Chapter 1706: Training



After three relentless weeks of digging, carefully concealing their path, and pushing through the dark underground passages, Emery, Master Borin, and Atlas finally arrived at a location in the vicinity of the place indicated by Commander Sheperd.

Guided by Atlas's seismic scan, they discerned the unique crescent-shaped mountain and three miles near it, the scanner picked up remnants of ancient broken ruins.

Despite their curiosity, they were constrained by the spirit soul imprint. This mark, branded upon them by the dark elves, acted like a chain and threatened to expose them at any moment. A mere peek outside their shelter could alert the relentless dark elf trackers.

The risk was too great to take. Even using clones could emit energy signatures detectable by the dark elves, and neither Emery nor the others were willing to gamble on such an uncertain plan.

They found themselves trapped in proximity to their destination but unable to reach it. 

As they settled into their makeshift camp in a secure place deep underground, Master Borin broke the silence, his voice tinged with a mix of hope and concern. "So how's your training progressing?" he asked.

He knew that Emery had been spending hours every day probing the spirit souls of the elves, they had even ventured into the orc hive, braving peril to gather more ingredients to aid Emery's work.

"No, not yet… I still need time," he confessed.

His training had been a journey of frustration, despair, and fleeting triumphs. In truth, the last three weeks had seen the destruction of five dark elf souls, their essence consumed by his relentless quest. 

As the weight of their circumstances pressed heavily on them, Master Borin seemed to have a spark of inspiration. He cleared his throat, drawing Emery's attention. "I've been pondering an idea," he began tentatively, glancing at Atlas.

Over the past few days, with the meticulous precision of a seasoned craftsman, the blacksmith master had been rebuilding Atlas, limb by limb. Every piece he fitted was shaped with care, but there was an intrinsic problem. The core component of Atlas, the heart of the construct, was beyond repair without specific parts. The result was an Atlas operating at just over half his potential—54% efficiency to be exact.

Master Borin hesitated as if trying to find the right words, then he ventured, "My idea is to send just the mechanical parts of him to check on the ruins, without the souls"

The suggestion was audacious. Extracting Atlas's soul, leaving the machine's body to operate purely on mechanical instincts felt too... inhumane. But to his surprise, Atlas intervened with a voice filled with determination

"Emery, you know that my ultimate purpose is to find Eeshoo. If this gambit brings me a step closer to that goal, I'm ready to risk it."

"But... I don't have the ability to put your soul back in, at least not here. You might lose your body for good," he said, his voice quivering with concern. The words hung in the air, a grim reminder of the stakes.

He knew that this would mean that Atlas was as good as dead, just like the other spirit souls he had experimented on.

Atlas's mechanical face remained impassive, but its voice carried a firm resolve. "Emery, there's nothing much in the body that was the real me. I don't mind."

The words were simple, but they carried the weight of sacrifice, of a willingness to put everything on the line for a greater purpose. In that moment, Emery realized the depth of Atlas's commitment, the strength of its character.

As they weighed the implications of their options, Master Borin's face brightened with excitement. Sensing the gravity of the situation, but also the potential of his idea, he leaned in and began to elaborate.

"You know, if we were to proceed with this plan, I could create a device from the materials we have on hand," he said, his voice infused with enthusiasm. "I can copy Atlas's memory and connect it with a strong enough artifact. We could store Atlas's essence and still have access to some of his functions that don't require physical limbs."

He looked at Emery, his eyes wide with anticipation, his mind racing with possibilities. The blacksmith's hands were already moving, sketching invisible designs in the air, constructing the theoretical device in his imagination.

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Atlas, ever pragmatic, added another layer to the conversation. "There's also the matter of the ship that Nephilim prepared. It only has room for two people. By proceeding with this plan, we could circumvent that limitation as well."

The room buzzed with energy as the idea took shape, growing from a mere suggestion into a tangible possibility. It was a solid plan, one that addressed their immediate concerns and offered a way forward.

Yet Emery's mind was clouded with doubt. He looked at his friends, their faces glowing with hope and determination, and felt a pang of uncertainty. He took a deep breath and broke the silence with a refusal.

"We're not really in a rush. Even if we find Eeshoo's remains and make the necessary preparations for the ship, we still can't leave right away. The gravitational anomaly of this planet comes every 90 days, which means we still have 70 days until the next window for the ship to launch."

His words hung in the air, a sobering reminder of their predicament. He continued, "Meanwhile, let's just stay low, away from our chasers, and give me more time with the spirit souls. We don't need to take unnecessary risks."

Master Borin's face fell, but he nodded in understanding. "Ok, how long do you need? I still need time to create the necessary device," he said, his mind still occupied with the possibilities.

Emery glanced at the blacksmith, a knowing look in his eye, and said "And remember, in the event that I'm in deep concentration, Atlas will be the only one that can protect you."

The words struck home, and Master Borin's expression changed instantly. The weight of the situation, the reality of their vulnerability, settled upon him. He looked at Emery, then at Atlas, and his voice softened.

"Take as much time as you need," he said, his tone filled with trust and understanding.

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Now that they no longer need to dig a tunnel, Emery could now turn his attention back to his spirit-soul training, a task that required his full concentration and unbroken focus

As Emery took a moment of silence, his hand drifted to his chest, fingers brushing against the pulsating entity nestled there. It was as if a current flowed between them, the hum of energy vibrating subtly under his touch. 

With a deep breath, he opened the spatial space, a rift in reality that served as the doorway to the Khaos gate room. As he stepped through, the Khaos guardian greeted him with an air of anticipation.

<You are back, kid, continue with your interesting experiment, I suppose..>

Emery greeted the mythical creature for a moment before heading  to a secluded corner. There, two ornate containers sat side by side, almost identical except for their contents. One glowed with a mysterious light, holding the essence of dark elves' souls, while the other shimmered, capturing the essence of human souls.

Drawing a deep breath, Emery settled down beside the containers, folding his legs into the lotus position. Here, inside the Khaos gate room, he felt a dense concentration of spirit energy envelop him. The atmosphere was charged, and he could feel the power rejuvenating the spirits, maintaining their vitality.

He reached into the dark elf soul container, his fingers brushing against a tangible coolness. Extracting a single spirit, he placed it before him and lit the [Spirit Rejuvenating Incense]. The fragrant smoke curled upwards, wrapping the spirit in its embrace. This act was now almost ritualistic, having done it countless times in the past weeks. He channeled energy towards the spirit, following the teachings of Master Flemming.

Yet, Emery was set to advance his training. Invoking the [Spirit Walk], a unique skill he learned from tales of Morgana's encounter with Killgragah, he prepared himself to delve into the deeper recesses of the spirit's mind.  The technique was risky, uncharted, but Emery was nothing if not determined.

As he channeled the skill, the world around him shifted, morphing into an otherworldly realm.

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