting. Their accomplishments through their work alone has granted them an entire island and massive amounts of land on three other islands solely for their work and research. Each place they own is blocked off from everyone except the Royal Family. They have a strict rule that only Cait Siths and those the Head Clan Elders have acknowledged are allowed within their lands and can learn their techniques.
“Rumors have it even the Royal Family aren’t allowed to know their techniques unless the Clan Elder okays it. The Royal Family agreed to their terms as well as executing anyone who ignores the rules or trespasses in their lands.”
Liam let out a whistle. “Damn that’s some serious strictness.”
Lucy nodded. She then turned away from Liam, started walking, and said, “Enough about that. Let me escort you to where you are going to stay for the next few days.”
As Lucy navigated Liam through the crowds, she pointed out key things about the island and the city. This island was the smallest out of all the islands that circled the Mainland of the Arkadain Kingdom. Cashat Port, the city they were located in, covered most of the island.
There were small pockets of forests, mining caves, and other places that were there for people, who didn’t venture into the dungeon portals, to work on their gathering abilities. The materials weren’t the best, but it was there for them. There was also a few sea ports for those brave enough to travel through the sea and not take the Transportation Portals.
The town had three sections to it. One section was the Residential District. This district was only for those that had citizenship to the Arkadian Kingdom and lived on the island. This district was located in the northern part of the island.
On the western side of the town was the Adventurer District. This district had the Adventurer’s Association, a few Adventurer gathering spots like pubs, Adventurer shops, and a tower they called the Dungeon Tower. This Tower stood three stories high. Inside it had many different colored portals for Adventurers of different levels.
The rest of the city had The Merchant Association on the eastern side and the Crafting Association on the southern. Merchant stalls and buildings were scattered about with Crafting buildings mixed in.
Lucy explained that this island served as a secondary purpose other than a waiting city for those seeking Arkadian access or citizenship. They set it up for foreign merchants and crafters to showcase their wares and talents by allowing them to sell here on the island during their wait for the kingdom to see.
This was set up for certain Arkadian officials of different Beast-kin origins to see the quality and popularity of the crafters and merchants wishing to have access to Arkadian channels.
There were also merchants and crafters who set up shop here on the island for other foreigners since they found more profit that way instead of waiting for access to the other islands and mainland.
Liam understood what they were doing, but felt it was just too much. It didn’t matter much to him about the merchant side of the whole thing. As for the crafter side of it all, he understood that there was a big competition, especially when they were trying to appeal to well known Crafters like the Cait Siths.
He wasn’t interested in those things since his goal was too travel and see the world. If he could get access to better techniques in the crafts he was interested in, then that would be a boon, but he didn’t want to be shackled to a place. Even if he caught the eyes of the Cait Siths and they wanted to help him grow, he really didn’t like the fact he would have to keep secrets that could possibly hold him here.
Of course, that was just him being optimistic. He didn’t think that anything he crafted would be worthy enough to catch the eyes of Master-leveled Crafters yet, but you never know.
As she informed him about the differences between an Arkadian owned shop and a foreign shop, Liam took the chance to grab a pair of sunglasses. He did this because he noticed the stares he was getting when people noticed his eyes. Some looked interested while others scoffed and gave him less friendly looks.
“Here is the inn my superior has recommended, The Resting Roost,” Lucy announced as they stopped in front of a tall wide three story building.
Liam got a good look at it and noticed it wasn’t a specially made building made from a tree or anything like that. Instead, it looked like a traditional inn you’d see in any fantasy-like game or movie. Hanging over the wooden door was a sign with a picture of a creature laying on its back over a bed of straw with the name above the picture.
“Let’s get a room secured for you. After that I will take my leave,” Lucy stated as they walked in.
It didn’t take long for them to get things in order. He was able to get a room on the second floor. It was a bit bigger than the room at the inn he had back in the Tutorial area. There was a couple of desks, a bed, a bathroom with a shower, and a couple of Yooperlite lamps.
Liam slowly walked over to the bed and sat down. After a moment had passed he laid down and looked up at the ceiling. The bed felt comfy. He wasn’t sure what the materials were made from, but after laying there he knew they were different than the ones used back on earth.
As much as he liked the way the bed felt, he had a list of things he wanted to do today. The first he knew he could get done now since he was finally alone after the long morning he had.
Eri, you there? Liam thought.
A notification popped up adding to the long list of texts from his earlier conversations with his Matron Goddess.
“I am. What’s up? – Eri.”
A lot. Liam thought back to her. First off, I’m curious as to why they went out of their way to get me a room for a couple of days. Any thoughts on that?
“It does seem suspicious. However, it could also be their pride as Beast-kins since they messed up and not only almost arrested you for something you didn’t do, but almost got you hurt. Beast-kins are very prideful beings. Always have been even before the Great Bestial War. – Eri.”
Great Bestial War? Liam questioned. What’s that?
“The Great Bestial War was a war waged between two factions of beast-kins. Those who wanted to change how things were. The Revolutionaries. And those who wanted to keep the old ways going. The Traditionalists. – Eri.”
