The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

"Hellish?" Oscar grimaced. The situation was worse than he had thought. He glared at the scruffy-bearded man and said, "Please tell me everything you know. I must know." He rushed out his words, almost sounding incoherent even to his own ears.

The scruffy-bearded sighed and scratched his head. "We don't get much news anymore about it, only that it broke out ten years ago."

"Ten years?" Oscar mumbles to himself. Ashen Grove closed around twenty years ago, and the Divine Essence should have been planted immediately. By all accounts and standards, the war should have happened right after, but the scruffy-bearded man didn't look to be lying. Oscar exhaled once and thought about the reasons why. There was no way the other four empires would stay back for ten years, not with the Divine Essence giving rise to a surplus of resources and new Exalts.

"Ten years. While wars are frequent everywhere and can last longer, this is different. The Black Tortoise Empire, Scarlet Griffon Empire, and Emerald Hydra Empire are fighting for their survival, not for riches or expansion…survival. That drives men to extremes you may never see. I've heard that the last ten years of war exceeds what some wars get to in several decades." The scruffy-bearded man placed the newly-forged spear on the table and leaned closer. "Your craftsmanship is amazing. I can see the years of experience on your back and your ingenuity in the design of your formation. Don't be so foolish to dive into that hellhole. It won't do any good for you."

Oscar gritted his teeth and clenched his fists for a few seconds before sighing, slumping in his seat. All the tension loosened from his brow. He couldn't take out his anger on the man who only said this in worry, not out of any malice. "I'm grateful for your evaluation, but I have a duty to fulfill. I must return home, or I'll regret it for the rest of my life."

The scruffy-bearded man closed his beady eyes, clearly struggling with something. He scoffed and shook his head. "Do as you want. It's a shame. You could have created more wondrous works with some more work in this peaceful city. What a shame." He lifted the spear and stroked his finger along its sharp coiled spearhead, a slight disappointment radiating from his eyes. "I assume you are from the Brilliant Drake Empire, then?"

"Yes. And I am not going to die. I can't die." Oscar said almost as a promise to himself. He couldn't die after everything he had been through to get to this point. No matter what, he had to cling to life even in the throes of war.

"Beset on all sides by the forces of the other three empires, your home has been holding on well. But the latest news speaks of how the intensity of the battles and the carnage that follow has blown up. The war may be reaching its climax. What can one Greater Knight Exalt like you do against that inferno of blood." He still tried to convince Oscar against going to the war. "I don't mean to insult your resolve, but a meaningless death is just that…meaningless."

"I won't allow that. There is still something I must do for my home." Indeed, he still had many cards to play, which would certainly assist in the war. Engraved in his memory and written in Isaac's notes were most of Gol-4's and Isaac's genius schematics and procedures for all sorts of golems, which held great potential in warfare since the bulk was created for the war against the Forest Heart Clan. "It is good to hear they're still holding on."

Twenty years of the Divine Essence being planted meant a new generation of young Exalts, far more numerous than previous generations, were born. Oscar bowed to the scruffy-bearded man. "Thank you for telling me. May I know the elder's name?"

"Still so persistent. I suppose that's how we fabricators are. Far be it from me to intervene on one's path forged in steely determination. I am Hector Brenor, one of the elders here." Hector yawned, no longer serious as before. It seemed he had given up on convincing Oscar. His beady eyes glinted as a faint smile emerged. "It seems you have something else to say."

"Recently, I went over to the Alchemist Guild with my wife so she could take the three-star examination. While there, I donated a few rare items in exchange for rare elixirs. May I ask the elder to be my backing? I don't want anything dangerous to befall my wife and me during our short stay here." Oscar bowed his head again, staring at the floor.

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A few seconds passed in silence. Hector placed the spear back down on the table. "In honor of completing this spear, though rough in some parts, I will make sure those bastardly alchemists or anyone else tries anything. In the meantime, why don't you get to work in the guild and help with some refinements and crafting." Hector used the spear as a crutch to help him stand up. Before leaving the room, he turned to Oscar and said, "If you ever change your mind and want to stay in Convecia, let me know."

