The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Under Oscar's call, the bodiless golem woke up with a blue glow emanating from its eyes. Gol-4 trembled slightly in Oscar's hands before lifting off and levitating above Oscar's head. Oscar stared cautiously, readying his Ein on his hands, at Gol-4, who did a slow rotation all the way around back to where it initially faced; he still did not trust the golem fully.

"This region is where your illusions took place. The town under the Oen Fortress, where most workers and their families lived." Gol-4 floated about, scrutinizing the black bricks that once made up the homes that Oscar remembered from the illusions. Gol-4 floated back to Oscar with a mechanical sigh and asked, "Do you happen to have a map? If I had a map, I might help spot key places with good treasures."

Oscar took out the general map they had been given and unfurled it on the ground, showing a land with circular borders and two inner circles to divide the entire place into three separate regions. On the map were markings that Oscar made to fill in the blank map.

"A circle?" Gol-4 tilted its head to express its confusion. "This is not Stonehaven."

"The regions are shifting each time we enter," Oscar explained. "That's why this is all new to everyone except for the temple, which is noted to be a constant."

"Temple….Shifting lands." Gol-4's voice contained some static that made it seem solemn. "For the entire realm to become like this with the lands changing, it could only be the work of a very powerful Exalt. This temple looks familiar." Gol-4 drew closer to the temple drawing in the center. "The central palace."

"Never mind the central palace for now; I'll ask you later about it." Oscar traced his finger around the outer region for Lower Elite Exalts. "I need you to try to recall anything worthwhile in this place."

Gol-4 let out a low and deep hum as its eyes darted around the map, focusing on the landmarks Oscar drew. While he did so, Oscar and the others rested and waited for his answer.

"Depleted." Gol-4 fell to the ground, unable to levitate back up from the lack of Ein. "However, I have remembered one particular location."

Oscar's expression grew lively as his eyes perked up with a glimmer of hope. He held Gol-4's head close, not caring if he gripped too harshly, for the head was quite sturdy. "What is it?"

"Oen Fortress was built to reach high, but its opposite exists, a place of deep tunnels and underground chambers called Tectusen. Go in the opposite direction, and we may find it." Gol-4 explained.

"How do we know that place hasn't been ransacked?" Austin did not want another expedition to be ruined by being another second party. "If we go through all that trouble, then we'd be wasting time."

"Impossible to conclude the current conditions of Tectusen, but as it is deep underground and time has passed, there may be a rich amount of ores that have formed."

Oscar's expression dulled slightly from the uncertainty of their next endeavor, and he sighed. "Austin and Erik, you should move as a pair and go hunting elsewhere. I will go with Gol-4 alone to the Tectusen. This way, we won't waste our efforts."

"Are you sure?" Erik didn't like the sound of this.

"It's alright. Besides, if Gol-4 is leading us into a trap, it's better if I get caught rather than all of us. I have the highest chance of surviving out of all of us." Oscar smiled and put Gol-4 away in his space pocket.

"That's a dangerous path you're treading. Be careful not to be so reckless." Austin warned Oscar, who nodded.

After they collected all the space pockets of the fallen Undying Flame Sect students, they noticed how little they had other than some elixirs and their armaments. The bulk of the resources was with Maia. Frustrated that they could not get a big haul from the battle, Oscar and the others retreated to the base to rest up and prepare for tomorrow.

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"I'll be heading out early morning. The two of you stay safe." Oscar rubbed his eyes and went into his tent. After settling down on his bed, a long, drawn-out breath of exhaustion exited his lungs. The past two days had been eventful, from climbing to tree, entering the fortress, breaking through the illusion, meeting Gol-4, and fighting Maia Claude.

"Gol-4." Oscar took out Gol-4 to talk.

"What is it, young Exalt?" Gol-4 answered.

"Did you want to tell me something?" Oscar sipped some water to refresh his throat. He recalled how Gol-4 trembled as he put it back in his space pocket, as though it wanted to say something.

