The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Thunder resounded through the dark, warped space. It all happened in an instant. Oscar saw turbulent clouds, which exploded with sparks of spatial lightning, varied in red, black, orange, and green colors. His stay in the space between realms only lasted for a moment as he hurled past with the guiding light of the teleportation.

Along the way, several large bubbles floated around, undisturbed by the chaotic spatial storms. Some rotated and moved around, while others remained stationary in their locations. Each held a light within them, some dim and some bright. Oscar and Erden gazed in wonder at the bubbles, the many realms within the spatial domain.

Suddenly, the teleportation light started to fade as Oscar descended into the largest bubble with the brightest light within, Talos, the main world. A sudden chill overcame Oscar. He realized the light had faded before he actually entered Talos.

Oscar and Erden pooled their Eins and exerted everything they had into defense. The spatial storms, no longer impeded by the teleportation light, rushed in; their spatial lightning and winds tore into Oscar and Erden.

"Hold on!" Oscar shouted a mental message to Erden. The lightning burned parts of his body, flayed and cut the skin, and plunged deep into his innards. The agony was too much but not unbearable. Although the sinking presence of death hovered over him, Oscar gritted and held on.

Oscar held his body together and spiraled out of control, entering Talos in a different spot. The spatial domain and storms faded out of vision and were replaced by the sight of withered and dead trees. He rolled on the ground, bumping and hitting his body on rocks and roots.

In pain, Oscar breathed heavily, trying to keep his mind off the pain. Where was he? Peeking through his eyelids, Oscar smiled and laughed, choking on some blood.

Two suns hovered over him. The same two suns he hadn't seen in fifteen years. The two suns he was born under. There was no more doubt. He was on Talos. Home. He made it back home.

"Gol-4…you did well. I promise I will find a way back to you or find out about Evelyn." Oscar staggered to his feet, unable to lean on Erden, who was also on shaky legs. The blue sky above was so clear and beautiful that Oscar teared up and wished to fly across.

"Oscar, there's something wrong. I can't fly…." Erden grunted and slipped on some mud, dropping to the floor.

"How can that be?" Oscar tried to fly. His body refused to float in the air as if something had chained it down. His injuries shouldn't affect his ability to fight unless he were at death's door. Glancing at his and Erden's bodies, Oscar grimaced at the sight of the wounds and burns dealt by the storms.

"We need to find a place to rest. This forest is completely dead, yet the trees stand tall. How unsettling." Oscar said.

"For all that you said about Talos. I wondered what a wondrous place it was. I've never seen an unlively forest." Erden dragged his hooves over.

As they started their trek through the forest, Oscar heard a loud cry. The power behind this voice was from a Lower Knight Exalt. Guarding himself with a layer of Ein, Oscar stood close to Erden, and his eyes scrutinized everything around them. The cry came out again, accompanied by several more roars. Soon the dead forest bustled with activity, all manners of powers reverberating past its withered branches.

"There's too many!" Oscar sensed several in Lower Knight Exalt realms and Middle Knight Exalt realms. Retreat was the only option. He and Erden ran despite their injuries, dripping blood everywhere. They continued to run until something else mingled in with the roars, a small song.

"Is someone here?" Oscar listened closely. The beasts nearly drowned out the song, but it was still clear as day to his sensitive ears, honed from years in the forest. Oscar grew excited and ran toward the source. Would he finally meet a person after so long?

He saw a hooded figure kneeling by a dead tree and collecting something from its roots. Unable to contain himself, Oscar shouted, "Hello! Sorry for disturbing you. I haven't–"

"Huuuuuh?!" The hooded figure nearly lost balance. The voice belonged to a woman. Finally, after so long, he met another person. Before he could continue, the woman ran off quickly, shouting for him to disappear.

"W-wait!" Oscar shouted.

"You startled her, Oscar!" Erden shouted to him.

"Damnit," Oscar chased after the hooded woman. He scolded himself harshly for making such an elementary mistake. His impulsiveness and impatience got the better of him. Why couldn't he contain himself? He yearned for someone besides Erden, Gol-4, and Demon to talk to.

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"So I'm not a good talker?" Erden heard Oscar's thoughts.

"You're fine. I just need someone else after fifteen years." Oscar couldn't believe Erden could find the time to joke around. "If I wasn't so injured, I could have caught up by now."

They followed the woman to a large tree. Its roots were protruding from the ground, elevating the tree. Oscar watched the woman enter a small abode built under the tree, slamming the door shut.

"Excuse me," Oscar took a moment to catch his breath. "I am sorry for disturbing you. I just arrived here and haven't met anyone for fifteen years because I was stuck somewhere. If I scared you, I'm sorry again. Please let me come inside to rest. I'll leave when I'm healed."

Oscar waited patiently. Hopefully, the woman would allow him sanctuary.

