Divine Apostasy Book 12 - Chapter 7

Chapter 7

[Author’s Note – the following three chapters are first draft. I haven’t even reread them. So if there are more mistakes than normal that is why. Thanks!]

Ruwen sat at a table covered in food. Pine had burst into activity and explained what had occurred since Echo had last been here while cooking. The food was all new and strange and studying the old man’s recipes and cooking style raised Ruwen’s cooking skill.

Shing!

You have advanced a skill!

Skill: Cooking

Level: 250 to 260

Effect: Prepared food increases Stamina by 130%

Effect: Prepared drink increases all Regen by 26%

Ruwen sipped the red drink Echo had called a michelada. He didn’t mind the flavor and wondered if Bliz had this at Pour Judgement.

Pine nodded at the drink. “Do you like it? I can get you a plain beer or water.”

Ruwen hadn’t needed to eat or drink for years. He still did occasionally to be social or because of a craving, and he’d eaten a little bit of everything today. Experiencing the food firsthand aided his Cooking skill and broadened his alchemy knowledge.

Ruwen shook a hand. “No, you’ve done enough. I was just thinking I have a friend I’d like to bring here. He’s an expert herbalist and he’d be interested in these spices.”

“Of course,” Pine replied. “I’d be honored. What’s his name?”

“He’s called Bliz, and it’s important that you don’t agree to any drinking games with him.”

Pine laughed and touched his side. “This liver is in retirement. Drinking games are for the young.”

“Forgive me for saying this,” Echo said, “but you look markedly better than the last time I was here.”

Pine grinned and patted his stomach. “I haven’t felt this good in decades. Even my wrinkles are disappearing.”

Ruwen knew the exact reason why Pine felt so good but kept it to himself. He’d noticed the debuff on Pine when Identify had activated. Of all people, Blapy had been here and masked her healing spell with a slowly weakening debuff.

Both Uru and Blapy had taken a keen interest in Pine and his grandson Ash. Ruwen was excited to meet his parents later tonight. They’d been sent here long ago to guard Pine and Ash. The pair represented Pen’s work on chakras and the two goddesses had worked to protect that experiment.

Pine leaned forward and lowered his voice. “I’m concerned this isn’t a miracle but something fueled by a witch or perhaps a demon. The energy leaking from that pit in Egypt could be to blame as well. My Third Eye keeps glimpsing a small pigtailed girl walking through the grove, that’s the witch, and I’ve caught sight of a small golden man no taller than an inch. That must be a demon.”

Ruwen didn’t react but it took sufficient concentration to stop from jumping to his feet and dashing around the area. Pine had certainly described Blapy but Ruwen already knew she was around because of the debuff. It was the demon Pine had seen that interested him. That was almost certainly the Misfortune Golem Tarot. A person Ruwen hadn’t seen since before the gods had attacked Ruwen.

“Has the Pit’s energy caused many changes?” Echo asked.

Pine leaned back and sipped his beer. “Oh, yes. Ordinary people are becoming superheroes. Well, not heroes. Most are petty villains. Who would’ve guessed giving power to people would bring out their worst traits.”

This surprised Ruwen but he realized that was because everyone on Grave had power. Here, because of the uneven nature of people’s development, huge discrepancies had emerged. That sent a pang of guilt through his thoughts. He’d destroyed a Crossing Ring on Savage Island during his Master’s Trial and the paired ring had exploded as well.

That ring had sat deep in the earth under a city here called Cairo. Lalquinrial had managed to divert most of the explosion somewhere else, but it had still managed to destroy an entire city. Millions had already died and suffering continued because of the way Spirit was spreading across the planet.

Ruwen had been surprised that Pine and everyone else on Earth evidently couldn’t access their Soul power. On Grave the Ascended had their Soul’s wrapped and inaccessible, but Cultivators didn’t have this hurdle, and they all had access to their Soul’s energy. It made him wonder what about Cultivating gave insight into the Soul and its power. If everyone could harness that energy, it would go a long way in balancing the power issues here.

Pine shook his head as if clearing it. “I shouldn’t be so hard on people. Perhaps the Pit’s energy is corrupted and it’s causing this bad behavior. Maybe they are victims. Still, I feel like I should be doing something.”

“Ash went into this Pit?” Echo asked, confirming what Pine had told them earlier.

“Yes. The military took him. He’s part of team trying to get answers about the Pit. Noone has even seen the bottom yet. Nothing technological survives. Rumor is that a few countries have tried sending nukes down there. The bombs never detonate.”

Echo frowned and bit her lip.

Ruwen triggered Last Breath to give himself time to think and focused on Lir. You told me when I saw you on Grave that something was odd about this planet.

Yes.

Can you be more specific.

Take the Crossing Ring explosion for instance. Echo told us that Lalquinrial saved the planet by redirecting the explosion and I believe her. Consider for a moment the speed of those explosions.

Ruwen recalled using Last Breath to give him the time to scoop up the explosion with his Void Band. The blast had continued to move even in Last Breath, the velocity so great it surpassed his mental ability to speed his thoughts.

Even if Lalquinrial stood next to the explosion, Ruwen responded, he likely couldn’t have reacted in time to avert disaster.

Correct. It is plausible that as the Crossing Ring’s creator, he had a method to control or slow the blast. It is also within reason that another entity slowed this event long enough for Lalquinrial to handle it.

The dungeon you mean. How big is it?

