The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Oscar gulped down another grade-three healing elixir and frowned at the slow progress of his healing wounds. The Ein of a higher realm seeped in like poison, keeping the injuries fresh and open, blood still dripping out of his exposed chest. He took out a simple salve and rubbed it on the injuries on his arms, legs, and chest. Taking out a fresh roll of bandages, he tightly wrapped the white cloth, which was already turning red, many times over until the red of the blood no longer dyed the bandages.

Gripping his bandaged hands, Oscar nodded in satisfaction at his handiwork, the bandages doing the job well to keep his wounds tightly closed. Dangling from his fingers, the necklace seemed to have a mind of its own and kept floating out, stretching away from him and pointing to the stairs. Within the tall pillar that extended to the ceiling was a spiraling stairway, the steps clear as a mirror, reflecting his figure to return his stare to him.

"Gol-4 always did say Evelyn was unique and special. Though, in my case, I could say the same about Avril." Remembering his beloved wife, Oscar smiled cheekily at Erden, who merely scoffed. On his friend's teal crystalline antlers, the black-armored golem and Brigg rested, dead and motionless. Oscar put the golem inside his space pocket and had Erden drop Brigg to the floor. Brigg had nothing to offer on his bony, malnourished body, as expected since he was imprisoned. The golem could be reused and enhanced, a wonderful bounty and boon to his fighting power.

The necklace pulled and tugged, irritating Oscar. "I know! Erden, watch my back."

Slowly, he peeked through the entrance and turned to face upward, his mouth gaping in awe at the beautiful stairs, glittering like diamonds. But, the necklace tugged in the opposite direction, the seven-pointed star attempting to break away from its lace. Interestingly, the stairway also spiraled downward. Oscar stepped forward but thought for a moment and hesitated.

How could he be so sure of exiting this place in time? Oscar struggled to come to a decision and decided to confer with his two companions.

'Go!' Demon and Erden said in unison, one voice piercingly cold and the other excited.

'That's surprising. I thought you would talk me out of it, Demon.' Oscar took his first step on the stairs, saw nothing happened, and trekked further down, keeping his ears open and eyes focused, awaiting any surprises. He felt it was strange for Demon to agree readily to an unknown journey inside enemy territory.

'That damned head may be crazy, but he always had your best interests in mind. That necklace was supposed to be something that would lead him to his wife. Thus, it shouldn't be dangerous.' Demon said monotonely, the lack of emotion in his sentences unsettling for the ears, especially in a long explanation.

'Hoh. So you like Gol-4, after all.' Oscar smiled, tapping his feet gently on the stairs, one step at a step. After one hundred steps, he reached the bottom, and another gate stood before him. The doors were smaller than the Lighthouse gates, standing around ten feet tall and containing no words or engravings. They seemed to be made entirely out of flat, smooth stone. Before he had a chance to observe it more carefully, the necklace floated higher, the points on its star rotating like a wheel. Bright light beamed from the center and hit directly on the center of the door, sending out ripples and waves of light onto the stone.

The light stretched and expanded until it covered the entire entrance. Slowly, the light dimmed inside until it was faint and swirling around, resembling shallow waters under the two suns. Oscar grabbed the necklace, scalding to the touch as it steamed inside his cold, sweat-ridden hands, and reached out to the light. His finger dipped into it, finding no resistance to its path, and then his hand went in, same as before.

"It's like the gates at True Sword Peak. Stick close, Erden." Oscar gripped his friend's antlers and walked through the light. It felt similar to diving into a serene pool of water. Oscar submerged himself completely in the flowing light and closed his eyes to save his pupils from the burning brightness. The sensation went away as his feet clanked on a hard floor. Strangely, the entire place was warm, as if the winter outside did not affect it.

Oscar cracked his eyes open, rubbing them a few times to readjust after basking in pure light, and wondered where he had arrived. The room was circular like the one above, but a moat of starry water shimmered at its edges. His gaze focused forward, and he couldn't understand what he was seeing. In disbelief, he limped over to the strange carving on the round wall, furrowing his brow.