"A stranger suddenly comes to her hideout. She ponders for a moment. How can she trust this stranger? His story is suspicious and unlikely. However, she recalls his injured appearance and is unsure what to do. Should she help him, fight, or run away?" The woman's voice was low and dramatic, yet it spilled from the thin door, allowing Oscar to hear.

'Erden…why is she narrating her thoughts?' Oscar sent a mental message through his Soulbond.

'I have no idea. If only I weren't so injured, I could hold off some of the beasts and find a hiding spot until you healed.' Erden's pants echoed in Oscar's mind. His strained and pained grunts never ceased.

Oscar held out his groan as he dropped to his knees to rest. Every wound on his body burned as if the spatial storm was still churning within him. The ground trembled as Oscar struggled with the pain, and the winds carried a foul scent. He heard the cries of beasts and cursed. 'Do I just barge in?'

'Yes. The woman seems weak and is not deciding fast enough. Right now, we have to think of our survival. I'm not suggesting we kill her, just go in.' Demon joined in on the mental council.

'If we have no other choice, then I agree. However, it's better to get on the good side of someone who lives here. This place is far too strange for us to explore without information.' Erden added.

Oscar remained silent, waiting for the weird woman to make her decision. Feeling hungry, he took out a fruit, the delicious juice soothing his mind. His wounds were still unhealed, but the good taste eased some pain. Taking another bite, Oscar noticed the door open slightly again and heard the woman exclaim from inside.

"I'll let you in if you give me some of your fruit!" Her voice cried out.

"Deal!" Oscar took out several more fruits, showing them to be seen from the door crack. The rundown door creaked, opening wide, and Oscar ran inside with Erden and closed the door shut. He made it. He could finally rest.

Oscar glanced around and found the stranger on the other end of the room. Her appearance was somewhat odd. She wore some cloth over her forehead and right eye and had every inch of her body clothed and covered with white gloves, a black long-sleeve undershirt, a long blue dress stretching down to her ankles, and long white boots. Her hair was a dark shade of indigo color and tied back in a braided bun with bangs.

However, it was her one eye that drew his attention. It glimmered in a light golden sparkle and glowed from the candlelight on the small table between them. She stared back at him and pointed to the fruit in his hands with a gulp.

Oscar chuckled and rolled the fruit under the table to her side. He didn't want to alarm her or cause any reactions by coming too close. Right now, he had to act as a proper guest. Waiting for her to eat or talk, Oscar tapped his fingers on his knees and constantly cracked his shoulders, struggling within his thoughts. How should he have a conversation? It had been too long, and he already messed up the first chance earlier.

Meanwhile, the woman held the rainbow-colored fruit with shaky hands. She gulped again and slowly bit into the fruit with a loud crunch. After a pause and silence, she lost control and devoured the fruit with several wide and ravenous bites.

"Delicious!" She squealed joyfully, holding her puffed cheeks while chewing.

"Pfft," Oscar failed to contain a portion of his laughter. One moment she was very reserved and cautious, and the next, she became very open and expressive. He covered his mouth quickly and cursed at how he screwed up again. Usually, he was very good at holding conversations and hiding his thoughts, but now he seemed to lose the nuances.

"!!!" She stared at him fiercely and turned away. "The stranger's rudeness made her mad. Feeling hurt, she decided not to give the stranger some of her medicine to treat his wounds. She lamented his wounds and was grateful for the fruits, but he was too mean."

Medicine! It was Oscar and Erden's turn to gulp. Oscar pulled out several more fruits, piling them on the table. He leaned in with a small bow despite his injuries toward the golden-eyed woman. "I'll exchange all of this for your medicine!"

Stunned, the woman leaned closer with her one eye wide. Her arm swept across the table, the fruits tumbling down to her side. Oscar heard the woman retreat farther away, tucked into her corner. A small leaf-wrapped package fell on the table. Oscar unfurled it, finding a strange green mush inside.

"Thanks. But, do you have any more?" Oscar asked.

The woman stopped eating, reached into a bag, and tossed more medicine. She returned to her eating with an entranced face.

Hissing from the feel of the medicine on his wounds, Oscar rubbed the strange mush under his clothes and was surprised to feel the pain subsiding. The medicine wasn't as effective as elixirs, but they did the job well enough for Oscar to rest peacefully.

"E-excuse me?" Oscar waved over to the woman who had finished all the fruit.

"What? Do you need more? Then more fruit, please." The woman held out her hand.

"Not that. We haven't formally introduced ourselves. I am Oscar Terr. Nice to meet you! You're the first person I met in fifteen years." Oscar laughed.

The woman swayed her body slightly with a contemplative look. Closing her eyes, she scrunched her brow until everything relaxed. She faced Oscar, staring at him with her one golden eye. "I am Avril. Hello."

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