Yet, the Fingered One shared some intriguing information with me.
"Your shard has lost its power," the old woman noted. "But there is a way to restore the Great Rune's former might."
"Hmm… what do you mean?"
"In honor of each demigod, a tower was built in their domain. There, one can still find blessings linked to the Two Fingers and the great runes."
"Hmm… yes, Stormveil was connected by a bridge to such a tower… but the bridge is broken. How am I supposed to get there?"
"That is unknown to me. You must find your own path, extinguished soul."
"I see. Well, I'll see what can be done."
With that, the audience came to an end.
Contrary to the Fingers' hopes, I didn't set off to seek the tower Enia had told me about. Instead, I returned to the throne tower, the site of my battle with the demigod. My objectives remained unchanged, and lingering here any longer wasn't part of my plan.
"Hmm…"
Interestingly, when I returned to the cliff, I found a familiar, exhausted servant already there—the same young man who had offered assistance to Roger and me. Now, he was kicking Godric's remains.
"Ha! Look at yourself now, wretch!" he jeered.
Then he noticed me and turned.
"Oh… Master… I knew you'd succeed. You've defeated the fallen demigod."
"Yes… if you say so… though, if it's not too much trouble, could you show me the way to Liurnia?"
"Oh, of course… come this way."
He led me to the open gates, beyond which I glimpsed a hall with a massive golden throne. Inside, a passage through the tower's right wing led into the inner part of the wall spanning the chasm. I walked a bit, admiring the local architecture, statues, and paintings—not that it held my attention for long.
Eventually, he guided me to a small hall with an open passage to the far side of Storm Hill.
"You may go through here, Master Extinguished."
"Thank you for your help," I said briefly, descending the stairs to the corridor.
A few more steps and…
"Hoo…" I shielded my eyes from the bright rays of light outside.
I emerged onto the cliff, greeted by a majestic view of the ancient kingdom's lands. An old lake had long since receded, leaving a marsh surrounded by rocks and hills.
"It seems I'll need your help again," I said, summoning my spectral steed.
Potok herself seemed eager to return to this world, frolicking with a joyful snort. Before mounting her, I checked my notes and map, trying to find landmarks amid the sprawling vista.
"Hmm… there's another temple over there. Even here, they built them…"
Studying the map, I mentally plotted a route to the library hall. On the way, it seemed we could pass through the town by the academy, meaning I could return later—or head straight to the academy. The battle with Godric had eased my worries about the Great Runes; not all of them were as perilous as the Death Rune.
"All right, let's go, girl!"
"Pfrr…"
Mounting my steed, I descended toward one of Marika's temples. More precisely, there were several temples bearing that name. Most were dedicated to various religious figures, local saints of sorts. Yet, in these temples, Marika was revered as a local goddess.
The journey was tediously uneventful, though the scenery was pleasant. No one crossed our path, and Potok seemed a bit bored as well. Eventually, we reached the temple.
As we neared, I felt the flows of grace gathering there. The deity's influence lingered, even though the temple had long fallen to ruin. Much like the other temples I had seen.
"Hah…"
"Oh, traveler?"
As soon as I entered the temple grounds, someone called out.
"Um, greetings. My name is Kron," I focused on the mage with a bald head and thick black beard. Judging by his robes, he was a student of the academy. Sellen had worn a similar mantle. Except this young man lacked a mage's crown, so he was likely a student, not a full-fledged sorcerer.
"Ah? My name is Tops," I introduced myself.
"Pleasure to meet you. It's rare to encounter someone who's retained their wits these days."
"Yes… hard times," he sighed. "May I ask where you're headed?"
"Well, it's no secret," I shrugged. "I wish to visit the Academy of Magic, and the library hall."
"Seeking knowledge?"
He seemed intrigued, as if he'd found a kindred spirit.
"Yes. I recently began studying magic and want to learn as much as I can—not just magic, but all the secrets of this world. Magic is only one of them."
"Ho-ho, I see… but gaining entry to the Academy won't be easy. Its doors have been sealed since the uprising. Ha, and I'm stuck outside. I'd be thrilled to be trapped inside, surrounded by all those books… but luck's not on my side."
"Ah… a magical seal? Does it have a key?"
"Of course, but… I don't even know where to find one."
A seal is like a magical lock. If a mage hasn't lost his mind entirely, he will never create a locking seal without a key. Breaking it is a hundred times harder than creating it.
"That could be a problem," I said, shaking my head. "Though there's the library; surely it holds its own treasures."
"But… it's the tower of the Moon Princess," Tops hesitated. "Even now it must be heavily guarded."
