The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar's shoulder spurted out volcanic blood, burning into Erden's teeth and lips. Oscar smelled the burning flesh from Erden and realized the Ein of the Divine Essence was spilling over to Erden. He struggled and tried to pry Erden's teeth off of him, but the deer's jaw remained tightly clenched, and his strength was already spent from his long ordeal.

As Erden drank more of Oscar's blood, the deer groaned and growled as its antlers cracked and exploded from the onslaught of Ein. Wounds burst and burned all over its white body. Oscar knew it wasn't enough. Even with Erden helping him, they needed something more.

'Bite…me.'

A low voice, deep and strained, whispered in Oscar's mind. Without reason or thought, Oscar instinctively dug his teeth into Erden's neck, drinking the deer's blood and Ein. His mouth also started to burn, and his lips were charred from the heated blood. The Ein which circulated in Erden started to flow back into Oscar and then into Erden again, an unending cycle. Each passing revolution seeped the Ein into Oscar's and Erden's cores as the excess continued in the flow.

Both man and beast clenched their teeth harder into each other, straining and suffering from the pain. Oscar no longer felt death wafting close by, thanks to Erden, his good companion, and smiled, for he was no longer alone. The Divine Essence Ein circulated faster between Oscar and Erden, and they became covered by a bright rainbow light like the sun.

The light filled the entire square. Shadows stretched until so thin they vanished from every crevice, corner, and wall. Oscar couldn't see anything within the blinding rainbow light like a majestic firework show, and his eyes burned as Ein flamed from their surfaces. Erden's eyes burned as well.

Oscar's core spun faster, the Divine Essence Ein flowed so quickly it might as well have been in two places at once, and for an odd reason, he could see Erden's core, teal and radiant, spin faster as well. Oscar waited for what seemed to be an eternity, watching the Ein start to decrease with each cycle until, finally, no more remained. Oscar released Erden from his bloody bite and screamed as his core trembled.

The air split apart, the caverns trembled as rubble fell from the walls, and the Ein exploded with heavenly might. The power was too much, and it surged up, breaking through the ceiling until it tore a hole straight to the surface. From within the dust and rubble, with the light of the bright sun pouring down from the exposed ceiling as praise from the heavens, Oscar and Erden stood tall.

"Oscar! You…" Gol-4's voice trembled, choked from a myriad of emotions. "You did it! You and Erden! Absolute maniacs! HAHAHAHA!"

Oscar's eyes shook as they slowly opened with a powerful gleam, deep blue points within the center of his obsidian pupils. He cracked his neck and shoulders before exhaling a single huff. The winds blasted away from a mere breath, knocking Gol-4 around.

Staring at his hands and clenching them, Oscar surged his Ein with a wide smile, feeling the higher quality and power. At last, he had done the near impossible, becoming a Lower Knight Exalt. Oscar walked to Gol-4 and picked him up, brushing off the dust.

"I heard you…five percent? You damned head." Oscar shook his head with a weak smile. He bowed to Gol-4 while still holding him up. "Thank you, Gol-4. I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"No need for such formalities between us. I could only give you a chance, and you would have failed without your persistence and Erden. That blasted deer did something incredible for you. The two of you nearly died together." Gol-4 got off Oscar and levitated to Erden, unconscious on the floor.

"He's alright," Oscar knelt beside Erden and stoked his fur. "He's dreaming about something."

"Wait, how do you know that?" Gol-4 snapped to Oscar and eyed him with interest.

"I just know. For some reason, I can see some of what he's dreaming. He's hunting with me." Oscar scratched his head in confusion. Erden's thoughts and memories started pouring into him, from the deer's birth to meeting him in the underwater caverns. Overwhelmed by the memories, Oscar dropped and stumbled, holding up his hands.

"What's happening to me?" Oscar breathed roughly.

"A Soulbond? You entered a Soulbond with the deer?" Gol-4 exclaimed.

"Soulbond? Isn't that when a person and a beast decide to form a strong connection?" Oscar recalled what he had learned in the lectures long ago and soon paled. A Soulbond was an amazing boon for the duo, but they also carried the risk of sharing their lives. They would share their thoughts and locations and always feel the link to each other at the risk of dying when the other does.

"Now your life is linked to Erden's. This doesn't bode well. Not to insult Erden, but his capabilities fall short compared to yours. It might be dangerous with him around." Gol-4 warned.

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"It's alright." Oscar patted the new antlers on Erden's head, caring for his lifelong partner. "He was willing to die for me here, so I have no complaints. Besides, I feel it won't be as you said."

"I'll trust you on that, lad." Gol-4 coughed to end the discussion. "What does being a Knight Exalt feel like?"

"Odd. Is this really my body?" Oscar patted himself all over and had a strange new instinct. Standing on his feet, Oscar focused and lifted to his tiptoes, a fresh new sensation tingling on the soles of his feet. All around him, the walls lowered, and the ceiling grew closer. Looking down, Oscar gasped, the floor a few feet under him. He was flying.

"Slowly come back down. It takes some time to get used to your new abilities. Think of having wings on your back and flap lightly to descend." Gol-4 instructed, levitating over to reach Oscar.

Oscar nodded and closed his eyes, imagining a pair of bird's wings on his back. With some control and a good imagination, Oscar descended until his feet touched the ground. Taking a few glances to make sure he was firmly planted on the floor, Oscar walked over to Erden, feeling the deer waking up.

