The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar followed behind Hons, the Gorilla King Exalt, keeping an eye on his rough, shaggy black hair spread down the back to the knees. From what he witnessed earlier, Hons was the higher King Exalt in the hierarchy, above Almos and Ness. Parts of him twitched and stretched, an unsettling feeling in his gut tensing up his joints.

Hons never spoke, never speaking the entire way through the vast network in the great tree. The entire great tree was quiet, nothing but the light sounds of their clear footsteps tapping through the blue wooden veins. Soft yet clear light shone from the spores floating idly by, swaying up and down with the soft breeze flowing through the roads. The stairways were carved from the wood of the tree, uneven and lacking any semblance of practical design. As they delved further away, more blue leaves appeared on the walls.

Moonlight beamed down a wide opening, enchanting everything it touched with a starry glimmer, a bed of stars along the great branches of the leaves. Stepping outside, Oscar closed his eyes and breathed in the night air but could not enjoy the winds brushing past his air, not in front of Hons.

"The Pools of Ascension are opening in a few days. Your arrival here has impeccable timing. Gives more credence that the Ancients wanted you here." Hons walked down the lush forest embedded in the large branch. With his passing, many large shadows emerged from the foliage, all gorillas, monkeys, and other primates.

"The Ancients care so much to guide me to the Lands of Zeret for Erden to evolve. How generous of them." Oscar said, his voice as monotone as Demon's.

"Curb your sarcasm. See what the Ancients have planned for you and your friend. Generosity? That is too soon to know. Perhaps your role will be harsher and far more dangerous." Hons plucked a dandelion and blew lightly, spores flying and spreading to the lush grass. Placing the stem on the ground like a mother would for their child, the great King Exalt transformed back into their beast form, a towering gorilla staring Oscar down.

"I want no part in that. I just want to go home. Is that so much to ask for?" Oscar asked.

Hons chuckled a deep series of bellows and sat on the ground, the branch shaking with a sound akin to a loud drum. "Not something you can have a say in. My promise to you that I will let you leave the Lands of Zeret safely to the nearest human continent after the Pools of Ascension."

Moved by Hons' sincerity, Oscar bowed and expressed his gratitude. "I thank you. Can I also ask for one thing?"

"Greedy. But interesting. What is your request?" Hons reached his hand out, plucked a large melon, and bit into it, dripping juice on the blue grass. The Ein pulsing within its flesh made Oscar involuntarily gulp. It was an immense amount he knew was meant for King Exalts.

Regaining his sense, Oscar coughed to clear his throat and bowed again. This time, however, he knelt and lowered his head to touch the grass with his forehead, a display of pure subservience and respect. "You have granted us the golden sap for Knight Exalts, but can I ask for just a little of the Marshal Exalt sap?"

Oscar didn't lift his head, only hearing Hons shuffling around, rustling the grass.

"Hmmm. Look at me." Hons ordered. When Oscar raised his head and met Hons's gaze, the gorilla splurted out pieces of fruit in laughter. "For that woman of yours? The two of you are a great couple. Almos told me how the two of you were lost in your own little arguments despite him standing in front of you. Hahaha."

"We're not a couple." Oscar sighed. "She's–"

Hons interrupted. "Not yet, then. Don't lie to me. We have a great sense of smell. The odor from you as you're talking about her is so obvious. It's the same as when our kind is in heat when we eye a mate." Hons grinned, flashing his gums and teeth, his large finger pointing in accusation.

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"Will you or will you not allow me to take some. Her scars can be healed with an elixir made from those. Or I can exchange those for that elixir." Oscar felt exhausted from this conversation. He never expected a great King Exalt like Hons to be a teasing sort. Come to think of it, his own master, Elder Saul, and Aunt Rosett were like that. He wondered if all old fogies had strange eccentricities.

"Advice from a beast to the human." Hons poked Oscar's chest, particularly over his heart. "If you want her, be open about it. Humans go through so many trivialities and worries to their own detriment. Just step up and say it." Hons finished his fruit and rubbed his chin with swelled cheeks. "As for your request. I'll give it to you depending on Erden's performance."

