Book 3/50 - Bloody Ascension

His Willow cane dug into the soft mud as Rackel's weight bore on it. The Elder Magi kept a permanent scowl as he pull and stomped through the ankle deep mud. No reason not to let me ride her. It's just past a blood forest. Grumbling mentally he leaned on the next patch of mud and the kept walking. "Should have made a spell for freezing over mud".

The trees were thin and their leaves lacked the green or golden color he'd expected sticking to a gray hue that was as Eldritch as it was disturbing. The bark felt brittle to the touch though fortunately it didn't break that easily.

Crossing the forest would have been so much easier on the dragon's back. Alas Anatilda had an ick for things on her back. Humanoid ick. Bagheera enjoyed the ride past while he had to trudge through. "The only good thing about all this is the bloody Monolith". His mind went to the great tablet he'd sighted from the horizon before he began this forest hike. The sight of it has called to him and Rackel has forgotten Anatilda's refusal for a few moments through the forest.

He exhaled a sigh and glanced around. "Atleast its not one of those creepy forests." He'd met some beasts here and there. Nothing a well place Wizard Fire or Almighty Pull or Push didn't solve.

In game delicacy had proven to be tasty. Not in the sweet and well prepared food way but in the 'i have taste' way. That was another plus to the game. "I can't decide if I'm a sorcerer or a bloody caveman". Rackel shakes his head at the thought before trudging round a thin. A glint of sunlight from up ahead catches his eye. But that was impossible considering the realm didn't possess a celestial body. Just the gray that covered the entire place or the gray skies.

He quickened his step in curiosity forward. Helped that it was in the direction of his destination. "About time I guess". He crouched raised his staff above his head and drew on his essense. Almighty Push blasted out from his heel sending him rushing up. His left hand grabbed at a branch and pulled. Rising past it , he kicked off a tree bark with Push. Rocketing up he found the next tree.

"Sorry". Apologizing felt relieving. Turning mid air so he was facing his initial destination his heel touched the bark. In the split second before gravity would climb him a blast of force wrecked the tree, cracking its trunk and spitting wood in all directions.

Rackel flew through the air kicking off branches and brakes and destroying them as he moved. A flash of gray and movement to his left and right told him time was up.

He didn't bother with a last kick as the forest was giving him an initial warning. Remembering the last punishment he shivered and simply kicked off with his own Elder strength. The distance cleared was nothing like with the spell. Sighing as he kicked off trees till he got to the muddy ground he landed with a crouch.

Stamping the cane into the mud he continued his trek.

Rackel stumbled out the forest with a sigh of relief. A sharp glance to the left and right revealed the gray walking branches standing next to tree and watching him. Trying to figure out what they were had been hard. They won't say shit if I try asking too. He didn't know if that was due to them lacking speech or just them disliking his destruction.

Shrugging he waved and turned away. He'd barely taken five steps when the wind rushed and a shadow glided past him. Anatilda's grey scales flashed through the air and coiling down. He kept walking as the Akashic Dragon turned mid air and rushed back for him. The dragon tilted to the right just before she could hit him and glided right past.

Stopping he stared up as she continued her unnecessary aerobatics before landing next to him. "Been practicing?".

"Indeed. You noticed".

" Yes. Your movements got smoother". The visible elation in those colored serpentine irises made the Magi mentally sigh. Turns out dragons loved praises for absolutely nothing just as much as women did for their cooking. "So what did those fabulous eyes of yours catch up there?".

Anatilda's torso should have left her spine with how far she puffed her chest. "Figures below. Four of them. Like you".

Other players. His face visibly froze and his spine and stiffened. A memory surfaced. A demonic player with wings who killed just cause it was a game. His eyes turned to the black kitten who was larger than before. The ritual essense s were good for it.

"These Magis. What were they doing?. Fighting. Talking?".

The dragon cocked her large head. "Standing around. One was touching the Monolith".

His brows furrowed but his brain caught up to him. Not all players are barbaric and dastardly. He sighed and eyed Anatilda. "How far are we?".

"A league from the closest edge. The rest is just a sandy walk to the Monolith". Anatilda lay on her stomach and her tail swished around behind her.

"No chance we could make this journey faster. Say a ride...". The dragon snorted.

