Jeun lifted the staff higher
than her head, she chanted something and then the tip of the staff glowed. She
put the glowing part at the top of her nose in between her closed eyes, the
glow got brighter. She opened her eyes and looked at me…
She ritually placed back the staff into the chest
and locked it. Her expression immediately changed and her eyes widened as wide
as they could be
“Bright… you’re level minus 5555”
“HUUUH!” “WHHHAAAT!” Nina and I was audibly
surprised.
Everyone was stunned for a bit and then Jeun said
“How come? Bright, what happened?”
“Like I said, I went in the Jungle and above the
river there’s this portal or gate…” I retold them everything again and it felt
like telling the story to new people since they were listening to it so
intensely.
“What were the cubes like? Was it exactly like
this? What were the colors?” Nina asked
“It was glowing white” I replied
“Did it really not hurt at all? What kind of
sensation you felt when they attacked?” Jeun asked while having the book about
the cubes opened right in front of her
“Like someone tapped my body that’s it”
“Did you felt weaker?” Nina asked
“No, not at all. While they attacked I even
managed to kill some monsters, well weak monsters”
They continued on asking me questions until they
started to talk between each other about the legends, the Gods, and some
details about creatures and powers.
Somehow the conversation went on a different
topic between them and Nina started to asked Jeun
“Jeun I always wanted to use the staff of
insight”
“No, the staff is not to be used by a non-librarian”
“Oh” She looked disappointed for a second.
“What about the staff?” I asked
“The staff was made with the gem of the planet’s
vein, and through magic it could tap into the planet’s own flow of magic, or
information, or anything, basically you could become a part of the planet
itself”
“Wow”
“But it’s dangerous” Nina said… “If you could not
control it you could become lost and could not be yourself again”
“You’d die basically” Jeun added
“Oh” this was very interesting, I thought. “So
why the librarians?”
“The librarians, one of their tasks is to uncover
the knowledge of the universe, sometimes to know about some specific issues or
to make an elemental material for study we had to use the staff. Therefore, we
were trained to do so safely”
From here Jeun’s eyes wandered for a moment and
she leaned back on her chair
“I guess, I could help guide you with the staff
if our minds were connected Nina”
“Really? You don’t mind Jeun?”
“Yeah, there might be cases where a librarian
would do this, if the person knew a location the librarian didn’t know about,
or a memory that the librarians wanted to access, even to augment elemental
affinities to treat the planet itself… but, I must do this for a reason Nina.
You are a healer, aren’t you?”
“I’m a fighter but I specialize in supporting
skills including some healings”
“Fine, Let us connect our minds and tried to heal
Bright out of his status ailments”
“Oh Right!” I said
“Oh Right!” Nina also said the same thing, “Yay!
That’s smart Sister, you’re so cool for doing this”
“Ah, I’m just doing this out of curiosity” she
said with a satisfied smile on her face.
Jeun cleared all the books on the table and he
called Nina…
“Sit on the table Nina”
“Oh ok, like this?”
“Right, oops I forgot the staff. Bright could you
help and give the staff to Nina?”
So I went and took the staff from the chest, it
was heavy, and I think this gem Jeun was talking about was inside the staff
from tip to tip due to the heaviness and it’s like the staff was actually
hollow and there’s something inside that’s moving when I picked it up, also
because I didn’t see any gems attached on the outside. My interface picked up
some status out of the staff though, and it said “Staff of Insight – small” and
the interface also popped out an option button to “Disassemble”. Of course I
didn’t and handed the staff over to Nina
“Right, now I’m going to put my hands on your
back ok and let’s try to breathe in the same rhytm”
So they sat for a while in that position, slowly
closing their eyes and breathed the same way. Not long after I started to see a
string of smoke starting to appear and curled around Jeun’s right hand, it was
heading towards Nina’s neck and curled around her head until it kind of stayed
there floating and spinning around. Then there were two of them, then another
two from Jeun’s left hand, and now both persons’ head starting to become like a
tree where strings of smoke swirling around and dancing like birds playing
around the branches of a couple of trees.