The Traditionalists and the Revolutionaries? Liam repeated with a brow raised.
“Something you need to know is before these factions were a thing, the Beast-kins didn’t have any country. Instead, they lived in villages that only had their race of Beast-kin. They believed themselves superior to other races and looked down on them. This was before deities existed. Instead, they worshipped the Primals. – Eri.”
Liam raised a brow as he grew more curious about this history lesson Eri was sharing with him. What are the Primals?
“The Primals were powerful ancient beasts. No one knows how old they were. They have always been a mystery. No one knows how they got their power nor how they came to exist. The Beast-kins might have more knowledge about them and maybe the Fae since they too worshipped them…I think there might be some that still do. All that I know about them is they were extremely powerful and they protected the land, seas, mountains, skies, and more from the corruption their mortal enemies tried spreading. – Eri.”
Who was their mortal enemies? Liam inquired.
“The Seven Immoral Vices. – Eri.”
That explains why they reacted to that Incubus earlier. Liam stated. His brows started to scrunch as he sat up while a thought came to mind. Wait. If the Seven Immoral Vices are their mortal enemies then does that mean they are ancient as well?
“*Shakes head* No. The Seven Immoral Vices individually are not ancient. At least…not the current leaders. – Eri.”
What do you mean by that? Liam asked, confused.
“The original Seven Immoral Vices were very powerful beings that rivaled the Primals and were thought to be indestructible. They, too, were a mystery. However, when the Era of Deities arrived, the original Seven Immoral Vices were trapped and locked away. However, even when trapped and locked away, their influence leaked out and transferred to those who were suitable to wield their power. – Eri.”
Holy shit. Where were they trapped? Liam asked.
“That I do not know. Only the deity who trapped them knows. He has more knowledge of them than anyone, but we have deviated from the original topic. The beast-kins not only had to be wary of those who sided with the Seven Immoral Vices, but other races who believed the Beast-kins to be a threat.
“As time passed, a new era had begun. The Era of Deities. The other races started to grow stronger by worshipping deities while the beast-kins stuck with their traditions. Many beast-kins were not happy with this and believed they needed to change with the times if they were to keep their families safe. They also believed that being separated by race was something that needed to change as well. They had other ideas for change, but I forget what they were. These were known as the Revolutionaries.
“The Traditionalists, agreed with some of the things the Revolutionaries were saying, however, the one thing they would not agree to was the worship of anything other than the Primals. The Revolutionaries begged and pleaded since they saw the major power-ups those that sought to kill them had. However, the Traditionalists denied them. Many Beast-kin villages were slaughtered, kidnapped, and captured after a few years had passed. This made many of the Beast-kins start to resent the Traditionalists who didn’t have to worry about this.
“After a while many of the beast-kins started to come together and build a city to better protect their loved ones. Within that city they met a couple of Deities who found the Beast-kins worthy of their blessings. The Traditionalists didn’t like this and destroyed the city and the temples that were erected for their newly found Deities. This started a war. One side was the Traditionalists, that was led by the Dragon-folks and the other were the Revolutionaries, which were led by the Arkadians. – Eri.”
Wait…are you saying the Arkadians is a race of Beast-kin? I thought it was just a name for the Kingdom? Liam questioned.
“It is the name of the Kingdom, but yes. The Arkadian Kingdom is named after the Beast-kin race of Cat-folks known as Arkadians. The war lasted for a couple of years and came to a draw. This draw led to a split amongst the Beast-kins and from that two countries were born. The Arkadian Kingdom and the Draconic Empire. – Eri.”
Shit. Liam said, unsure what else to say to that.
“One thing you will find while you travel around this world is not everyone is keen on Deities. While there are some that are helpful and are genuine to mortals. There are some that are the exact opposite. Some Deities look down on mortals and treat them like tools to gain more power or ways to control over others. It really comes down to the nature of the seed they had cultivated over the years and training they did. – Eri.”
Nature of the seed they had cultivated? Liam asked.
“Speaking of seeds. You should probably look at the one you received from me and pick a Field. You shouldn’t have any troubles planting it now that you are away from Nalia and the other Champions. – Eri.”
You’re right. I totally forgot about that. Liam said as he pulled up his Mystical Landscape.
His Seed of Arcana appeared right in front of him letting him see the multi-colored roots that grew from the violet seed. Some of the roots were thicker than the last time he had looked. A smile grew as he stared at it. That smile lasted for a minute as something caught his attention and curiosity grew in him.
It was a flash of ghastly green a few feet to the left of his Seed of Arcana. At first Liam thought maybe he was just seeing things, but after a minute had passed it flashed again. The flash let Liam pin point where it was coming from and when he peered at the spot he noticed there wasn’t really anything there, but dirt. When the flash happened again he noticed it was the dirt flashing. To be more precise the ghastly green flash revealed an outline of a seed.
Liam tried to assess it.
“Seed of ?????? (Information Sealed). Progression to fully planting Seed of ????? (Information Sealed): 10%.”
Eri? Do you know what this is? Liam asked, curious to know if she could enlighten him on this.
