The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

The air grew stifling from the polluted dust that lingered and the smoke spilling from the purple flames. Avril pushed on the caved-in passageway with her wooden hand spell, her face twitching in surprise at how it instantly dissolved. She frowned and cracked the ground with a falling kick.

"Oscar…." Her Ein Shroud rippled as it cleaned the air for her to breathe. The dust settled, and Avril knocked her head on her staff repeatedly, knock, knock, knock. Her eyes trembled, almost welling with tears, until she gave a rousing shout and slapped her cheeks, turning them bright red. "She slaps herself to calm down! She was only separated from Oscar. That is all. She readies for the long journey to find her partner."

With her mood changing like the flipping of a coin, Avril walked briskly, scraping her feet against the rubble. Darkness lingered on the edges of her thoughts, and faint whispers never quit, telling her to give up and return to the mistress. Avril rubbed her temple. She couldn't be distracted by these voices, not now, not in this place. Her need to find Oscar grew and she hurried deeper inside, frantically searching all corners.

'Where is he?' Avril paused to take a breather. Her stomach hurt like she had swallowed magma. She felt sad for herself that simply being away from her reliable partner made her so weak. She gritted her teeth and continued, dragging her legs while clutching the walls.

'Move! Move! Move!' Her thoughts converged on a single focus, move. Sevon taught her a while ago to hone her thoughts and focus only on the next action. It was similar to how her mother always said to focus on what to do tomorrow when worried. At the thought of her mother, Avril paused again and remembered the burning town, the screams of the townspeople, and the separation from her family.

That was right. Avril couldn't falter here. She had to find Oscar, escape this cursed cavern, and find her family. Her strength and determination returned, encouraged by her will pushing her onward. Avril started the long trek down spiraling stairs and arrived at the bottom. There was only one tunnelway. Sensing something sinister lurking within, Avril summoned her scroll anima and melded it into her staff. Her melded scroll staff gave her a boost of confidence, and she thanked Oscar under her breath.

Whatever hid away in this place, she would win. Avril entered the room, glanced around, and froze. Unbelievably, out of all the things she expected, this was not even within her thoughts. Pointing at the person standing in the center of the room, Avril stammered, "Old Yule?"

The room of black-marbled obsidian, filled with many tables, was quiet. Avril lost her voice, unable to believe that the old woman from the edge of the Burning Valley was standing right here and wearing a robe with the emblem of the New Dawn. It did not make sense. None of this made any sense to her.

"Old Yule. What are you doing? Where's Quinn? Where's your grandson?" Avril kept talking to Old Yule. The old woman, who had given her and Oscar a place to stay for their first time here and helped them get accustomed to the Burning Valley, didn't speak. Irritated by Old Yule's silence, Avril roused her Ein, her face darkening.

"Hello, Avril. It's been around two and a half years. In all that time, Quinn was nagging me about you. That boy is quite a handful sometimes." Old Yule smiled the same welcoming and homely smile as always.

"Is…is this a joke? That's right! This must be a joke, right? She finally realizes the truth and is happy to see Old Yule again. There is no way Old Yule is a member of New Dawn." Avril tried to delude herself, but she knew the truth. No other possible reason existed for Old Yule to be here other than being a member of New Dawn.

Her laughter echoed along the cavern walls. Old Yule also croaked her usual laughter. Avril's heart sank with an unsettling wave of disgust at Old Yule's casual demeanor. She flowed her Ein, intent on using roots to secure Old Yule, keeping her Prinstyct active to foresee a counter.

Old Yule tapped her foot once, a clicking sound following after, cascading into gears rotating. Avril canceled her cast and held her staff defensively. The sounds grew louder and closer, coming from all over. It all came from the ceiling, and Avril glanced at the hatches that flung open.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Tens of cages dropped from the hatches, chains rattling as they held the cages in midair. Avril lost her wits and could no longer hold it in. The sickening feeling in the pit of her stomach enlarged and forced its way up her throat. She vomited and staggered on her feet, landing on her rear.

Old Yule sighed. "You truly are a difficult case."

"W-what is this? Old Yule…." Avril struggled to stand up. Using her staff as a crutch, she got to her knees and slowly worked her way up, taking another glance above as chill hurt her heart.

Many people, bound in chains, rested lifelessly inside the cages, leaning their mangled, withered, and malnourished bodies against the bars. Blood trickled down between the bars, collecting into small pools on the floor. Avril resisted the horrid ache in her stomach and strained to say, "Why?"