Suddenly Nina started shouting
“Hey! I can hear you!” with a loud voice…“Oh… oh
sorry…” she said again while Jeun was just sitting there smiling making
expressions on her face.
Seems like this linking had worked and now they
were talking among each other inside their own minds.
After some time, Nina picked up the staff and
opened her eyes. I was utterly surprised as her pupils were whiter than the
whites of her eyes.
DISPEL!
---------------------------
The sun's color has darkened and now it's time for the High Bishop to go. The people have been healed and now they are lining in front of the fence for the parting prayer.
Benedict: Lift your hands in the air... let's pray
Father in heaven, thank you for today, thank you for your blessings thank you for your protection thank you for your rejuvination. Your servant is parting with your children, sons and daughters... please keep them safe, forgive our sins, forgive our iniquity, our stupidity, our retardation... forgive us retarded people and show us your mercy, please show us that we don't need to be at church to be peaceful, we don't need the bishops to heal each other, and we certainly didn't need to hurt each other in front of your presense like a drunken ogre.
O father, your servant is leaving the city, as our heart worry of this town's well being your servant believe in you. My stupid brain couldn't comprehend why is this magnificent city is not a shithole filled with rats and sick people still hitting each each other while in pain, your servant also could only leave this city under your only protection oh lord.
Blessed be the major, the doctor association, and the guild. Blessed be all of the hard working people of the city, and their family. Specially blessed be the library, give the people the privilige of a hint of desire to actually go there and pick up some books occassionally (some people started mumbling...) and stop them from torturing their innocent children for entertainment (silence again).
With that oh father, watch our lifted hands from the sky and bring down upon us your presence, your prosperity, and your strength, again forgive our sins and drive evil away for us. Keep us connected under your wide wings safe and snug. In your name we pray...
(Together:) Yosha!
-----------------------------------
"Father Father!"
"I haven't even put my hands down yet... what!"
"The Library... the Library!"
"What?" (There were no further answers needed, the pale face of the man told a lot), "Bring the horses now!"
"Yes Father!"
-------------------------------------
“Dispel” she chanted, with the voice that echoed
around the library. Her face shone bright like an explosion of light but
nothing happened to me, instead Nina collapsed down on the table.
The staff flew higher to the air and shook, it
stayed after a bit and right there a celestial gate just like the one I saw on
the river appeared and opened up like a giant eye but vertical.
Jeun shocked with what happened tried to examine
Nina quickly,
“This doesn’t suppose to happen!” She shouted
Inside I saw the glowing white cubes floating
about left and right, then they noticed the celestial gate, then they saw me… I
felt like, then they started to head towards us in a visibly aggressive gesture
I was dreadfully familiar with.
“Jeun run!” I shouted while jumping and climbing
on the celestial gate
“Take Nina and run!”
Jeun saw what I was doing, blocking the celestial
gate while the cubes were attacking me from the inside. She immidiately
realized what happened and pulled Nina on her back. Just when she started to
walked down the stairs…
“Who dare to open the gate!”
A massive female like creature with fish scales
around her body started to descent from above. Simultaneously the air started
to spin, creating a mini storm inside the library that took out almost all the
books off of their shelves. (On the outside it looked like a swirling dark clouds dancing with thunders striking multiple times at the building)
“Oh my Goddess!” Jeun looked at her in shock and
disbelief.
“Jeun! Run!” I shouted at her again, hanging on
the gate as strong as I could while the cubes were attacking me vigorously. I
was tickled vigorously. The main concentration I had was to keep my body from
being blown away by the wind.
The creature lifted her hand and made a gesture,
the gate was closed and then vanished.
I dropped down the ground, but I picked myself up
and started to run towards Jeun to help carry Nina together.
The creature watched closely and started to point
at Nina… “That Girl!” she said this with such terrifying voice we couldn’t help
but to froze in place.
