Bonded Summoner

Book 6. Chapter 22: Divine Vault

Tanda was a little excited as they met their mentor for the second time, her wings fluttering in excitement. Their time spent with him previously hadn’t been long, but he gave helpful guidance. It was from his advice that she chose the Flames of Vengeance Technique over the other one, which looked attractive due to meshing with her cycle.

However, the Flames of Vengeance actually ended up being perfect for her, enabling her to maintain her damage output in their complicated fights. If she had been too busy maintaining her cycle for both the bow and scythe, she thought things would have been far too difficult to get the most out of it.

Over the past few months, Lord Guan Yu had provided her with several updates and congratulations. He recommended she purchase a few books and training primers, to help guide her progression.

There was even some guidance for expecting mothers, which helped make sure she gave her all to ensure Nora was born healthy and safely. Of course, her family had all found similar topics, but that he had been thoughtful showed he cared about more than just her path as a warrior.

Lord Guan smiled at Ophelia. “I’ll have to thank Hestia, Brigid, Cernunnos and Athena later. Such an outcome is unprecedented for you two, and sets an excellent foundation. Now I know my prepared gift for helping with your balance problem will be even better.”

Ophelia asked, “A gift… But what about the laws of balance for the great game? Won’t that make things more challenging for us?”

Tanda knew what Ophelia was asking. If the item was above their Tier, if they hadn’t earned it in some way, it could affect them negatively. Something like when the Life’s Haven boss battle where the boss suddenly powered up, or was stronger as a result could happen. This had been from them being Champions, but receiving powerful items from a patron would have a similar result.

At this point in their lives, few things of the second Tier could really impact them significantly, their hearths performing well above the standard–their races already reaching the third Tier was proof of this.

Something that could fix Ophelia’s need for a death body to go along with her life soul and energy would likely be something unique, and powerful.

“Normally yes,” Guan Yu responded, “but this is why the gift is special. Contained within it is a Trial to win over the inheritance. Personal power is not given freely under the Framework, it must be earned. This item has difficult side effects, and will require constant effort and vigilance.”

Tanda frowned with worry, the ears on the top of her head flattening. “A Trial? Does that mean Lia could be hurt?”

Guan Yu gave Tanda a confident smile. “She could. Even with your strong family’s help in healing, it could take some time to recover if she fails. But the gift and Trial is not only for her, it is for you as well.”

Lia frowned. “Tanda too? But she already has a life body?”

“She does, and that will put her ahead of you for a short time–but not for long. Eventually, your tempering would surpass the life aspect provided by her auril heart and beastkin body, and it would not be able to keep pace. This will fix that.”

An elaborate… burial urn of some kind appeared on the ground. A dark green and black color, it was filled with mysterious scripts and designs, and some strange statues of…what looked like demons. Their visages looked…angry, or even hateful.

“Um…what is it?” Tanda asked, her wings fluttering in anxiety. The moment it appeared, all her fur stood on end, and she was filled with dread. Somehow, it felt like a…terrifying item.

“I can only tell you so much before you begin the Trial. It is Skanda’s Divine Vault of Asura Confinement. Contained within is the sealed energy of dozens of Divas and Asuras, tied to life and death.”

He continued, “You won’t much remember my instructions because your memories will be sealed when you enter the Trial, only remembering what the artifact wants you to. You may not remember family or friends, unless they are vital for the way you are tested. In the Trial, you will be tempted. Only by holding on to who you are and your virtues, can you hope to form the sigils and form the groundwork to obtain an Asura or Diva body–earning the responsibility.”

Tanda asked, “Responsibility?”

Guan Yu nodded. “Once the Divine Vault is consumed in its entirety, the seal the Divas died to create to end the war with the Asuras will have been passed on to you both. Of course, this was just an individual world’s Asuras that were sealed, not all of them. It will take quite some time for you to consume all the energy contained in this treasure. I fully expect for it to take until you’ve reached the third Tier.”