"Oh, you poor, poor girl. Your lips are blue, your face is pale, and your blood is rushing, suffocating your heart." Old Yule spread her arms around, gesturing toward the cages. "This is what our New Dawn is about. The sacrifices needed to achieve the impossible. The apex of humanity, which our leader yearns for."

"This…isn't right….She can't allow this." Avril's Ein rose and faded. Shaken by the horrible sight of the prisoners, her mind failed to uphold her Ein. She pressed on, taking a step closer. She needed to keep moving, stay to a singular thought. Then, a drop of blood fell on her head, and she backed away in fright.

"The self-narration, what an intriguing symptom. Tell me, why do you do it? Or let's see, hmmm. What comes to mind when you think of someone speaking their thoughts or, even closer, narrating a story?" Old Yule sat down on a chair and took out a paper and pen. "Come on, Avril."

"Why? Why are you a part of New Dawn?" Anger surged through her veins, and Avril stared coldly at Old Yule, about to charge. Old Yule tapped her foot again, and a lifeless corpse fell on Avril. The feeling of the rotten, slimy corpse and the sight of the collar on its neck made Avril scream and retreat away. She huddled, hugging her knees which were drenched in black blood.

"Wild mood swings and a severe reaction to certain stimuli. There's also the aversion to meat." Old Yule scribbled something in her notes. "Followed by the severe reactions when approached in Rockfell, seeing the depraved people of Rockfell, seeing these people in cages now all indicate a severe trauma in the past."

"Rockfell? You knew what happened?" Avril choked.

"Let's say I have my means to keep watch. I saw how Oscar fought to protect you and how the butcher picked up the two of you. After that, I had no idea where you went until I heard about the Azure Sea Company." Old Yule still had her welcoming smile. However, it seemed more like the smile of a devil to Avril. "Once the attack on Brightburn City commenced, I watched using my means."

Avril backed away from the blood spreading from the corpse. She gripped her staff harder.

"Then, the oddest thing happened. That time you fought that outsider. He mentioned you were a slave. Though, it is fascinating that someone would send their own to pursue a slave in this savage land. So, this tells me that your trauma is because of your slave past." Old Yule wrote down. "And that emblem…."

Avril twitched. She glanced at Old Yule. The extent of Old Yule's knowledge was terrifying. She felt sick again and huddled to keep it down.

"That emblem is from the Tri-Heaven Elysium—you unfortunate soul. With your talents and grade seven Exolsia core, you could have joined that power as a disciple, but instead, you were just a slave. Did you know that it is a Primaere faction? Funny how the hallowed Primaeres of Vallen can be just as depraved as the fiends they claim live in Shattirma." Old Yule shrugged and sighed. "They're not wrong, but that doesn't mean they're righteous either. Bastards….Anyway. So, tell me, Avril. Why do you self-narrate? What memory stokes that part of you? Who do you remember?"

Avril turned her staff and used two spell sections, instantly summoning massive waves of entangling roots. She charged, closing her eyes to the horrible scene.

"Oh, dear. Closing your eyes is not the best. To truly make it work, you must look forward, straight at it." Old Yule's voice reached her ears.

Suddenly, Avril noticed all of her roots had vanished. Peeking through her eyelids, she widened them, stunned to see Old Yule still sitting, scribbling notes down. Not a trace of her spell remained, and Avril opened her mouth and closed it again, unable to find the right words for it.

"I think this conversation will improve if we're all settled down. Now." Old Yule snapped her fingers, and chains latched onto Avril's wrists and ankles.

"No!" Avril screamed, but the chains wrapped around her, bringing her close to Old Yule. She hated chains. She whipped her head around and squirmed her body, trying to escape. She wished to be free. She didn't escape the life of slavery only to be put back into chains.

"Calm down, Avril. I'm only asking you some questions." Old Yule patted Avril's head. It was disgusting and lacked all the warmth Avril desperately sought at this time. Unable to control herself, Avril sobbed. Dark shadows and the woman with the scythe appeared, all staring at her with red eyes and menacing smiles.

"Alright. How about this? If you answer my questions. I will take you to see Oscar. Hmm? How about that?" Old Yule smiled.

Avril lifted her head, barely able to see through the tears. "Really?"

"Really. Now, let's begin from the start." Old Yule resumed scribbling.

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