“She, opened the Gate”
“We didn’t mean to my Goddess, we were trying to
cast a dispel on him and suddenly it came to this” Jeun tried to answer with a
loud but humble voice
“Hmmmm” She watched with such a displeasant look
on her expression.
“Die!” Then she lifted up her hand again and
started to make some kind of writings on the air.
Seeing this Jeun’s face turned even more pale and
she jumped at us and pulled us down laying on the ground.
An explosion of water filled the place and filled
it to the brim. The building then exploded followed with a huge burst of water,
scattered everything around the air and towards the outside. The chamber was
totally destroyed.
Jeun was holding on to the both of us strongly
not willing to let us go. I also grabbed Nina strongly hugging her with one arm
and the other arm was around Jeun’s waist. Seemed like she casted a protective
spell around us. Such powerful explosion would’ve, at least, dealt us injuries if
not death, but we came out like we’ve been playing underwater of a water
entertainment park ride.
“Bright! Take Nina and Run, I’ll face her!”
“No Jeun we go!”
“She’ll catch all of us easily idiot!” After
saying this she uttered a spell and a wind magic blew both of us towards the
entrance gate of the library.
“AAAAAAAAAA!” Siren made Jeun float to the sky
and she seemed like being choked on the neck by magic
“WHAT HAPPENED!? WHAT is this?!” Benedict’s guard
appeared at the front gate. Soon Benedict himself ran in and saw the disastrous
scene
“Oh my Goddess!!” He fell kneeling on the floor.
“She’s going to kill us, she got Jeun already”
“No! what is this, why is the Goddess angry? Why
is she here!?”
“Nina!” One of the guard
showed extreme concern when he saw Nina laid motionless on the floor.
“These people are hopeless” I thought to myself
seeing them not doing anything but staying there in place like it’s safe there.
Quickly I grabbed Nina and ran as far as I could.
My plan is to get a safe place for her body and then back to safe Jeun.
“WHAT ARE YOU DOING!” The guard got angry and
tried to stop me.
“Nardel, stay here with me!” Benedict stood while
making a sign with his hand. “The wind of Sylphid” Then a huge magical circle
appeared in front of him while a concentrated swirling wind formed a shape of a
pair of wings. The wings flew and snatched Jeun from Siren right before she was
about to ripped her neck off of her body.
Siren watched with grim furious coldness at
Benedict when he did this. Before Jeun’s body was delivered Siren casted a
water explosion right at the center of them, if it weren’t for the guards’
double magical barriers, their bodies would’ve scattered all over the place.
Still the barriers were destroyed and their bodies flung towards the walls.
I observed Nina’s body and noticed a text box
appeared “Human Corpse”, and options “Mummy” “Preserve”, “Cremate”. I was sad
with the kind of sadness I couldn’t describe, with anger and tear I shook her
body and observed all over trying to find something wrong with the status. I
noticed with the option “Mummy” some items in my bag were glowing, with the
option “Preserve” other items were glowing. I remembered Nina said that failing
to use the staff will make you lose yourself or something like that, “Indeed
this is a weird way of losing one’s life”. I pondered intensely while still in
a hurry, I ran back in order to save Jeun somehow, somewhere at the back of my
mind, I was still hopeful about Nina.
-----------------------------------
Benedict stationed the two guards near him, activating the healing apparition. When around the apparition their wounds would be quickly healed, but the healing won't continue outside.
Siren saw Nina and with terrifying move blasted forward. Benedict couldn't do a thing but to cast protection upon both of them. Consumed with anger, I jumped straight at Siren with fist, somehow Siren did nothing to respond, I punched her face and predictably did nothing to her. So I thought but Benedict saw something.
Benedict: Hei! keep doing that!
So I kept on jumping and punching, jumping and punching. Siren caught me and squeezed me to death.
Clear blue skies here I am again at the meadow.
I ran as fast as I could, the townspeople had evacuated outside the gates, seeing me running they tried to stop me but the guards said no. So I went back straight towards the library.