Lia frowned as she looked at the statues. Many of them had numerous heads and arms, and in Tanda’s opinion, they were kind of ugly humanoids. Lia pointed at a particularly fat one, “I’m to have a body like that?”

Lord Guan ran a hand through his long beard. “You will keep your Hearthian body. But the sigils formed on it, like tattoos, will store and grant you the power of one during battle. Asuras are Third and Fourth Tier beings, much like Jake’s Garuda. Their bodies can hold higher elements through their hate and resentment, from bathing in the blood and perverting the power of their enemies–the Divas.”

Lia was incredulous. “I’m going to have to kill Divas to grow? And uh…hate and resent?”

Lord Guan chuckled. “No need. Those contained in this vault have already done that, but are sealed by the Divas of life inside. Balance must be maintained, which is why Tanda here will receive the other half of their power. The sigils will hold the power of the beings, granting your body the energy you require. It will be a struggle even once the Trial is completed, but I believe you two will be perfect for using it to the fullest.”

From Lia’s thoughts, she understood this was a profound gift. It was clear it was powerful, solving their issue of forming a life or death body. Bloodberri had the chaotic chimeral body, and Fhesiah had her odd Yin-Yang body, able to swap between forms.

Tanda was weird, having a life body and death soul, and so this was the reason why, for Jake and Tanda’s sake, she would need to go with a deathly body, instead of just matching her soul.

For Jake and each other, they would do it. If she wanted to be strong enough for the battles to come, she would need to temper her body and soul alike. Ophelia and Tanda’s minds were in sync on the matter, the two’s eyes meeting.

Lia said, “We’ll do it. How do we begin?”

***

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Whispers of hate and anger filled Ophelia’s mind as she fought a faceless being, her body, armor and shield battered and bloody. A black energy roiled on her skin, empowering her blows. She knew not why she was fighting, but the enemies continued to come.

The whispers promised her strength if she gave into the hate, and she could feel the power added to her blows by the darkness without it. Cleaving off the monster’s arm, she deflected the other with her shield and pierced the enemy’s skull. The enemy turned to dust, leaving her alone in a corridor.

She continued her march forward, only one direction available. Ophelia had no idea how she arrived here, and her mind was frantically searching to understand. Her only recollection was that she had entered this Trial, and took this terrifying power for Jake. It was horrible, the voices were so loud that she could hardly hear herself think.

With each worry or fear she had, the voices would capitalize and increase them. Thus, Ophelia did her best to ignore them, to bring calmness in her mind and focus on her task: finding Jake.

Exiting the stone corridor, she never could have expected what she saw. It was an immense valley, an entire world laid out in front of her to explore. However, in the distance, Jake was wounded and unconscious.

Her sister wives fought against several of the faceless enemies. The voices screamed at her hateful things, and despite doing her best to ignore them, thoughts creeped up in her mind. She couldn’t help but feel a tinge of jealousy, that they were defending him instead of her.

Why wasn’t she there with them? Why was she suffering alone? Jake need only will it, and she should be by his side.

The whispers increased in volume, their voices loud and discordant. They said hateful things about how Jake left her to die, or how he clearly loves them more than her, and similar. But then she noticed something far off in the distance.

It was several ormrfolk, and they spotted her upon her exit. They were filled with fear, and they were running away. Somehow, the voices seemed to make a connection.

One held her mother’s spear, filling her with turbulent emotions.

The whispers became shouts, becoming even more hateful and louder, screams wracking her mind. The black energy roiled all along her body, and she screamed in return. Only one thought filled her mind, her unable to think for herself as dozens of voices all said the same things.

Vengeance.

If she just chased after the ormrfolk, she could have her revenge! Her new power would carve their flesh with ease, and they would finally suffer for their betrayal once and for all!

