The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

The old man sat on the chair as Adam stood to the side like a bodyguard with a stern face, unlike his previous demeanor. Oscar became short of breath before the old man's presence. Avril was trembling, unable to stand up against this great person.

"Well," The old man wore a fine black suit, similar to a butler's clothes, white gloves, and clean black shoes. Faint wrinkles showed across his brow and cheeks, and his hair had streaks of gray hair, indicating his advanced age for an Exalt. His eyes resembled an eagle's, locking onto Oscar. He said in a clear, powerful voice, "Adam has told me all about you, Oscar Terr. Your powers in Reis are deep, even capable of using Guise and Vis."

"Guise? Vis?" The words were foreign. His master never mentioned such things. Curious, Oscar leaned his head forward and asked, "What are they?"

The old man lifted an eyebrow and took out a smoking pipe from inside his suit. He flicked his finger once to ignite the pipe, drew a deep breath, and let out a puff of white smoke. Leaving the pipe in his mouth, he leaned forward, matching Oscar's eye level. "Funny. You don't seem to be lying. Vis is the fusion between Reis and Ein, a potent third power that surpasses the other two. Guise is when you combine Vis with Adamasreis and become shrouded in it, a unique transformation."

"Oh. Those are familiar. I call Vis, Eirin, and Guise, Demon Deer Eirin Mantle." Oscar said. "I came up with those names myself."

"Hahaha!" The old man coughed out several clouds of smoke. He blew into the pipe, embers scattering out of the pipe. "You have a horrible sense for names. Demon Deer Eirin Mantle? That's a kicker if I ever heard one. Isn't that right, Adam?"

"Indeed, Elder," Adam bowed slightly, behaving like an obedient and proper man. "However, when I fought him, the Vis formed blue antlers from his head. His naming sense is correct but too literal."

"Is that so? So your anima is a deer? Tell me, Oscar Terr. Who taught you the Reis?" The old man's face was as cold as ice. The eagle eyes indicated to Oscar of his fate if he answered incorrectly.

Oscar gulped and sighed. "I learned Reis from my master back in the Farsky Continent. He's a warden of a prison and a Greater Marshal Exalt like you. Though, I haven't seen him in sixteen years. May I leave here with Avril and Erden after you get your answers?"

"That depends. Describe your master, your meeting, and the training you have been through. If I judge you as innocent, I can let you go. Otherwise, I'll kill you." The old man's words felt like icicles stabbing into Oscar's heart, a cruel declaration.

"Excuse me!" Avril shouted, her breathing ragged. "She looks at the water and fruit by the side and asks if they can eat them. Oscar has suffered enough. Can't he answer after he eats and rests?"

Oscar went silent, as did everyone else. The slow ebbs of the magma were the only sounds heard, soft crackles, pops, and hisses. Oscar stared at Avril, her whole body trembling. Seriously? Where on earth did she draw that kind of courage at the most random times?

The old man coughed and blew another large puff of smoke. "Fine. You may eat. However, the needles will remain in place. I can wait until you're finished. It's like you have a way out."

Avril carried over the provisions. First, she titled the open bottle of water into Oscar's mouth, her hands steady and careful as the water flowed comfortably not to overflow or choke him. Oscar sighed in relief from the fresh water. Next, Avril cut the fruit into smaller pieces and fed Oscar piece by piece.

'She's taking her time. Thank you.' Oscar praised, chewing his food slowly. Avril took her time, moving slowly. A bottle of water and fruit, which should have taken a minute to finish, took ten minutes to consume. Avril bit her nails, appearing troubled.

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"No more stalling. You already tested the limits of my patience with your little play. Now step aside and let him answer my questions." The old man said. When Avril went back to her spot, he nodded. "Now continue. Your master, your training, and everything else related."

Feeling better from the food in his stomach, Oscar answered the old man while keeping certain details aside, such as the name of his home and specifics. He told about how he was sent to prison, met his master, training in Reis. Each time he glanced at the old man and Adam, he saw they had no reaction to his words, listening with stone faces.

