Heated Will

Al was standing in the ashes which he somehow was responsible for. His gaze dropped to the crimson leather band wrapped around his left wrist. His fingers reached for the map Master Roshan had given him, only to be met with disheartening ashes where it once lay. "It doesn't matter," he reassured himself, brushing off the setback. "I wasn't too far off track anyway."

Al ventured forth in his original direction. Yet, as he treaded upon the valleys landscape, an unsettling realization dawned upon him—there were no astral beings to be seen. Their absence sparked a cascade of questions within his mind.

"Did my astral body return to its place? Did it die and come back? Was it inside me inverted, and it is now outside of me again? Is that why I can feel again?" Al pondered, his footsteps echoing through the desolate valley.

"Agnethe," Al whispered, the name heavy with regret. He knew that he had to face her parents, to confess the truth, to shoulder the blame.

"Where did I go wrong, why did things repeat themselves the way they did? If I am running in circles, how can I trust myself, who can go against fate?" The questions echoed through his mind.

"Ellie, Cesar, and Jin... It's probably best if you move on without me." The weight of his memories bore down upon him. He repeatedly led those he loved to their own demise, someone like that was more akin to a Devil then a human or Immortal.

"I'm sorry," he whispered into the quiet, as if the wind might carry his remorse.

Amidst the hush of his own thoughts, Al was abruptly interrupted by the swift passage of six shadows. His eyes tracked their fleeting movement, acknowledging their presence, they noticed him but paid him no mind, their purpose undeterred. It struck him—their trajectory mirrored his own.

Minutes later, a colossal tree loomed into view, its girth stretching out in countless arm spans. A gaping maw marred its bark, an entrance into its ancient heart. He strode towards the dark maw, peering into its depths. At the bottom, he could see the outline of a tunnel.

With a determined leap, Al descended into the waiting darkness, the cool earth beneath his feet, and ventured forth along the winding passage.

As Al ventured deeper into the cavernous expanse, he found himself inside a large cavern with a dome, the closest Mortal Ring of the Lightning-stone Leaf. It was a sight to behold, but what truly captured Al's attention was the astonishing array of animals in robes. Their presence, though remarkable, was not entirely unfamiliar; he knew that animals, too, could cultivate their Will, but he had never encountered so many in one place.

His thoughts turned practical as he surveyed his surroundings. The memory of facing adversaries unarmed gnawed at him. "I can't afford to be caught defenseless again," he mused inwardly. "It only complicates matters."

Another matter weighed on his mind—the loss of the C-stone bestowed upon him by Godfrey.

Al's familiarity with the intricate design of the Mortal Rings led him to search for a 6-story building shaped like a pyramid. He quickly found it, but the entrance was guarded by a young man cloaked in a brown robe. The man's terms for admission were clear, and Al, without merits or a C-stone to even hold merits, decided to negotiate.

"I don't have a C-stone at the moment," Al began, meeting the man's gaze with unwavering determination, "but if you grant me access, I promise to pay you 30 merits within a week."

A moment of contemplation passed before the man replied, his voice laden with a veiled threat. "I'll let you in for 50 merits," he countered, "and if you fail to uphold your promise, I'll ensure you're forever barred from any facility within the 11th Mortal Ring of the Lightning-stone Leaf."

"We have a deal!" Al agreed without hesitation, mindful of the unforgiving nature of the Mortal Rings. Swiftly, he paid the entry fee with debt, securing passage into the bustling shopping district. Within, he was met with a sight he knew well—a room with four shops positioned in a face-off, and one solitary establishment nestled in the far rear.

Turning his attention to the entrance leading to the next room, Al was met with a similar sight. A void, a dark portal adorned with arcane runes etched along its edges.

With resolute determination, he stepped through, crossing over with remarkable ease. On the other side, he found himself in a space akin to the previous yet filled with different vendors offering an array of wares.

Al passed through two more portals, traversing two more rooms until he reached a chamber that, though reminiscent of the prior ones, held a peculiar divergence.

Instead of an entrance to the next room, there spiraled a set of stairs, winding upwards in a mesmerizing ascent. Intrigued, he ventured forth, ascending the steps to catch a glimpse of where they led.

Upon reaching the second floor, he was met with yet another portal entrance. This time, however, when he stepped through there was a palpable change in the air. Al sensed a sudden pressure, a force that threatened to push him out where he not in the Mental Domain.

Inside, he found himself amidst four shops, each offering items distinct from those on the floor below. Curiously, none of them stocked C-stones, a striking departure from the previous level. After a brief survey, Al retraced his steps, reemerging on the first floor.

Half an hour passed, and Al emerged from the pyramid building, two C-stone's clasped in his hand. Their central crystal bore a peculiar shade of brown. Wasting no time, he engaged with one of the C-stones, channeling his Stubborn will into its core.

As he stepped outside the pyramid shop collective, he found himself with a debt of 220 Merits, a necessary cost. Aside from the two C-stones Al purchased the most budget-friendly longsword available.

Next Al navigated towards the very heart of the dome, his destination the Center for Merits and Tasks Exchange. His appearance, marked by the striking contrast of his snowy-white hair against his apparent age, drew the attention of fellow Cultivators.