Her body moved on its own volition, her steps taking her in the direction of the ormrfolk–but she could hear her sister wives were faltering in their fights. The faceless beings were too strong, and they appeared to have a near single-minded determination to go after the downed Jake.

The voices were screaming in her mind, and so finally–

She screamed back.

With a shout and a flex of her will, her roar overwhelmed the voices and she shoved back against them. Using her training in Expert Energy Manipulation, she imposed her might against the odd energy.

But it was too strong to completely defeat. Her shove caused ripples along the black energy along her body, and she used this opportunity to dash toward the thing she cared about most–Jake. A flittering thought remembered something else of great importance, but her mind was too foggy to hold on to it.

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She dashed as she yelled, swirling her vajrafire flames through her body as she flapped her wings in haste. The voices were strong, and she didn’t know how long she could hold them back. Her lance pierced deeply into one of the creatures as she screamed, joining her sister-wives in battle.

***

Tanda was in a verdant jungle, the vitality of life contained within immense. She flew around not remembering how she arrived there, wondering if she was in some sort of enemy trap. Creatures milled about, peaceful ones that were filled with vitality and power.

Eventually, she heard a bleating cry, a wail of torment and pain. Changing direction, she flew toward the sound.

The cry came from a white elephant–but it was covered in a black miasma. A horrible taint had encroached the animal, and it was crying for help. The energy appeared to be spreading, and even arriving near, Tanda felt it assaulting her. Black had crawled up the neighboring plants and grass, like a crater of horrifying energy.

She could tell the elephant didn’t have long for this world, the rate at which it was dying far too rapid. Willing her cyclical auril heart to beat strongly, a wave of vitality and life filled her body. Drawing the mana from her Hearthian core through her vines, she formed the runes for a healing spell, pushing the effects of Purifying Flames into it.

The elephant was bathed in white light, some of the taint being burned away–but the amount that remained was immense. Her spell helped, but its presence still declined–she could tell it would require her giving her all to save it.

It wailed once more, and Tanda pushed herself closer–even as the taint appeared to react from her presence and efforts.

The taint began to encroach her body, and she couldn’t help but give out a cry of pain. She backed off a little to ensure she could purge what remained–while she wanted to help this creature, she wasn’t sure about risking her life for it. She had a child to go back to, after all. Wait a minute, just where was her child?

Tanda focused on what was in front of her for the moment. Storming through the taint, she arrived next to the elephant, where she released several spells in a row. Her Auril Sublimation of Life was released from her, manifesting her will and shoving away the horrible energy. She used her auril and mana to add Rejuvenation to the elephant, while she converted her hearth’s flames to runic spells of healing as well.

Despite all she did, the taint roiled as it crawled up her body. The grisly energy felt like it was endless. Like burning ants biting into her flesh all over her body, pain surged into her mind. But her efforts bore fruit: the horrible miasma had left the elephant in greater quantities, enabling her to help the creature further.

Time lost all meaning as pain ravaged her senses and she fought to save the poor animal. It cried and wailed in pain, and Tanda redoubled her efforts to help. She didn’t know how long she was at it, but eventually, the miasma was healed.

Sighing with relief, she purged the rest of it from her body. She patted the elephant’s side.

It trumpeted its trunk in victory, as it stood. To her shock, it spoke into her mind.

“Thank you for saving me. My heart is filled with gratitude for your heroic efforts. Please, take this as a reward.”

The elephant gestured its trunk to the side, and suddenly Tanda felt immense life energy coming from a magnificent plant in the distance. A flower opened up, and a jewel sat inside its bulb, giving off life energy to the surrounding area in waves. Closing her eyes, she examined the energy–and she could feel the same coming from the elephant.

Tanda frowned. It was beautiful and likely very useful to have, but she could tell that if she took it, the plants and trees in the area, along with the elephant, would suffer. It likely needed it for its own growth.

“Thank you, but I don’t need a reward. I was happy to ease your suffering and help. Destroying that horrible taint is reward enough.”