"That's not an issue," I smirked.
"You seem confident," he faintly smiled.
"By the way, have you heard of the sorceress Sellen?"
I wanted to learn more about my mentor. I didn't know much about her.
"Oh, you've heard of her? Lady Sellen is undoubtedly one of the Academy's most talented sorceresses," he said with a nostalgic smile. "Rumors say she was expelled for practicing forbidden rituals—kidnapping and killing students to gather star seeds. But no… that's impossible. I met her. She couldn't do such a thing."
"Really… then why was she expelled?"
"She was talented, but the senior mages may have seen her as too willful… she respected nothing of the royal family. I wouldn't be surprised if these slanders were just a pretext to send her away."
"I see."
"Yes, and you're a mage too…"
"I'm only learning."
"Heh, I understand. I wouldn't call myself a mage either." I nodded understandingly. "How about exchanging knowledge?"
"What do you mean?"
"Let's compare our spells, perhaps help each other develop something new…"
"Oh! That sounds intriguing…"
He was interested, and that earned my affection in return. We were both in love with magic, and it created an immediate bond. Though Tops wasn't as skilled as my mentor, his fresh perspective proved useful. Sometimes Sellen was hard to understand due to the gap in our understanding. But with Tops, it was different. He knew more than me, yet his grasp was comparable.
"You… made your own sigil?" he studied my notes in surprise.
"Yes. It immediately improved, um… the flexibility of my spells. Now I can draw from multiple sources, combining Karian magic and the Shining Stone school."
"Interesting… I never thought of that, but priests also use sigils."
Indeed. Tops opened a blank page and drew several symbols, explaining their purpose.
"This one channels prayers to the Dragon Cult. This one, the Dragon Slayers."
"Really? How are they different?"
"Both seek the power of dragons. But the Dragon Cult appeals to their gods of lightning. Dragon Slayers… believe they can steal a slain dragon's power by consuming its heart. Drinking dragon blood and eating its flesh, they try to become dragons themselves."
"And how successful are they?"
"Halfway, I'd say."
"Hmm…"
Returning to more conventional magic, though Tops wasn't as versed in Shining Stone magic as my mentor, he had begun developing his own spell. Somehow, he had made it functional despite the magic's rules.
"I haven't finished this spell…"
"But it works?"
"Yes, I can show you."
He sighed, striking his staff against the ground. Magic pulsed from the stone atop it.
"Hoo…"
A broken spell. Oddly, it worked precisely because it didn't function correctly. The conflicting components of Tops' spell produced a chaotic wave of magic, disrupting other spells. Used correctly, it could counter enemy magic, though only briefly and not against all forms. I could already see ways to improve it.
"I tried to recreate Karian Retribution using a Shining Stone sigil," Tops explained. "I'm not sure it's worthwhile. It works, but awkwardly."
"Agreed…"
Unexpectedly, I lingered in the temple, engrossed in working with this student. Though I promised Melina to hurry, in truth I had no rush. Some sense of duty made me defer the academy and library, prioritizing escorting her to the capital. Yet, the Great Rune troubled me, demanding further understanding.
Discussing magic with Tops, I revealed more than I intended about my own unique magic—but I could simply rewind time to retain the benefit while limiting what he learned. Even though our interaction lasted days, it took less than an hour in real time.
"Ah… well, sorry. It was fascinating to talk with a fellow student, but I must continue."
"Of course," he sighed. "If only I were stronger… more talented… I'd set off as well. One thing…"
"Yes?"
"I have a small request…"
"I'm listening."
"If you find the key to the seal and enter the academy… if you find another… could you give it to me?"
"You want to get inside? Understood. Don't worry, I'll handle it if I find the key. Where can I find you?"
"I'll be here. Even in a week or a month… even a year… I'll still be here. Nowhere else to go."
"I understand…"
We parted ways so I could continue.
I lingered briefly at a site of grace, strong enough for my companion to manifest.
"The Great Rune won't interfere with the enhancement?"
"No," she shook her head.
Tops watched in astonishment as a young-looking girl appeared from thin air, yet said nothing. I asked Melina to enhance several minor runes—not all at once—while I studied her methods. The final enhancement allowed me to channel the flow of grace from a rune, which we performed together.
"Aha, just need to adapt," I nodded.
Once finished, I resumed my journey through Lake Liurnia. Initially, I intended to conduct experiments while riding Potok, but soon left the temple and came to a local cemetery—the very undead Di had warned me about.
At first glance, it was a normal cemetery, but as Potok trotted past, scattered bones began assembling into small piles.
"Wait… slow down…" I held the horse, observing.