"How good of a performance?" Oscar asked, ignoring the first half of Hons' words.

"That's where we have a problem. Ness is sending the best of her flock, Ruvin, to attack your friend during the procession. Ruvin is the most powerful out of the rest of his Mythical Yatscrow race. Ness hopes for him to enter the Primaere realm. If Erden can defeat Ruvin, I will grant you the golden sap." Hons tacked on his conditions.

"Is she allowed to do that?" Oscar asked, clenching his fists. "Erden needs the best he can get."

"And we shall see his limits tomorrow. Tell him to rest well. The time will come in a few days. The Pools of Ascension is a right limited to only the strong and worthy. Erden must prove he has a place amongst us beasts." Hons growled. The primates beat their chests and made all kinds of incoherent noises. "Now return. I wonder if this is also a test of the Ancients."

Oscar stayed for a little while longer, staring at Hons' retreating back, slowly becoming hidden by the thick forest. His mind stuck on the images of the two Ancients, Okeanes and Xures. Hons seemed certain they chose to show themselves to him, but Oscar couldn't understand any reason for them to want him.

Confused, Oscar tripped several times on his way back, his foot caught on branches or wonky ledges. He returned to his chamber where Erden rested peacefully, the wounds from the battle all healed. He stopped and smiled at Avril, who had sprawled along the floor between their beds.

"Why do you always have such awkward sleeping habits? Your hair is messy as well." Oscar pulled her blanket over her and lifted her head gently to place her pillow underneath. Her relaxed and satisfied face was heartening to see.

'Come to think of it. We've known each other for about six years. That's longer than my time in the Pavilion.' Memories of his friends, family, and teachers filled his thoughts. The many years away didn't lessen the clarity of their images. He stopped his reminiscence when Celestina popped into his thoughts. It had been a long time since he had thought of her specifically, mostly jumbled and mixed with everyone else previous times.

'I never did get to confess to her.' Oscar slumped down the wall, dragging his back along the bumps, almost like a massage. Oddly, he didn't feel that bad. It had been a little over twenty years since his entrapment in Ashen Grove. He no longer felt the same agony, the twisting of his heart when thinking of Celestina. The emerald eyes and the silver hair were as radiant as he remembered but somehow duller. He couldn't quite explain it.

Tired of his stressful thoughts, Oscar dropped sideways and fell asleep, snoring erratically. His eyes trembled under their eyelids. It was not a peaceful sleep.

…….

Oscar woke up and rubbed his tired eyes. To ease the morning drowsiness, Oscar took out a basin and filled it with water, splashing his face to shock his mind with the cold. Behind him, a soft yawn reached his ears.

"Good morning…." Avril rubbed her eyes with her scarred hands, her hair messy as ever after sleeping.

"Morning. Here's some fruit." Oscar set aside a bowl of fruit. He noticed a smudge on her cheek and rubbed his wet thumb over it. "There's some dirt on your face."

"Right…." Avril swayed over on unsteady legs to the basin and dunked her head in. Oscar smiled softly and cut the fruit. He wondered, since when did every one of her small actions and words stir his heart? Since when did his blood warm from watching her?

"Oscar. Put aside those thoughts for a moment." Erden trotted over to his side, hearing Oscar's thoughts as clearly as if he was talking. "I need to train for the Pools of Ascension. Fight me."

"Sure. I need to destress." Oscar cracked his neck and put some distance between him and Erden. He needed to focus on getting his friend into the best possible position.

"Ooo….Fighting…." Avril nearly dozed off back to sleep, her head nodding down and snapping back up from her trying to keep awake.

…….

A few days later, the great tree was bustling with activity. Beasts ran and shouted along its interior, a beast tide surpassing the one back in Portland Island. This beast tide wasn't stampeding to destroy humans or topple environments but to make their way to the Pools of Ascension.

Oscar exited the great tree with Avril and Erden. He turned to them and said, "Ready?"

"Ready!" Avril shouted.

"Ready." Erden exhaled and stared with sharp eyes at the large gathering flying through the air. "I'll make you all proud. Let's head to the Pools of Ascension."

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