Al emerged from the exchange center, now carrying a debt of 250 merits. However, he now had a task worth 350 merits upon completion. He made his way out of the Mortal Ring, setting forth to fulfill the task he'd undertaken.

Retrieving his C-stone, Al scrutinized the details of the task. It outlined the target: a dark acolyte, pallid blue skin veiled by a white robe, and in its company, a peculiar hybrid, part bull, part grasshopper. A confident grin played across Al's lips. "Haha, easier than I anticipated," he murmured to himself, longsword in hand he dashed through the forest.

"Mhhh if I did acquire a second Will, it's not in the Mental Domain." He pondered as he ran through the magical spells that belonged to his Stubborn Will.

Al retraced his steps to the scorched earth where he had once been ambushed, a stark reminder of the confrontation. Focusing on the path the white-robed figure had taken in their hasty retreat, Al scrutinized the ground for any discernible clues. It had only been a day, a faint imprint was still visible, reminiscent of a human's foot.

Following the direction indicated by the impression, Al ventured forth, following fragments of a chrysalis-like material that disintegrated at his touch. He proceeded with utmost care, moving in silence, every step deliberate, as he pursued the elusive trail.

As daylight began to dwindle, Al pressed on. Suddenly the trail seemed to vanish, leaving him at an impasse. "On your right." Al's ring spoke to him, instinctively he jumped out of the way as a white spear landed where he was standing.

Reacting with lightning reflexes, Al raised his longsword, scanning the surroundings for any sign of the unseen assailant. A flash of light to his left drew his attention, and he pivoted just in time to deflect another incoming spear.

The impact proved too much for his weapon, shattering it, but not before sending the spear spiraling away.

Seeing Al's weapon had shattered the attacker exposed itself; it was the white robed figure that had attacked Al a day ago and was the target in his task.

The dark acolyte moved with uncanny speed, a blur of motion as it closed in on Al, spear poised for a deadly strike. Al's instincts kicked in, and he leapt backward, narrowly evading a direct hit. A shallow cut marred his chest.

In the same breath, the dark acolyte pressed forward, spear aimed for Al's heart. However, Al's face broke into a confident smile. With a swift motion, he summoned his Stubborn Will, his longsword regenerated into its original state. With a deft parry, he thwarted the acolyte's attack, leaving it vulnerable and exposed.

Without a moment's hesitation, Al seized the opportunity, his blade cleaving through the air in a single, decisive swing decapitating the dark acolyte. The creature fell to its knees unsure how it had lost.

Al looked at his Stubborn Will's etheric shell his ring which absorbed the mist that the creature dissipated into. "Not bad." he said, he hadn't ever really used his Stubborn Will spells since he had Midnight Abyss, he had no need for them.

Having successfully completed the task, Al made his way back to the exchange center. The individual who had sanctioned the task still occupied their position; their astonishment evident upon seeing the white-haired man who had undertaken a task typically meant for a group of six cultivators within the Physical Domain accomplish it in one day.

Before leaving, Al secured an hour of access to the Alchemical labs within the Mortal Ring. Then, he headed toward the pyramid-shaped shopping facility, paying off his debt to the still-bewildered man stationed at the entrance. The unexpected promptness of payment left the man utterly surprised.

With debts repaid and tasks accomplished, a common inquiry arose from each of them: "What's your name?" Al answered, "Alexander Adamos."

With Agnethe's family residing within an Immortal Ring of the Supreme Leaf, Al saw the need to bolster his resources. He had initially purchased two C-stones, harboring an idea he was eager to test.

Next on his agenda was a visit to the Alchemical Labs. He retrieved the second C-stone, carefully nurturing it with what he thought was his second Will. Ascending to the second floor, he entered the room he had secured.

Within, he found a sizable Armillary, accompanied by an intriguing book placed before it. With deliberate care, Al retrieved his second C-stone, placing it in a stone stele positioned beside the Armillary.

As he activated it, the rings of the contraption sprang to life, spinning and rotating. The outermost ring displayed a sun and moon, diametrically opposed, while the inner rings bore the likeness of celestial bodies.

The armillary seemed to pulse with a newfound vitality, only for the sun to gracefully ascend just above the moon, evoking the essence of a serene sunrise. Soon after, the celestial bodies settled into a state of equilibrium.

Turning his attention to the book before him, Al searched for the page that mirrored the armillary's current configuration. His gaze flitted from page to page and realized how time consuming it was. "Wow, Romann found ours so quickly," he mused in a hushed tone, a note of admiration in his voice. He continued to meticulously compare the illustrations on paper with the physical formation before him.

As the hour drew to a close, Al's persistent search yielded results. He stumbled upon a page that closely mirrored the arrangement of the armillary. The title of the page caught his attention: "Common Will: Heated Will." It provided a detailed description of how this particular manifestation worked—it was centered around the generation of heat, effectively increasing the temperature within a defined space. The text even offered guidance on the optimal conditions for cultivation: a brightly lit room.

Yet, what truly captured Al's interest was a detail he had heard mentioned before but had never paid much heed to. His eyes locked onto the phrase "Rooted in the energy plane of the Divine Entity Oou." The term "Divine Entity" sparked his curiosity.