Integration Phase

POV Virion Eralith

It has been a week since the Assimilation process began with the beast will that Tessia and Alea received

They have been very excited about what Julian gave them, so they are very active every day in their training

Julian has also been helping with the process, since he has experience doing it

But I have felt a kind of strange energy emanating from him every time he helps Tessia and Alea

I don't know what he does, but he is speeding up the assimilation process, so I decided to ask exactly what he was doing, I waited until the training was over and what Alea with Tessia left

"You have nothing to say to me, kid, you always keep too many secrets, that's not fun" I said starting the conversation

"I don't think I'm hiding anything, but because you realized it," he replied.

"Stop playing with me and talk, I know you're not hurting Tessia, but I'm interested in how you're speeding up the process" I said moving my hands in a sign of annoyance

He made a thoughtful expression as if he were analyzing several things at the same time

"Can you ask the guards to leave?", he said looking around

I narrowed my eyes and made a sign for everyone to leave, "it's done talk"

"Do you know what's after the white core?" He said creating a sound barrier around him

For a couple of seconds I observed the barrier around us, this was something that did not match what I am looking at from his core

That only means that his central level is not the Solid Yellow, that I am seeing, but it is much higher, when did you get so far kid, I'm almost sure you're already in Initial Silver

I brought my hand to my chin and replied "I don't know, I've never seen anyone go beyond that, I've always thought that's the limit"

He narrowed his eyes and spoke again "Then let's change the question, how do you think the deities that gave those crutches to your ancestors, that now have Alea and Aya, were born?"

My expression contorted in a complicated way and I said "how do you know about those artifacts, and why do you call them crutches"

"There are many stories in Dicathen, it is not too difficult to intuit this kind of information, besides I think you know better than anyone where the information came from if you know that I have a Deity as a bond" Julian replied

"Since when do you know?, and you still haven't answered me why you call the artifacts crutches" I said grabbing my forehead

"From the beginning how was I not going to know that a Deity was training me, besides that's why you didn't ask me for specific details when I came back after three years or am I wrong" Julian said crossing his arms

"Haaaah, yes, you're right, I didn't think you knew so much, do you know exactly what the artifacts are for?" I said giving him a serious look

"I know they help the silver stage magicians reach the white core, besides they are linked to the soul of their bearer and the key or control they have the kings of each of the three kingdoms in Dicathen" he said listing the characteristics of the artifacts that each royalty of the continent possesses

"I guess I have nothing to tell you, but how does this affect what you've been doing to Tessia and Alea?" I said without taking my eyes off him

"The artifacts they gave them are defective, at the same time that they help them reach the white core, they damage their outer part so that they cannot purify their central stage more" he said returning my gaze

"Why would they do that?, there is no need for that kind of thing with beings like us, besides why didn't we notice it" I said with a frown

"That is a mistake they made by blindly trusting the deities, but the truth is that the artifacts barely take you to the initial white core stage, limiting how far you can go; however, there is something else called the integration stage, does the name sound familiar to you?" Julian said asking me

"It sounds like the stages of a beast tamer" I replied somewhat confused

"Correct, the damage that the cores of the people who have the artifacts suffer is so minimal that they do not notice it and with their magic still working they do not even believe that something like that has happened, but the truth is that the outer walls of the core receive a small damage and that prevents them from continuing to refine their core, now tell me Grandfather Virion what do you think exactly is the integration stage?, and why do you think the deities do not want us to know about it?"

"If I go by what I know of the beast tamers, I would say then that the integration stage is the union of the body with the core and if the deities decided to hide it in my opinion it can only be due to two reasons: one is very dangerous for us or two is very dangerous for them" I said exposing my reasoning

"It seems that the wrinkles are not just for show" he said with a mischievous smile

"Jeee if you keep talking like that, it will be harder for you to get my granddaughter's hand" I said in a provocative tone

"Why do you have to bring her into this" he said in an exasperated tone

"Because it's fun, I haven't been able to tease you many times and more now that you also have the princess of Sapin interested in you, there are many possibilities" I said about to laugh

The boy made a face of annoyance and said, "be careful lately lost magics fly to people and die for no apparent reason" he said looking around

"Is that a threat?", I said with a raised eyebrow smiling mischievously

"How could this poor and innocent lamb threaten the hero of Elenoir" he said mockingly

After that he spoke again "now as I was saying you are right, the integration stage is the fusion of your core with the body and indeed the reason why they hide it is because it is dangerous for them"

Cheeky kid diverting the topic, I thought as I listened to his reasoning "Why is it dangerous for them?" I spoke asking something that troubled me

What reason would the deities have to hide this kind of thing from us and limit our growth?

