The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

The fortress airship flew through the sky; its imposing figure became the wonder of many who stared at it from below. Within the fortress, Oscar sat in one of the many individual rooms provided, normally used to house soldiers, a simple place with the bare essentials. Sitting on his bed, Oscar focused on meditation, feeling his skin tingle as Ein flowed through him to be absorbed by his core.

'Not enough.' Oscar opened his eyes and sighed at the current state of his core. It had been a while since his initial advancement into the Lower Elite Exalt realm, but he had stagnated, unable to feel the lull of the Middle Elite Exalt realm. His face formed a deep frown as his arms crossed; he turned his gaze out the small window.

The issue came from his core, but Oscar could not do anything about it. He had spread himself too thin, training in Reis, Ein, and Fabricator ways, and his core took much more time and resources to reach the point of advancement. Taking in many elixirs was a possible solution, but he lacked the points for all his other efforts; the Adamasreis required far more Hytr Elixirs as it approached 85 percent.

'The best I can do for now is to dominate the Lower Elite Exalts to make it easier on our forces and secure the resources. Something in Ashen Grove most likely can help me advance.' Oscar stood up and stretched. He went over to the water basin and washed his face.

Despite the refreshing, cool sensation pouring on his face, Oscar didn't feel much better as his anxiousness remained. His hand reached into his pocket and pulled out the space pocket, a black orb with a mystical ability to store objects larger than it. Since there was little to do until they arrived at Ashen Grove, taking inventory and noting down the resources was all Oscar could do to ease his mind.

"One Invicus Bulwark." It was his main armament and weapon of choice.

"Books on Ashen Grove." He never knew when he would need it, but it was better to have the knowledge available.

"Four Amelio Elixirs for healing." His face scrunched, recalling how expensive these elixirs were.

"My fabricator hammer." If any repairs had to be done and he could find a suitable place.

"Bandages, salves, etc."

Oscar gathered all the items, noting them in a notepad, and returned them to the space pocket. He relaxed his body and entered meditation, but his eyes began to twitch before snapping open. All of his items clattered onto the floor from the space pocket, and the process began again.

After taking inventory of his items several times, Oscar plopped his head back, falling onto the bed. He knew he had to relax, but his mind and body kept fidgeting; whether it came from excitement, fear, or something else, he could not tell. Only arriving at Ashen Grove would alleviate this feeling.

Then, as if hearing his woes, the fortress airship halted, its metal walls and hull groaning, heard by everyone on board. Oscar jumped to his feet as Grand Commander Margaret Ward's voice echoed through the fortress.

"All students, gather at the main overlook of the fortress."

Oscar took a deep breath and stepped out of his room, seeing droves of students making their way through the hallways, guided by the soldiers onboard. He joined them as one of the masses and went up several stairs and down many hallways until he exited onto a large deck. There he saw Margaret Ward, looking as beautiful as ever with her grey eyes and purple hair.

His eyes wandered around, trying to find Frederick and the others, but they were all separated when coming onboard and designated individual rooms. Oscar did not worry because they had to be here somewhere. Turning back to the front, he saw Celestina, Charles, and Gilbert lined separately to the side, facing the rest of the students.

Celestina had a hardened expression that Oscar had barely seen on her. One that exhibited authority but also showed the heavy burden she held upon her shoulders like a mountain crushing her head. Oscar could only clench his hands, vowing to ease her burden by caring for the other Lower Elite Exalts to lessen the number of deaths that would sadden her.

He recalled her saddened expression after Portland Island due to the losses they suffered, something he never wished to see on her fair face ever again.

"Everyone has gathered." Margaret Ward spoke coldly. "The Ashen Grove lies an hour ahead of us in the center of Drauwin Island, an island in the center of a vast lake that lies in the center of the Farsky Continent. It borders on all four empires."

Everyone remained silent, but tremors passed like a wave through the students. The time had finally come.

"When we encounter the other factions, do not show any weakness. Show them how the Blue Ocean Pavilion is far superior to them." Margaret stomped her foot with her chin pointed up in pride. Behind her, a large map unfurled. "This is a map of the last time we entered Ashen Grove. The place itself is a shifting maze that always changes and unveils new secrets and locations, but it's all confined to this shape and has three regions."

"The outer region is mainly for Lower Elite Exalts, the middle region is for Middle Elite Exalts, and the inner region is for Greater Elite Exalts. There is a unique rule in that a higher realm Exalt will feel heavy pressure if they stay within a lower region. Under Celestina's command, you must go toward the center where the divine essence is located, the large temple in the center that never changes, which opens on the final week." Margaret clicked her feet together in a military stance. She turned to Celestina, who nodded and stepped forward.

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Celestina stood firm like a heroic goddess of war, her emerald eyes radiating a deep ferocity. "There are several gates to enter the Ashen Grove. As per the agreement between the four empires, each faction will take a gate equidistant from the others. The responsibility of the ones in the outer region will be to secure a base around our gate and get all the resources. Those in the middle region must map and secure a retreat path to link the inner and outer regions. We will set up defenses and leave some behind to safeguard our gained territory. Once all the preparations are set, we all converge into the center."

Her eyes dropped for a split second, but her voice carried on with a strong will. "I realize it is asking for a lot, but any extra person, even if they are Lower Elite Exalts, can help us tip the scales in our favor. But that is what must be done. Can I rely on you all?"