I am ninety-one percent confident that this entire planet is one dungeon. The dungeon.

The whole planet? Ruwen asked. It’s like the Black Pyramid.

The Black Pyramid is a planet significantly smaller than Earth.

Ruwen considered the power required to handle the Crossing Ring explosion. Blapy had only managed to guide it a bit. If Shelly and Sift hadn’t arrived to basically eat that explosion, the entire planet along with the Black Pyramid dungeon would have been destroyed.

I think I’m beginning to understand what you meant about being cautious here, Ruwen said. This explosion basically blew a doorway into the dungeon and now Echo’s Sijun is down there. Pine is worried about Ash although he does a good job of hiding it. Thanks Lir.

Of course.

Ruwen released Last Breath and the world unfroze.

Echo continued to bite her lip, and Ruwen guessed she harbored as much worry for Ash as the boy’s grandfather did.

“I’m going to go find him,” Echo stated.

Pen relaxed in relief, but then immediately frowned. “Excuse me for saying this Grandmaster, but it’s too dangerous for you to risk your life. The Bamboo Viper Clan can’t risk such a precious teacher.”

Echo waved her hand dismissively and then pointed at Ruwen. “He’s the precious one. I’m just another viper in the grove.”

“Hardley,” Ruwen responded. “You’re a rare talent. Only Sift could overcome you, and that’s assuming he doesn’t get distracted in the middle of the fight.”

Echo blushed at the praise and gave a curt nod of thanks.

“Master Pine is correct though. The dungeon is an unknown threat, and you should move with caution. Is Inferno’s Embrace available?”

Inferno’s Embrace was the automatic recall to a bind point in the Infernal Realm that Ruwen’s Scarecrow Aspect had. He assumed Echo’s Death Aspect had a similar ability that she could use to escape any danger she couldn’t handle.

Pine looked confused but didn’t ask for an explanation of what Ruwen meant. Echo gave a small nod to indicate the ability was available. That made him feel much better about the dangers she might encounter.

It wasn’t like Echo was some fragile warrior entering her first dungeon. She was the literal aspect of death, earned at least one rank of the Viper Step Grandmaster path, and a more than capable magic user. She should be able to manage whatever the dungeon threw at her.

Echo stood and bowed to Ruwen and then Pine. “I’m anxious to find my Sijun and see how much progress he’s made.”

Ruwen and Pine both stood and returned Echo’s bow.

“Watch your Steps, Sister,” Ruwen said.

“Your training will keep me safe, Grandmaster,” Echo replied. “Do not doubt it.”

Pine looked suddenly frantic. “Tell Ash not to ignore the stones. No. Tell him not to skip his meditation. He hates mediation. Wait, no.” Pine pressed his lips together for a few seconds and then sighed. “Just tell him I love and miss him. That I hope to see him back home soon.”

Echo’s eyes glistened, the comment likely stirring memories of her father’s last words spoken to her just hours ago. Words of apology and love before he sacrificed himself so Ruwen and her could escape the Zealot.

“I’ll tell him,” Echo said, her voice heavy with emotion. She swallowed hard and continued to, her voice softer. “You are a good grandpa.”

Then Echo turned and, in a blink, had left the house.

“Shouldn’t she wait till tomorrow?” Pine asked. “She’ll need to reach Guadalajara for the nearest airport.”

“She’ll be okay. She has a loyal horse.”

Pine looked at Ruwen in confusion, but didn’t ask for clarification.

They both sat again, and Ruwen brought up the question that had brought him here.

“Master Pine, I know you practice a type of chakra magic, and I was hoping you could describe it to me or even teach me if that is allowed.”

Ruwen sensed that his question had caused an internal struggle for Pine.

To give Pine more time to think, Ruwen sipped the michelada. The drink was growing on him. The balance of lime, spices, and salt gave the heavy tomato flavor a lot of depth. Not bad at all.

Pine cleared his throat. “Honored Grandmaster, describing our magic possess no problems. Teaching others was forbidden in the past but much of that stemmed from the necessary body honing the Bamboo Viper Steps provided. Non initiates could never retain the knowledge of our Step Clans forms and other martial training proved insufficient for the proper development. This shortcoming made progress superficial. Obviously, you don’t have this issue, and you’d be the first person outside our tribe to learn our secrets. But in truth, we are Brothers, bound by our dedication to the Bamboo Viper Steps. Even more importantly, I consider you as precious as my own child. You saved the life of my daughter’s only son. All the secrets in my possession would never repay the debt of gratitude I feel. So, to answer your question. Yes, I would be honored to teach you our chakra magic.”

Ruwen smiled in relief. He’d been worried there in the beginning.

Pine smiled as well. “I’ll start the training anyway. Once you reach aura manipulation you’ll need to find Ash. I ruined my abilities when I lost my daughter. Hopefully that lazy kid has applied himself and progressed enough to teach you something.”

Ruwen bowed. “Thank you, Master Pine. Honestly, anything I can learn will help me immensely.”

They spent another hour talking and Ruwen learned a lot about the planet and Pine’s situation. The grandfather offered his home, not wanting Ruwen to sleep in a hotel, but he assured Pine that his sleeping arrangements had already been taken care of.

Bowing farewell, Ruwen stepped into the still hot and humid night. He turned toward the dimensional rift that stood out starkly to his senses. Excitement twisted his stomach and supercharged his nerves.

It was time to see his parents.