Azimuth: The Elden Throne

I would like to apologize slightly, there was a day I did not upload and that was due to me literally forgetting about it.

After 200 days of posting every day, I guess I ended up forgetting one, oops...

I feel as if its a shame, I ended up soiling my perfect everyday score...

But alas, who cares?

Enjoy!

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There was no need to take a look at its description again, the simple weight of the earrings was already something that made Dale pale at the thought of having anyone wear them.

"They are quite volatile... A potent item made from the essence of an equally potent lifeform." He said as he held onto the earrings tightly

"Still, my worn-out body may be frail… But its essence hasn't changed."

"In addition, after so long without a proper user, the Hex energies within it have mostly dissipated, or so would a Karkavan say."

"They would sing about the Spirit within having departed into the Earth, that such an item should now be buried together with its originator's body so the Spirit may become whole again whenever they may be..."

"I never had any intention of stopping their rituals, but I always thought it to be a waste."

"In truth, the Vital energies within it have merely weakened due to long-term exposure to undesirable storing conditions, it needs more to exert its true functions… If it can at all."

"A Totemic Artifact is a great item, but only when it's well cared for, It is similar to your armor, as despite the great effort in repairing it, I can quite easily spot many deficits in its structure leading to a decrease in its efficiency, in fact, some runes are completely mangled, nothing short of a waste."

"It's a blessing they aren't getting in your way… Cough, I'm not trying to be harsh of course, I won't expect Runesmiths with the ability to fix such a set of armor to exist after what happened to the Wall."

"Just an old part of me that has resurfaced, how many recruits did I have cut vegetables in the Canteen for not oiling their blades properly?" He said with a light chuckle

He raised the earrings to his ears, wearing them without any problem…

They pulled down at his earlobes due to their weight, and Dale feared they would just snap apart… But they didn't.

/Fwoosh…/

The moment he placed the earrings, reddish energy sprung around him like mist, blowing Dale's and Testros' hairs back together with a few props and the dust in the room.

"Ahhh… This feeling… Was this how I used to feel?"

"Time sure is cruel…" Sarferato said as he looked at his hands

'I was in a much worse condition than I originally imagined.'

'Hum... This was already within my plans, but I may have to put in some extra effort...'

He then turned to Dale and Testros, saying:

"This may be… A bit much, so would you kindly take a step back?"

"..."

Dale didn't know what he was about to do, but he stood with Testro's nonetheless.

"Now… Time to move my bones a little."

/Clack!/

He took in a deep breath, tightening his muscles as he let his cane fall onto the ground.

/Tremble…/

Following that, the entire tower started to shake once more…

"HUPP!"

/Flames!/

Sarferato bent his back, grasping at his heart as his muscles contorted, wisps of flame burned his clothes and flesh, sending cinders into the air as smoke came out of his mouth, nostrils, and eyes.

"Haaa…"

He opened his mouth to breathe, but only smoke came out of it.

It started to get overwhelming, covering the entire room. .

To the point Dale and Testros were covered by it, plunged into darkness.

But they didn't move, unwilling to risk affecting whatever Sarferato was going through right now.

/BLAST!/

Thankfully, they did not wait for long as within a minute, the entire smoke and the top section of the surveillance tower were blown to pieces!

And in the center of it, a shirtless Sarferato rose, this time, without his cane.

"Huu…"

Cracking his neck from side to side as he held his left shoulder with his right arm, his appearance was a complete transformation from before!

His soggy skin had returned to being somewhat firm, his eyes had returned, a pair of emerald eyes full of wisdom.

His hair was still white, but not as sickly and sparse as before, it reflected a strong light, vibrant and full of energy.

His shoulders broadened and his muscles enlarged, albeit not by much, he wasn't any taller than Testros, much less Dale and his whopping 1.95M height.

However, for someone who looked older the even Kuddan, this was an Earth-shattering transformation.

"Hoho… I haven't felt like this in ages… How much did I regress? 50? 60?..." He asked himself as he looked at his arms

He raised his head to look at Testros and Dale, smiling at their confusion.

"I thought you would understand, being someone that went through the same process as me, even if this isn't entirely the case." He said in a deep tone as he crouched, grabbing his cane on the ground and placing it by the wall

"When you're as old as me you pick up a trick or two, there was also extensive research on the subject performed over the years."

"One's inner fire isn't something as mystical as you may think... Although research into it only came to prove how complex and essential it really is to our lives."

"There is a reason why only Witches were known for playing with this strange energy... Aside from the particular Wizard that is too bored with Magic."

"This is nothing fancy, I just forced my inner fire to awake again, like throwing oil into a fire."

"But… Is that even possible?" Dale asked as he scratched his head

'I thought that only through extreme training and lucky encounters and opportunities such as Enlightenment one would be able to extend their lifespan like this...'

'David himself said it is possible to reawaken one's fire, albeit there's a limit... Even if that limit is nigh-infinite, there is a point where it just plateaus.'

'Albeit he also said that if one is skilled and capable enough, they may be able to spontaneously do such a thing... It's just that I didn't expect to experience it so soon.'

"I was also like you once, and like the one before me I shall teach you that if you know what you're doing, and possess the necessary control over your body and mind, then yes, it is possible to force your body to change."

"The Mind is a tool stronger than any blade, albeit the hardest to hone."

"But when fully sharpened, reality itself can be altered as it is our minds that dictate it."

"I'm not anywhere near that point I'm afraid, and in a sense, even I consider that last line to be the ramblings of an idealistic Mage from hundreds of years ago."

"Yet, I'm just a soldier, what right do I have in this argument? If he said so then he must've had a reason, refusing his words due to the difference in time between us would be foolish..."

"Either way, this isn't healthy…"

"Given my current conditions, I'll die the moment I take off these earrings." He said as he touched the side of his head

""!""

Both Dale and Testros' expressions went tense.

"... Don't look at me like that, I did what I wanted to, nothing else."

"I wasn't going to last much longer anyway."

"At least this way I'll be able to spend a few more years with everyone, there isn't much else I could wish for."

"I was ready to give up my life for the safety of the people, and now, I was given the chance to live a bit longer, even if my current state can't really be called being alive…"

He looked at his hand, oozing with foreign Vitality.

"Allow me to introduce myself again."

"I'm Sarferato Feltrix, Village Chief of Sanctuary, the last home for the descendants of the Southern Corps, previously known as the 16th Infantry Division Commander."

"The only battle I ever lost was being confessed first by my wife, Hohoho!"

His eyes sparkled with light as he spoke, he seemed unaware of this.

"Please, say something, you're making me awkward..."

"Look, I don't wish to be treated like a superior, I've grown tired of that."

"Too many years too much... So for once, I would like to be a soldier again."

"Dale Houston, Testros Palinar… Let us fight together, not as me as the superior or anything of the sort, but as equals, you two deserve it for all that's worth."

"The one who trained for a century and the aspiring wielder of Caladgolg, together with a retired old man, HA! Now that's a strange group even by my standards!"

Sarferato's personality changed completely with his transformation.

But maybe, that was only natural.

One's vitality can influence their body, which can then influence one's mind and psyche.

If one feels joyfully and optimistic, their body will reply in kind, and vice versa.

A strong body cradles a strong mind.

Or perhaps, this was just how he always was, his shackles having been broken by the limitations imposed by old age vanishing with his transformation.

"What do you think?" He asked with a wide smile

""...""

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Notes

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