“See what…Oh? What is this? – Eri.”
I’m not entirely sure. I was hoping you would tell me. Liam stated.
“Hm…Is that…no it can’t be…Liam when did you get this and how? – Eri.”
I received a notification when my Devour ability had finished processing…I think it was some kind of spirit. Liam started to explain. It stated I received a portion of a Seed. It wouldn’t tell me what kind of seed I received, but I can’t plant it yet. I have to devour more spirits to reveal it. I’m currently at ten percent.
Eri didn’t say anything. There was a long pause before she responded again.
“I see. If that is the case then you should find more spirits and devour them with your ability so you can plant that seed. – Eri.”
Do you know what kind of seed it is? Liam questioned.
“I have a feeling I do. – Eri.”
Liam let out a sigh. You’re not going to tell me what you think it is are you?
“Nope. *Smiles innocently* - Eri.”
“Innocent my ass,” Liam mumbled.
“*Sticks tongue out* Don’t focus on what can’t be revealed now and focus on what you can. – Eri.”
Fine. Liam responded before looking at a black seed with red stripes planted a few feet to the right of his Seed of Arcana.
“Would you like to open the Seed of Discord and allow a Root to grow? Yes No?”
Liam mentally accepted and watched as a new notification appeared.
He was expecting a long list of Fields to appear for him to choose from but was confused as only one appeared.
“Field of Discord. Would you like to root the Field of Discord? Yes No?”
Hey Eri…why did only one Field appear? Also why does it have the same name as the Seed? Liam asked with a confused look on his face.
“That’s simple. Just like when you opened your Seed of Arcana, you have to slowly get used to the seed before other Fields can be available. As for the name…I’m not entirely sure. – Eri.”
But the process to open the seed wasn’t like how I opened my Seed of Arcana though. Why is that? Liam inquired.
"The Seed of Arcana is different from a seed you receive from a Deity. The process to open the Seed Of Arcana was for you to accept it through gaining enough Knowledge Theory. Once when you raise the level of your Arcane then you can get Fields. The process to open a seed given to you by a Deity is to endure the nature of the Deity that has given you that seed. That isn’t the only difference though.
“The Seed of Arcana allows you to practice the Arcane through spells it provides once when you open it. A seed given to you through a deity doesn’t have that process. Instead, it allows you to receive a field tied to the nature of the seed so you can practice the nature of the seed to get a better feel for how you would like to grow with it. Does that make sense? – Eri.”
Kind of… Liam mentally replied as he let out a sigh. He thought about what she had said and tried to summarize it in a way he could try to understand it. So, are you saying the seed you gave me is one made from your nature and is completely different from the Seed of the Arcana that I had to make myself?
“You could think of it that way. The abilities and power you receive from a seed given to you from a deity works more around the nature of the seed rather than ability of the field you can choose. You’ll come to understand it more later. – Eri.”
“Cryptic as ever,” Liam muttered to himself before mentally accepting the Field of Discord.
“Which Focus Point would you like to root? Field of Discord: Discord Manipulation?”
“Is there really a point to ask if there’s only one to choose?” Liam muttered before accepting the Discord Manipulation Focus Point.
Liam felt a pulse wash over him the moment he accepted. The pulse echoed in two places, his heart and mind. He felt a wave of dizziness hit him for a moment before it disappeared. He shook his head to clear his mind before seeing the black seed with red stripes glow intensely for a few seconds. After a few seconds had passed a crack appeared at the top of the seed. It was a small one with a tiny thin root poking out.
Before Liam could comment on it a new notification appeared.
“Congratulations! You have received Field of Discord from the Seed of Discord. You have received the Focus Point – Discord Manipulation. Field of Discord and Focus Point – Discord Manipulation has reached level 1! Progression to level 2: 0%!”
“Congratulations! You have received the ability – Strife Inducement! Strife Inducement has reached level 1! Progression to level 2: 0%!”
“Strife Inducement – Ability to cause the target to feel confrontational. The level of Strife that is brought out within a person or creature is determined by the level of ability. Has a 5% chance of making the target turn on an ally. Ability Type – Chant. Target – Single. MP Cost – 50. Cooldown – N/A.”
“Huh, that’s an interesting ability,” Liam stated. “The chance of making a target turn on their ally can be really helpful in a group fight.”
“At higher levels you will get more effects from it. I suggest you practice it as much as you can even if there is only one target. – Eri.”
Alright. I’ll do just that…After my Stat Shatter Debuff wears off though. Liam commented.
“That might be a good idea. For now, I suggest you check out the town and see if there are any places you can practice your other stuff, like your crafting. – Eri.”
Good idea. Liam said before looking at his internal clock.
It was a few minutes pass eleven a.m. To him it felt like majority of the day had already gone by, but after seeing the time only a few hours had passed.
He then stood up and stretched his arms before saying, “Alright. Lets go see what this place has to offer.”
As soon as he stepped out from the building he turned his head around to figure out which direction he was going to go, but before he could decide his body suddenly tensed.
“Liam?!” a voice called out in surprise. It was a feminine voice.