"That's it. That's the whole truth." Oscar said, his voice strained and hoarse. Thankfully, Avril had some droplets of water left in the bottle, and he reveled in the few dews of refreshment.

"A grade four boy learns the power of Reis, near suicidally, from a maniac. He goes on to master it and accomplish things beyond his means. Your life is intriguing. But there's one thing that bothers me." The old man lifted his hand. All the needles shot out of Oscar's body, his screams of pain echoing as he fell to the floor.

The old man knelt beside Oscar. "How is your heart not hurting? The rule of all who practice Reis is that they cannot avoid the crushing weight of the power they draw into themselves. The pain starts from the beginning and eventually leads to self-destruction. You fought Adam without such pain or restriction. Did someone give you something?"

Oscar breathed weakly. The pain of the needles being removed allowed him to feel again. He was free to feel the continuous pain his body suffered from the burden of the injuries of the previous battle. Tilting his head up, he gazed at the old man. "Give me something? I received nothing. If I tell you the secret of what I did to cheat the Reis, will you tell me how to get home?"

"Even at the cost of your companions' lives?" The old man said.

"Which is more important? Killing my friends or the knowledge in my head?" Oscar smiled.

"Hahaha! This man is crazy. I quite like you. Fine. Tell me." The old man pulled out a set of chairs and allowed Oscar and Avril to sit. He also waved his hand, and the needles were removed from Erden.

With Avril's help, Oscar sat comfortably on the chair. In a raspy voice, Oscar said, "Blood Transmutation. I entered a Blood Transmutation with my beast, Erden. In doing so, my body changed. My organs are as tough as an Exalt Beast's, my muscles are better suited for containing the power, and my physical power has increased."

For the first time in their conversation, the old man revealed a look of complete and utter shock. The pipe in his mouth, now gaped open, fell to the ash soil. In a split second, he arrived before Oscar, switching his gaze between Oscar and Erden. "That's ridiculous. A Blood Transmutation requires a Soulbond. It is absurd to craft such a relationship with a beast, share and merge their lives as one, and risk the beastification."

"Absurd?" Oscar chuckled. He finally got one up on the strange old man and Adam, who was frozen, stunned. "My life…." Oscar recalled everything from Blue Ocean Pavilion to Ashen Grove to now. "My life has been nothing but absurd ever since I embarked on the Exalt's path. So, I told you the truth. Now can I know the way home?"

The old man laughed crazily, as did Adam. "Absurd. It truly is absurd. Adam, what do you think? Will this boy fit in nicely with our plans?"

"I think so, Elder. He needs a little fine-tuning, but he's already competent on his own. The woman as well has some spunk. The two of them will be great assets." Adam adjusted his bowtie.

"What?" Oscar asked. Their words were out of place. "We don't want to be involved in your plan. Just tell us the way home, and we'll be out of your way. Or are you going to threaten us to comply?"

"If that's what you want, you brat. I'll gladly let you try fighting me again." Adam said.

"Adam, stop goading him. Oscar, this deal will do nicely for you. It's related to your ticket home." The old man retrieved his pipe from the floor, cleaned it, and relit it.

"It is?" Oscar didn't understand.

"I won't threaten you. You're not an enemy, and all Reis users need to come together against the true enemy we face. Some of them lurk in the Burning Valley, having ties to the Four Lords of the Burning Valley. We came to this land to disrupt them and gather information." The old man explained.

"An enemy?" Oscar frowned. Adam had mentioned someone, calling them a bastard, during their battle. An enemy to all Reis users sounded outlandish; however, the old man's eagle eyes held no joke, only a burning gaze of anger that sent chills down Oscar's spine. What sort of enemy were they facing?

"For now, follow me. I'll explain everything on the way to our base." The old man walked away and turned his head back. "I forgot to mention. I am Sevan Volten, a master of Reis. The enemy we face threatens all Reis users, so come with us."

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