“Such compassion and selflessness. Thank you, beast daughter.”

Tanda continued on her way, exploring this strange world. To her shock, she eventually found her daughter wandering in the woods. In the distance was an odd gate, and she scooped up Nora, giving her a hug.

“What are you doing here! I’m so glad you’re okay!”

Her daughter just laughed and hugged into her embrace.

Nora looked over the vast green with wonder, her eyes wide. “This place feels good, Mommy. Like home.”

“This place is strange.” Tanda muttered, knowing it was like Highlands but also not at the same time. There was magic in the air, and it was brimming with life energy even beyond it. But beyond the gate, she could feel it–an even more powerful vitality was within. She imagined it would be just as great as a true world tree.

Suddenly some vines moved, and she realized a strange humanoid covered in vines and other plant life was standing nearly in front of them this whole time. It almost reminded her of Cernunnos, a powerful aura emanating from it.

The humanoid replied, “Paradise. Beyond the gate is a land of perfection, a world brimming with endless vitality. A place you can live out your days in wonder, though you may never leave.”

Visions were shown in Tanda’s eyes, of her and Nora living out their lives in what could only be described as heaven. She and her child would never want for anything, the abundance of nature providing all they could ever want.

“Funny plant man! I like him, mommy.”

“You do?”

“Why wait, mommy? Let’s go!”

Nora nearly leaped out of her arms, but Tanda held her tightly.

The place felt wonderful, and imagining Nora living in such a paradise made Tanda wish to enter. Something tittered on the edge of her mind as she tried to remember other family members, but shifted as she tried to remember anything else before making a decision.

It was then that she remembered something from her people’s history. Highlands was a paradise too, a balanced perfection with no conflict. The beastkin managed the beasts and were custodians of all nature where they sang their songs of life and love and the food was plentiful.

Until the Death God arrived and destroyed nearly everything. Whatever this paradise was, it would leave her weak, and leave Nora weak. When it was time to fight, no matter how full of life and vitality her children, or her children’s children were, they would struggle when tested.

Not only that, but a low growl nearly escaped her throat. How could she stay and enjoy this perfection while others suffer, the wicked free to run loose unpunished? Tartarus was still ever present, and even if this heaven was safe, she wanted no part of it while others suffered.

“This is not my paradise. Highlands is my home, for all its flaws and challenges. I must find my way to return, and get back to the fight.”

A voice laughed. “Good! Good. That you can refuse the siren’s call of paradise while having such compassion is special. You shall make a worthy inheritor. Please, use it well.”

Suddenly, immense life energy surged toward Tanda’s shoulder, forming a powerful sigil. The world faded away as she basked in the powerful energies of life entering her body.

Tanda’s memories returned, slamming into her mind as she groaned and Nora disappeared. She realized that she passed the Trial–she only hoped that her dear friend passed hers.

***

Ophelia slayed the last faceless creature, the girls having worked together to defeat them. The entire time she fought, the voices shouted in rage and hate. Deathly energy roiled along her skin, empowering her and dragging her into the depths of hatred and despair both.

She fell to her knees, exhausted. The voices continued their shouts, and it was a struggle just keeping herself from lashing out at her sister wives. Stirring her vajrafire flames, she did her best to fight off and purify the effect.

“He’s not waking up–something’s wrong!” Tanda’s voice was desperate.

Berri could be seen sending healing energy into Jake alongside her, and Fhesiah was quick to join them.

Fhesiah swept over him with Divine Sense, “Something is tainting him from within. Something…” She turned to Ophelia.

“Oh no, Lia!”

Tanda flew over and tried to heal her too–but the dark energy lashed out at her. “Eep!”

Faye walked over, her expression grim. “It’s her. The energy is coming from her, and hurting Jake.”

She was hurting Jake? The…dark energy?

“I’m afraid… she’s too far gone. We have to end her to save Jake.” Fhesiah’s voice was somber, but hard to hear over the voices.