"To maintain their Power, the integration stage is in my opinion the path to the evolution of the races and the overcoming of all the mortal limitations that we have as lesser beings" he said in a very serious tone

"What do you mean" he said squinting his eyes with visible interest on my face

"I have been watching Silvie for a long time and during her growth I noticed something particular, although this is only my speculation, I can say that their bodies are already in an integration stage since they are born" he said looking at me and making a pause so that I could understand what he was saying

I understand approximately where his words are going, but how does he know this?, and why is he telling me?, he could have kept the information

"Continue" I replied after a few minutes after meditating on my possible conclusions

"What I saw in Silvie's body is that the mana integrated in her body is a kind of deviant, as for the elves it can be plant magic, humans with lightning magic or dwarves with metal magic, the way they process mana and how it coexists with them is unique, that trait only appears when you reach the integration stage or that is my assumption" he said in a thoughtful tone

"If I believe your words that means that the reason why the deities blocked our growth, is to keep us controlled and not feel threatened by a power that they themselves gave" I said trying to affirm my reasoning

"It's true, what they didn't count on was the existence of the beast tamers, these people unknowingly got a clue to reach higher heights, only that there was no one who questioned everything I'm telling you, besides not many people get to that point either" Julian replied

"You're right, no one would have imagined that there was such a hidden secret about the deities" I spoke thinking about the implications of what I had just understood

"Now, as you know, the assimilation of the will of beasts gives a kind of deviated magic to its bearer, so using my knowledge and skills with the management of mana I have been helping Tessia and Alea to speed up the process" he said explaining the process

"I suppose that's something that only you or Arthur can do being quadra elementals" I spoke trying to affirm by my speculation

"I'm surprised you're not still king with your reasoning ability" Julian said in a curious tone

"I got bored by that, I gave up the position" I replied in an apathetic tone

After all I was too tired and wanted to get away from that position where I lost many things

He gave me a sympathetic look and spoke "I told you this because I trust you a lot and I know you won't tell anyone, but I need you to promise me that under no circumstances will you talk about this with anyone else not even your son or Tessia" he said in a serious tone

"Don't worry, this is a delicate topic that is better not to meddle with" besides we don't know if they are watching what we do, I thought as I answered

What do I do at my age, I didn't think I would end up discovering something of this caliber and surely this kid must know more things, but, "kid why did you reveal this to me and now of all times" I asked

"I'm going to use one of the three requests I have, that is that you don't ask me anymore" he said with a complicated look

"Do you plan to reveal what you know someday?" I questioned

"Yes, I promise you that" he said giving me a smile full of concern and affection

That look told me that he was trying to protect not only me, but many other people, I know because that is a look that I had in the war against Sapin in the past

"Haaa I'll be waiting" I said sighing as I stood up and left the garden

Julian seeing this deactivated the sound barrier and allowed me to leave

I needed to think about many things, with this situation I felt that they shook the foundations of what I knew

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POV Julian Kingscrown

As I watched Virion leave I had mixed feelings, I knew this would place some kind of burden on his shoulders, but it was something I needed

There is no one like him to be a war leader in Dicathen, I need him to understand that we are alone, not even the deities that apparently support us in the future consider us their allies, we are nothing but their convenient chess pieces, which if they become useless will be eliminated

After that I also left the patio and started walking to my room

At night I was called to the dining room to enjoy a dinner with Virion and Tessia

Alduin and Merial had left for a small meeting with the leaders of the other kingdoms, knowing this I must leave to see Gideon the time becomes more and more essential

After dinner each one went to their room or so I thought until I found Tessia waiting in front of mine

"You don't know that it's inappropriate for a lady to be waiting in front of a boy's room at night" I said looking at her beautiful features

She is growing very well if I say so myself, she is becoming very beautiful and more, the more I look at her the more I feel that there is some kind of relationship between her and Frei

But the Acclorite doesn't show me any reaction even when I'm next to Tessia

I calmed my mind and started walking towards the elf princess

"Do you have something to tell me?" I spoke as she looked at me

She seemed somewhat indecisive or restless, maybe that's the best way to describe her reactions

She took my hand and led me to one of the balconies overlooking the moon

If there was something I agreed with the moronic nobles of Xyrus and Elijah it was that she definitely deserved the name of moon princess

As I thought that, I received a hug from her, completely surprising me, Tessia sniffed my shirt for a brief moment and separated

"Thank you for everything Julian, for giving me a chance to grow, for always trying to protect me when I don't see you and for changing the way you treat me, since I met you I have always been just Tessia, you never treated me like someone from the royal family Eralith and although you were always somewhat distant with me, in these last two weeks I have felt that you have changed a lot, I'm glad I didn't give up on you" she said with her cheeks changing to a red tint and a smile that proclaimed her sincerity, revealing her emotions without any hesitation

I was overwhelmed by the purity of the feelings transmitted, this was something I never lived or felt in my previous life

But it wasn't a bad feeling "also meeting you was one of the best things that ever happened to me" I said as I approached returning the hug she gave me