"No?. Okay". Sighing he turned back forward. The sweet thing about finding something was when you lacked a map a guide. When those didn't work it was also nice to have a visible location to head towards.

"Let's go".

Atleast there wasn't mud this time. I contemplated the different spells I would use. The different spells they would use. I aimed to not be caught with my pants down like that Demon player.

The hike was uneventful and boring like most of the journey down here had been. Anatilda had explained the lack of any other civilization past the Adepts. All cities or whatever they were called were located in a star formation around the realm center.

There were wild animals though. No monsters or anything tagged as one.

I climbed a mountain whole Anatilda watched me with a blank expression. Bagheera was firmly strapped to her back which was a win atleast. Not like a fall would affect the kitten. It was literally a spirit. I needed that ride more.

I didn't use Almighty push or pull to avoid causing a ruckus and having the Elder Magis planning for my arrival. Best to catch them off guard and see where everyone stood. That plan turned into a bust.

I could not even bring myself to glare at Anatilda as she slid and ran down the mountain slope bringing rocks and stones in a tumble down with her. She stopped at the door with me and stared right back. She was definitely messing with me.

I crossed the last of the sands with her by my side. The gray mists of the realm cling to the ground and rolled s wr walked through. I noticed how they beautifully converged around the large stone tablet that looked like a mountain. A lot of symbols on the tablet glowed and pulsed with colors. The tablet's base was so wide that it was another journey on itself just to get around. Surprisingly, the edges of the tablet were not a thin portion. They were just as wide and large, bearing runes that glowed like the face of the tablet.

"I don't see anyone. Are they on the other side?".

"Yes". I nod. The tablet got closer and closer. The glowing runes got larger as I reached and I couldn't help but wonder what the meant or stood for.

I brushed my palm against the tablet the moment I got to it. It was smooth, thick. It pulled at my essense and for a minute I wondered if I should I fight it.

"Let it go". I obliged my fairy. Essence fled my body , sucked into the stone like it was a vacuum. I felt it spread, rise over the tablet and grasped at the runes I could see. I stiffened. My limbs shook. My mind frazzled trying to grasp at all the knowledge pouring into it. My lips moved and I mumbled the spell for splitting my mind.

Once. Twice. Thrice. A fourth. The pain turned pressure lessened, the knowledge filtering in like water. My grip on my cane tightened.y eyes were so shut I didn't see the runes moving like water and flowing over my fur. I felt the burn and itch though.


**Torain of the RACK OF LIFE - Claimed**

**Elder Magi now bound to the Primordial Tora**
**Congratulations Elder Rackel. You are now technically Immortal. So long as your Parents remain in existence you will always exist**

**Ascension complete-Please Hold on**
**Quest - Domain complete**
**Rewards - Please Hold on**


He felt the sensation stop and he stumbled away from the tablet in a gasp. Look at his palm showed t trembling severely. Tattoos that had not been there before curved around his forearm and palm rising up and vanishing into his attire.

"And that's the last of us?". A voice spoke from behind him.

"The rewards are still on hold though".

" Ahh. What then? ".

"I'm dreading this but I think we're not just waiting for ourselves. We're waiting for everyone else".

" The other realms as well. That's impossible. Who knows how long they'll take. What are we supposed to do till then? ".

" No idea".

Rackel just looked from player to the other as the spoke. His four minds still felt strained with all that information. A single one retracted looking through all it had gotten. Another universe. Outside this one. He blinked at the knowledge.

"Oh he got out of the stupor fast".

"Yes. How long were we stoned for. An hour. He must have one strong mind". A player stepped into his personal face. Green eyes darting left and right as it accessed his eyes. Stop moving. It was making him dizzy.

"Hey. I'm Emrys. You're quite strong to still be stand".

I'm supposed to be unconscious?. That explains this feeling.

"Rackel".

"Ah. Nice to meet you Rackel. It seems you're still feeling out of it. We'll wait".

"Wait?. Why?".

"Got anything better to do or place to go., or idea on what to do next. ?".

"No".

"Then we wait. Five heads and all that".

"Fine".

Rackel blinked. Was the ground close or far. " I'm gonna sit down". The ground arrived faster than he'd planned.