On the way out, Hector mumbled loud enough for Oscar to hear. "Married to an alchemist? What a terrible decision. Fabricators these days…."

Oscar watched Hector leave, contemplating his words about the war. He still needed to gather more information and knew where to get some. After selling some of his treasures to get gold coins, Oscar searched for a good inn and found a sizeable tower.

"Welcome to the Hilrest Tower." The pretty receptionist, a mortal, bowed.

"I would like two rooms connected by a door in the middle." It would be easier for him and Avril to meet and talk if they didn't have to go out into the hallway too much.

"And how long is your stay?" The receptionist wrote down some information.

"Two weeks."

"Here is the price for some of our rooms. Some are luxurious, and others are simple. May I have the money and your residential token?"

Oscar selected one of the middle-ranked rooms and gave the receptionist the money and the temporary residence token he got from the gate. After receiving his items, the receptionist scribbled on what appeared to be a logbook and gave Oscar two keys.

"The rooms you have selected can only be activated with these keys. You will not be allowed entrance into the hotel without showing the keys. Thank you for your business." The receptionist bowed again.

Oscar thanked the lady and didn't go up to his room. Instead, he left the Hilrest Tower and went to the central library of Convecia. The most recent information should be recorded in its archives. He entered the grand halls of the central library, the smell of old and fresh paper welling him up with joy. Avril had to see this. Oscar chuckled at how she might react to seeing this. However, right now, he had a purpose here and walked solemnly to the librarian.

"Excuse me. May I get the latest information about the war in the Farsky Continent?" Oscar tensed up.

"The war? Let's see…." The librarian led him to the record shelves and traced his fingers over several binders. He pulled one out and held it out to Oscar. "This is the latest news of the war, tracing back to around two years ago. So far, news has been harder to get from that area. That'll be ten gold coins."

Oscar handed over the coins and took the binder. Though light, it felt heavy, like a mountain in his arms. Finding a table, Oscar flipped the binder open to the first page, neatly written sentences detailing the accounts and history of the war on the paper. As he read, his face became more solemn; the accounts were not favorable, not at all.

"Year 4101 - After ten years of the Divine Essence growing and changing the Brilliant Drake Empire, the other three empires began their invasion. Within a few months, the outer regions of the Brilliant Drake Empire had been lost, partly due to the powerful rush of the three empires but mostly because the Brilliant Drake Empire had already relocated many to the inner regions leaving only paper fortresses with many traps."

"Year 4102 - A year after the war began, fighting spread to the newly established borders. A sudden ambush from the northern sea left the northern shores of the Brilliant Drake Empire nearly crippled. Portland Island, a hub of activity and important location, was destroyed."

Oscar stopped reading. Portland Island was where he and others encountered the beast tide and the infiltrators from the other empires. Memories of the brutal battles and Celestina's saddened figure came up. He couldn't even begin to imagine the amount of despair she must have felt from losing that place after fighting so hard to defend its people. Not just Portland Island but also the outer regions. Oscar clenched his hands but continued reading.

Each page and sentence filled him with dread—loss of a location here, loss of a location there, a counterattack somewhere. Bit by bit, the Brilliant Drake Empire had been losing ground. Every turn of the page sunk his heart at what he might find inside.

Most of the logs said the same about the progress of the war. However, they failed to mention any names or a count of the losses. Oscar didn't know whether to feel glad or despair at the incomplete records. The fate of his friends and others still eluded him. The only thing garnering his interest was the detail about using Ataerstones in the war machines and defenses. At least that meant his master was on the move.

Oscar closed the book and leaned back in his chair. His uneven breathing came from the tightness of his chest.

'Are you alright?' Erden asked.

'You know that feeling you get when you're near the goal, but the steps feel more tiring the closer you get? That's how I am now.' Oscar clutched his chest, unable to calm his breathing. The anxiety was eating away at him from the inside. Amid his nausea, he could only whisper, "How is Avril doing?" He wanted to see her.

…….

"Come on!" Avril shouted with a fiery gaze at the boiling cauldron. Her brow was covered in sweat and dampened her cloth mask. Her three-star examination was well underway.

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