The piles reanimated as skeletons, some clad in rusted armor, wielding ancient, worn weapons. They stood within the cemetery, eyes burning with spectral fire. I didn't approach, merely nudging Potok forward. These creatures were not to my liking.
We descended into the marshes.
"Ugh… ominous atmosphere…"
My voice echoed, mingling with the tinkle of bells. In the dense fog, eerie golden lights flickered.
"Let's go!"
I couldn't see them clearly, but the fog concealed multiple attackers. Groans and scraping accompanied the bells, each chime igniting a light—and the projectiles flew toward me. I paused time, directing Potok toward the light to trace the source.
"What the hell…?"
A frail, decrepit creature in a gray cloak slouched nearly into the mud. Immediately, I noticed something familiar: four arms. Unlike Godric's stitched abominations, these were its own. Dull flames of madness burned in its eyes.
Passing by, I sliced it with a magic blade, then resumed time, reclaiming my runes and moving on.
We soon distanced ourselves from these strange beings, but my poor sense of direction, coupled with marshy fog, returned. Initially, I could see a path, but after nearly an hour of riding, all landmarks vanished. I considered returning to Storm Hill to gain a vantage point over Liurnia and perhaps open a portal.
This thought pierced my mind sharply.
I had limited myself to opening a passage only where I had physically stood.
And then…
A sandy portal vortex appeared before me. Hundreds of meters ahead, another one.
"Brilliant."
I was a genius—just backward. The place I had been was clear in my mind, and now I intended to return to the hill to survey better. But just then, I spotted a fire through the fog.
"Let's go there."
Potok obeyed. We arrived at a small camp where pleasant music played. I quickly spotted a traveler, dressed like Kale—a wandering merchant. He noticed me and paused his music.
"Oh… Extinguished…"
"Greetings."
The meeting was brief. I asked for directions and to see his goods. Among them were several forge stones of varying quality, on which I spent the remaining runes after enhancements—a good preparation for Master Hue, who would teach me blacksmithing.
Afterward, I moved on. The wandering merchants seemed stationary for months, yet I darted about. Who was the real traveler here?
Evening fell over the marsh. The fog thickened, so I rested. I had found the merchant at the base of a cliff—a handy landmark. Nearby, another site of grace allowed Melina to manifest.
"You've been looking around a lot," she smiled. "Lost?"
It seemed she had noticed this trait of mine.
"I know where I'm going," I replied calmly.
"But do you know the way?"
I turned away impassively.
"Pf-ha-ha…"
"Don't be sarcastic."
"Sorry, it was funny," she disarmed me with a smile. "I remember these mountains… I think we need to go that way."
She pointed perpendicular to the cliff, likely northeast.
"You've been here before?"
"I think… I'm not sure. No, I've been here."
"All right. I'll rest a bit, then continue."
"I'm counting on you, Chrono," Melina whispered.
After that, I opened a portal to the Sand World. Golden dunes greeted me with brilliance. A growing tree had stretched slightly more, though its growth had slowed. I decided to rest until morning but felt energetic enough to build—turning this place into my personal base.
Thanks to magic, constructing shapes from enchanted sand became easier. My mind had grown accustomed to forming clear visions that manifested more faithfully in the sand.
The simple dwelling gradually transformed into a small mansion of hardened sand, with golden amber accents. Surrounding dunes compacted into solid surfaces. Nostalgia washed over me—like the creative rush I'd felt building a house in a dollhouse-like game in my previous life.
I also worked on the interior, leaving plenty of space for future furnishings. The one piece I perfected was the large bed, using sand in soft form, as I had done with my clothes.
Once finished, I collapsed into the bed, ready to rest. Morning was still a while away, and I had no need to rise with the sun.
Later, Melina, in spectral form, watched me as usual. She still couldn't follow me to my secret spots, but the mere possibility reassured her that I could handle my mission.
That day, I returned to Storm Hill and used my unusual magic to open a passage directly into the Liurnian marshes. Melina felt a thrill of joy at my progress, and after several such transitions, she watched in astonishment as her champion approached yet another girl.
"Excuse me!" the timid voice called. "Are you the Extinguished? Can you help me? Please!"
In silent shock, Melina realized something.
"Do you need something?" I asked gallantly.
The fake maid felt a sense of superiority, seeing what I could be, though my recent adherence to chivalric ideals amused her.
"Yes… I lost my pendant… no, it was stolen…" she complained uncertainly.
Melina sighed, covering her eyes. She hadn't realized how much these encounters would distract him. The false maid recalled her earlier promise—perhaps letting the Extinguished touch her would help him focus on his goal without being sidetracked.