"Erden?" Oscar shook the deer.

"Uhhhh. I feel terrible." Erden spoke in a low scruffy voice.

"What?!" Oscar and Gol-4 were stunned.

"What is it?" Erden cracked his neck.

"Y-you…Gol-4, does a Soulbond allow a beast to talk? I thought it was only possible once a beast entered the King Exalt realm." Oscar turned to Gol-4, his eyes begging for an answer.

"You're correct. Erden? How can you talk?" Gol-4 hovered around, watching Erden from the side.

Erden smacked Gol-4 away with his antlers. "I don't know…I just felt like I could do it. Though, it's nice to talk directly now."

"Gol-4?" Oscar was confused.

"Hold on. Hold on. A Soulbond is about the mind and soul connecting thoughts. Though, you would only get an instant picture, not words. Come on, me! I should have some knowledge as a former Primaere." Gol-4 spun around in place, pondering until he came to a screeching halt with a flare from his eyes. "The blood. Are you kidding me?! You took in each others' blood and performed Blood Transmutation. Oh my god."

"Blood Transmutation?" Oscar and Erden tilted their heads to the left, mimicking each other. They could feel each other's confusion.

"Soulbond is the soul and mind. Blood Transmutation is the body. The beast takes on the properties of the person, and the person takes on the properties of the beast."

"I don't feel like a deer?" Oscar searched his body and rubbed his head, hoping no antlers or stubs existed on his fair forehead.

"No, not on the outside. But inside. Erden looks almost twice as big if you haven't noticed. He must have transformed to have strong muscles and the proper vocal cords along with a human-like brain."

"That's incredible," Oscar rubbed Erden's head with a smile as Erden laughed. "But what about me?"

Gol-4 stayed silent and pondered, spinning around again. He stopped again and said, "Try using your Reis."

"Are you sure?" Oscar gripped his heart, knowing the Reis may be fatal if he tried to use it now as a Knight Exalt.

"Test it out. You were definitely changed from the Blood Transmutation as well." Gol-4 urged.

Oscar trusted Gol-4 and took a stance. Beads of sweat dripped down his chin from the choking feeling of possible death. Oscar kicked up Reis from the floor and flowed it through his body, unleashing it from his bare knuckles. The ensuing shockwave was far more than Oscar had expected, stronger than his power at the Greater Elite Exalt realm.

But that wasn't the main focus. Oscar shuddered and shuffled his hands around his chest. Not a single bout of pain afflicted his heart. It beat calmly and without issue. Excited, Oscar decided to go up a notch and unleashed Eirin, and again, no pain at all. His organs, his blood, his veins, and everything inside him were unaffected by the weight of his power.

"From your expression, I can tell it worked well. The Blood Transmutation has strengthened your organs. No longer are you reliant on your human self. Every part of your insides has the toughness of a beast."

"The Reis," Oscar kicked a clear sound from each swing. "The Eirin…" Oscar exploded with power. "It doesn't hurt."

"My insides are tough. Haha." Erden spat on the floor. "The Reis won't hurt you anymore."

"Erden!" Oscar hugged Erden with tears dropping from the corners of his eyes. He had been gripped with fear from not just dying in the Knight Exalt realm but also how useless he might become without his Reis. Thanks to the Blood Transmutation, he was freed from that fear. His gratitude to Erden reached the highest point in the sky before the stars.

"Wait. How come Blood Transmutation isn't more popular? If it were, my master could have tried that instead of becoming the crazy person he is now." Oscar let go of Erden and wiped his tears.

"First, you need to perform a Soulbond with the beast. What's the point in taking on each other's physical qualities if that level of trust doesn't exist? Second, a beast or person may hesitate even after performing a Soulbond. There is a strong chance that the beast and person accidentally cross the threshold and fuse into a single creature without rational thought." Gol-4 explained. "Again, the two of you did well not to lose yourselves during the process and keep your individuality."

"Is that so…." Oscar turned to Erden, who turned back. The two laughed, their voices echoing throughout Tectusen. "We might have used up all the luck in our lives. By the way, Gol-4. Is it normal to be at the peak of Lower Knight Exalt right after advancing?"

"Huh????!" Gol-4 shouted.

…….

A day later, Oscar rode outside Tectusen with Erden and Gol-4.

"I still can't believe it. The Divine Essence Ein was so much you and Erden already reached the pinnacle before Middle Knight Exalt. That will be a story to tell others later."

"No need to be so glum, Gol-4. My core is grade four, so this extra burst is great. I don't even feel the lack of foundation." Oscar traveled through the new plains which overtook the large forests, the horizon no longer obscured.

"Yes, you mentioned that. Damned Divine Essence. What an absolute cheat. Why are you still riding? Fly over there, and you'll reach it in no time." Gol-4 snapped.

"Fine. Erden, let's go." Oscar leaped off Erden and soared into the air, feeling the rushing winds pass by his skin. Erden flew alongside him, trotting in the sky.

Oscar arrived at the central palace in a few hours and descended before its gates, feeling the presence of the red root inside. A nauseating smell of blood wafted over from the palace. After fifteen years, after the long battles and reaching the point of death, Oscar finally arrived back to where he failed. But now, he was a Knight Exalt, and his revenge was within his grasp.

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