Tanda gasped. “No! There must be some other way!”

She lies, the voices assured her. Fhesiah only wanted Jake all to herself, she was quick to sacrifice Ophelia–she never liked her as much as the other girls.

Berri tried casting her Divine Intervention on Ophelia, but the tainted energy hardly faltered. Ophelia railed against the deathly energy, but her will, her mental energy was well and truly spent.

Berri had tears in her eyes. “We can’t save Lia, either. What do we do?”

The voices only screamed and got more angry, saying hateful and more terrible things. They reminded her of the ormrfolk, that if she ran she just might be able to slay them and get her revenge. But she shoved those voices and thoughts away, focused on looking at Jake. Darkness was crawling up his body, and despite being filled with despair, she knew she needed to act soon. What she needed to do.

With tears in her eyes, Ophelia said, “Please, just end me. And…take care of Jake.”

Blood hefted her large axe. “I’m so sorry, sister. I don’t know what happened to you, but I know your will. You would rather give yourself up than to be the one to kill Jake.”

The energy on her skin roiled and raged, and Ophelia was filled with despair as she fought against it–as it tried to stop the axe from falling. But the world blurred and faded away, the energy disappearing.

“You managed to control your hatred and anger, having a truly pure heart. Then you had such loyalty to your loved ones, and such strength of will in a warrior. You will make a fine inheritor of the Vault.”

Sigils formed on her shoulder, the deathly energies from before drawn in. But rather than the tainted visions from before, a much more purified version of death flowed. It now felt much closer to Tanda’s deathly hunt or flames of vengeance.

The two returned to their bodies, and the burial urn had changed. Several of the Asuras had been switched to Divas on the outside, and they stood or sat in positions holding mudras–various hand symbols meant to seal away the evil.

The treasure now emanated the deathly energies contained within Ophelia’s new black sigils, and also Tanda’s life energies within her green runes. For now, the strange lettering was just on their shoulders like a tattoo.

“Well done. An excellent outcome.”

Ophelia frowned. “There was more than one outcome? Aside from…being infected by the hate, I guess?”

“That you had the control and will to submit yourself to the object of your loyalty was the best outcome. You discarded all desire and resigned yourself to your fate, all for the sake of your lover and lord. In truth, you had passed the Trial when you rushed to save him over seeking your revenge.”

Tanda’s ears were flat on her head, and tears filled her eyes as she realized how terrible Ophelia’s vision must have been. “That sounds horrible! It’s like you died for Jake a second time. Um, I don’t think my Trial had anything like that?”

Guan Yu nodded solemnly. “Her burden is bigger than yours, and thus the Trial was more challenging. The power earned is also greater, the Asura body not just providing death energy, but great strength.”

“Oh! That’s great, Lia!” Tanda beamed, happy for her friend. Ophelia was relieved as Tanda hugged her with arms and wings, but both of them were mentally exhausted.

“It will be a challenging power to master, and will require great vigilance. The voices you experienced in the Trial will return even in combat, and can be more insidious and harmful to you if you do not control it. You both must also grow your sigils in sync, as they are linked.”

He added, “So congratulations, you two. You have gained much. For now, rest a bit with your loved ones, and we shall continue training for battle later.”

Guan Yu disappeared, heading to one of the areas they set aside for the guests.

The two then teleported to their nature preserve, and began watching their kids playing happily. The kids chased the spriggons and fire spirits through the forest, trying to tag and capture them.

Ophelia sighed. “That trial was horrible. To think I didn’t even remember my own daughter… I was really prepared to die. It felt so…real.”

Tanda hugged her from the side tightly. “And you still did it for Jake! You’re amazing, Lia!”

Even though Jake was busy with his training, he arrived and joined them in their hug. His love and feelings for the two girls was sent over their bond, wrapping them in warmth and affection. Once again, they had a difficult Trial, but had become stronger as a result.