"I noticed an ataerstone inside your space pocket. How on earth did you come by it?" Gol-4's mechanical voice sped up its words, expressing its agitation. But it sounded very grating to Oscar's ears. "I did not ask before because of the other individuals."

"My Master gave it to me; why? What makes it so interesting for you?" Oscar faced Gol-4 with a solemn expression.

"The ataerstone can provide me with an influx of pure Ein. If I assimilate it into the artificial core, I will not require help in moving and can perhaps do more for you."

"Sounds enticing. How about this? Tell me everything about the ataerstone, and I'll consider it." Oscar said.

Gol-4's eyes flashed. "Consider but not determined. That is purposeful wording to entrap me."

Oscar chuckled. "Can't fool a golem."

"But I will tell anyway for free to build trust. The ataerstone converts the outside Ein into a purer form that can be more easily absorbed and used. You must have used it for your training, so your progress was slightly faster."

"That's true." Oscar nodded. The ataerstone was a big part of why his Ein training did not lag as much as it truly would have without it. Though he was still behind, he would have been in far worse shape if not for the ataerstone. "But how can it work with you? What other functions does it have?"

"The ataerstone can be a mass of stored Ein, unlike elixirs, but a mass of Ein that can be used for many things. The ataerstone can be my storage for Ein, so I will no longer have to use Ein sparingly." Gol-4 stared at the space pocket. "It can also be used to enhance formations. I could have assimilated it while in the space pocket, but I did not because I need to establish trust with you first, or else it's meaningless."

"Truthfully, you need someone to protect you as you go around to find out what else happened to Stonehaven and maybe if you get out of here." Oscar hit the nail on the head.

"Correct." Gol-4 did not say any more.

"This ataerstone is not something I can give. It's a gift from my Master. However, there are more back in our Pavilion. I can try asking for one for you."

"That would be gracious of you. However, if your home has many of them, I wonder what their purpose is?" Gol-4 inquired.

Oscar sighed and lay down in his bed. "I wonder about that too."

"May I ask a question?" Gol-4 floated above Oscar's face, staring down at him.

"Go for it." Oscar yawned.

"Why separate from your teammates? Purposely isolating yourself is not ideal." Gol-4 was curious.

"In your case, it's not only because of working together but also because one can take the fall to let the others go. Am I wrong?" Oscar's eyes narrowed at Gol-4.

"Indeed. Chances are some will die, but one can remain to exit with the rewards." Gol-4 said in its same mechanical voice without any emotion.

"Then no. If anything, I'd be the one to take the fall so the others can go. However, I can't allow the slightest chance of it being anyone else." Oscar's obsidian eyes stared deeply into Gol-4, straight and without a hint of doubt.

"Why impose such restrictions on yourself? Do you not want to live?" Gol-4 asked.

"Geez, why am I talking with a golem about this?" Oscar tossed and turned in his bed. "I do want to survive and live. I'll scheme and use my enemies, but I can't do that to my friends. Though, I'm sure they'd say the same as me."

"Confusing," Gol-4 remarked.

Oscar chuckled and put the golem's head away. His eyes slowly closed as he went off into his dreams, sleeping peacefully through the night. Within the dangerous Ashen Grove, he felt a sense of satisfaction and peace in this quiet time.

The next morning, Oscar woke up and exited his tent to see Austin and Erik standing outside. He rubbed his eyes to wipe away the drowsiness. "Why are you two here?"

"After some thinking, we decided to come with you." Austin crossed his arms and stepped forward. "Even if there's nothing, we can watch your back, and you can watch ours."

Erik pumped his fist in the air. "Who else will you rely on to burn away the vines?"

Oscar stared blankly at the two before laughing heartily in the morning, irritating some people trying to catch some sleep in their tents. He patted Austin and Erik's shoulders. "Then let's head out."

Off they went to the left, toward where Tectusen, the underground city, lay.

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