Benedict appeared to cast a lot of protection and healing magic everywhere, however Siren still flung them around like they were toys. Strangely such is above expectation and Nina's body is still fine as well.
Benedict: Hei! how did you do it, we couldn't do it?
Me: What do you mean?
Siren blasted forward at the sight of me and this is the first time I was terrified like this. She picked me up and as she about to shout into my face I punched her.
Clear blue skies I'm back at the meadow.
This time Benedict appeared to manage to form a formation, and there are more knights came to help.
I saw 2 knights were bing tossed around, but from a long range Benedict kept on healing them.
Benedict: Hei! Punch Her!
Something seems to be working when I punched her so I ran swiftly, this time covertly as she was focusing on a knight. As I reached her feet and was about to jump, Benedict casted a light magic that made her daze, I punched her face repeatedly but nothing seems to happen, she's too strong.
Benedict: Yes! Again!
When I landed back to the ground I understood, underneath her several rare item appeared, I knew this because the names appeared to me; Siren's feather, Siren's powder, Siren's threads, and copies. One of the knight used telekinesis and gave these items to Benedict. Then I realized that Benedict used some of these items to increase his power.
Benedict: This is amazi...
suddenly I'm back at the meadow again.
------------------------------------
It appear that Siren had became frustrated at Benedict for she couldn't get to Nina at all now. When I was back I saw Benedict is now floating with electric sparks around him.
Benedict: Goddess! Please consider us your followers, spare us from your anger
Siren lifted her hands again and casted even greater flood magic. Benedict quickly picked up Nina and floated onto the water, the guards were washed with the water, this time Jeun is around to protect everyone.
Me: You're fine!
Jeun: Yes, now stay there I'm going to throw you forward.
She picked me up like a baloon and started to chant agility buffs toward myself. She threw me at Siren, and this time she appeared concerned and tried to block. Sire feathers, and an very rare Item Siren's tears appeared.
Benedict: Siren's tears!
Siren changed the weather again, the clouds gathered up in the sky forming a vortex, massive rain began to drop and thunderous noises everywhere. A tornado appear admist all of us and now we were really being punched into the walls. Before I died, I saw Nina was being picked up.
Cloudy sky, I'm not at the meadow surprisingly.
An Angelic figure came down from the sky and as result all of our wounds were healed.
Angel: Benedict is that you? Wow didn't expect that its you yourself summoned me
Benedict: Oh thank God Cupid, please, please I can't anymore.
Benedict passed out
Siren flew higher now face to face with the angel, with Nina in hand.
Cupid: You're a realm God, I wouldn't do anything to you, but I'm summoned so that nobody is hurt.
Siren: SHUT UP
An incredible fight broke up in the sky, holy magic and weather magic wielded like weapons and buffs. This is a fight of pure elemental beings and it really looked amazing.
The telekinesis Knight stood up and took a siren feather, he lifted his hand and snatched Nina away from Siren.
Jeun: Nina! oh no Nina!
Cupid seemed to be frustrated already, he summoned what appears to be a shining gate in the sky and opened it, from within a loud sound of war trumpet was heard and outpours an army of baby angels. The babies hugged Siren rendering her unable to cast. She screamed eerily towards the sky and the eye like gate was opened, now the glowing cubes were out and each of them "man to man" against the baby angel, it was as if watching a TV Show's glitter effect but in 4 dimension, it was greatness.
I saw Benedict's staff was also called "staff of insight"
I looked at Nina spontaneously, and I noticed at my peripheral a blink of notice that dissapeared instantly. I examined the staff again, and then Nina, here it goes again. I looked and there's an item on the floor called Angel's dust, but it or they were too small and too few to be seen and were dissipating.
Oh, I taught. Heaven's luck.
Me: Jeun!!
Jeun: Yes
Me: I may be able to try something on Nina! Throw me at the Angel
Jeun: What are you going to do
Me: Punch,
Jeun: What?
Me: Yes...