The students, including Oscar, cheered with a resounding yes. Celestina nodded; she stepped forward and said, "I wish to shake all of your hands as thanks for your bravery."

One by one, she shook the hands of her fellow students, even Isabella and Aurora, who had complicated expressions on their faces. Many blushed, while others felt tears welling from their eyes, moved by the princess's actions. When Oscar saw her approach in front of her, he stuck her hand out with a smile.

Celestina shook his hand with the same flat smile, but Oscar could see a hint of gentleness in her eyes, and her lips slightly curled up for real. Then, he felt something crinkle in his hands. She was passing him a note before ending the handshake and moving on.

Oscar held the note in his fist, not wanting to open it to avoid prying eyes. The strangest thing was after Celestina hugged her brother, Charles, and went toward Gilbert. Her hand moved like usual, but Oscar could tell she was acting stiff.

Gilbert accepted Celestina's hand with a wide smile, but she quickly pulled away before he exceeded the same amount of time she had given to all the others, leaving him sighing helplessly. Oscar also sighed internally, thinking about how this guy could still be so casual before such an important event.

The time slowly ticked down until, finally, an island came into view. Oscar noticed how the island had no trees, only a lawn of grass as though someone had been tending to the place not to let the grass overgrow. Looking up, he also saw a small tower in ruins.

The skies quaked, and three other airships arrived. They were the same fortress-class airships but bore different flags of their respective empires. Oscar tensed up with a darkened face; their rivals had arrived.

"What a shame that you arrived in time." A cheery voice of a young woman resounded, followed by the bestial roar. From one of the fortresses, a woman with white hair tied in a side ponytail and bewitching hair of red eyes rode a scarlet-feathered and furred griffin into above the tower ruins. She turned to the Blue Ocean Pavilion's ship with a sweet smile that made many students' hearts ache, even the stalwart Celestina; Oscar frowned, but he could not get the image of the beautiful woman out of his mind.

"Hmph!" Margaret Ward unleased her Ein, washing away the aroused feelings that stirred in her students and flew out. "You dare to bewitch my students? Does the Undying Flame Sect wish to lose their Left Flame?"

"Maggie! It's been a while." The white-haired woman got off her griffon and floated in the air, wearing a free-flowing red dress with a slit on the side, revealing a portion of her smooth, tempting thighs. "Still quite a stickler for rules."

"Diane Claude." Margaret narrowed her eyes. "Still playing at such foolish games because you're so weak."

"If I recall, I made a mockery of a few of you when we were students." Diane laughed haughtily.

Margaret smirked. "I recall one person smashing your face in without a care. I only wish I recorded that moment to show everyone."

Diane's face tensed as her red eyes twitched. But then a faint blush appeared on her cheeks; rather than the previous bewitching look of a seductress, her face now looked like a pure maiden in love. She cupped her cheeks with her hands with a longing gaze. "Is that fool still alive? Last I heard, he's banished to the Abyss Prison. If the Pavilion does not want him, let me have him."

"Shut up, you piece of trash." Margaret stared coldly. "He's staying and not with some slut like you."

Oscar stared at this exchange with a weird face. From what he could tell, this woman, Diane, was also in love with his master, Draven, like Margaret Ward and Aunt Rosett. Just how incredible was his master to be able to attract those three without even showing his face?

"Hah?" Diane made an arrogant face, and her Ein burst out.

"This exchange has been entertaining, but it's almost time to start." Another Ein washed over them, coming from a man dressed in a fine black military trenchcoat that reached down to his feet, buttoned up from the waist with black pants down his legs. His face was handsome, with a bed of black hair and orange eyes, wearing a pair of glasses.

"Yusef Gradvore. It's been a while." Margaret Ward narrowed her eyes. The Earth Core Academy had sent their Third Mountain Headmaster to oversee their forces.

"Hello to Ms. Ward and Ms. Claude." Yusef bowed with respect and stared at the last fortress ship, speaking in a sharp voice. "Is the Thousand Storm Palace not willing to show themselves?"

"Uggggh. Please don't speak so loudly. I just drank away." A skinny elder dressed in green robes with a white rope tied around the waist stumbled in the air, holding a bottle of alcohol. "This alcohol is too good. Got it from the Master of Storms."

The other three Marshal Exalts had ugly expressions on their faces. This elder before them was their senior but also the most unpredictable person who drew everyone around them into trouble. One of the four storms, Elder Rand Cyclos, the First Storm.

As they stared at the elder warily, the tower began to hum as twelve massive gates floated up from the air. Margaret flew to the one in front of the Pavilion's airship and sent forth a massive amount of Ein, as did the other three elders, equally distant from each other.

The gate began to hum and flung open to show a swirling blue portal.

"Go!" Celestina jumped ahead into the blue portal, followed by everyone else.

Oscar leaped in and felt himself being washed away down a rapid stream and drowning until he finally fell out of the gate and saw a vast forest of assorted greenery with green lights spilling from above. He finally made it into Ashen Grove.

Outside, Margaret reached out to the blue swirl but felt a counterforce burn into her hand, forcing her to withdraw. It had to be an incredible power to force a powerful Marshal Exalt to retreat. She looked on with a darkened face. "It's up to you all."

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