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The carving depicted a group of people, all bearing blue eyes and blue hair. Despite only being a carving, it emanated a power, a divine feeling, and his mind immediately thought of bowing down in reverence. Shaking off the intrusive thoughts, Oscar stared at the necklace they were wearing, all the same seven-pointed stars as Evelyn's.

"What the hell is this place? Who are these people?" Oscar noticed this carving was only one of several in the room and started to go around. Each carving around the room was as mysterious and shocking as the next. It showed these people living as kings and emperors in a big palace. Then, the palace was in the sky, beyond the two suns and moon, sitting on a shroud of clouds and shining its glory down on everyone else who prostrated on all fours, sinking their faces in the earth.

Then, the images changed, and Oscar recognized some of these figures as they stuck out in his memories. He traced his hand over a metal figure with red eyes glowing through its visor. Ancient of Metal, Metures. Beside Metures were the others, some Oscar knew to be Okeanes and Xures, and others he didn't meet. But he could tell the one sprouting flowers in its hands was Esteres, the Ancient of Nature and Life.

The images became less clear onward. The divine people of blue hair and blue eyes flew and descended to the ground, passing by the stars, suns, and moon. The locals greeted and worshipped them, gifting treasures and sacrifices. Oscar paused and stepped back from the next image, beads of sweat flowing down his face, and his lungs forgot how to breathe. The Ancients stood on one side, an army following behind, and the divine blue-haired people stood on the other, leading their own army. The two sides were divided by a strike of lightning.

"Where's the rest of it?" Oscar exclaimed. The last image before it returned to the first was carved out, the chunk missing from the wall. Remembering what Metures mentioned about Gilbert being a person of interest, he pondered.

"Could Gilbert and Evelyn be related to these people? They must be the gods Brigg spoke of." Oscar murmured.

"Blue hair, blue eyes, and a divine appearance that puts many others to shame. It all matches." Erden answered.

"The Ancients and these so-called gods went to war….Metures did look half-dead when we first met. Perhaps he suffered severe injuries." The more he pondered, the more confused he became. Irritated, Oscar scratched his brow to loosen the wrinkles and exhaled, an exercise for clearing his head. "Gol-4 mentioned Evelyn disappeared, and he failed to locate her despite his Primaere influence. Gilbert's mother also disappeared. Did they return to this castle above the two suns and moon? Is that why Gol-4 never found Evelyn?"

Oscar leaned on Erden's back. "I don't know if I'll have a chance to meet Gilbert and if he'll even answer any questions. Still, how powerful are they to war against the Ancients?"

"The question is, who do we trust? Do we try to ally with Gilbert and solve this mystery by leading him here? Or do we side with Metures and the Ancients?" Erden posed the choice.

'Neither. That Ancient of Metal said to meet him in the Fallen Heavens. Let's go to him and get our answers before choosing.' Demon interjected with his opinion.

"I'll have to side with Demon. Metures was eager to talk, and he didn't look to be able to do anything drastic with those wounds, but that Gilbert–" Oscar's face darkened as he cursed, remembering what Celestina told him. "-is too much of a wildcard. I can't predict how he would react. Maybe I'll be killed for having this necklace or knowledge of this place."

"Do we keep it a secret for now? Should we tell anyone else?" Erden grunted.

Oscar remained silent for a few seconds. Then he sighed and said, "No. I did tell everyone about Metures and the ancients, but I don't think I should reveal this. We need to focus on the war, not on a potential danger pertaining to Gilbert and the Ancients."

'As long as you keep me a secret. I don't care.' Demon uttered in disinterest.

He wandered around the room, searching for any other clues, and happened upon a small groove in the shape of a seven-pointed star. The necklace in his hand zipped and embedded itself into the groove. It rotated once, clanging into place, and the outer circle rotated once in the opposite direction. The procession occurred seven more times until the outermost circle next to the moat clicked into place.

The room quaked, and the centermost circle descended. Oscar grabbed the necklace and pulled it out. He still needed the necklace to track down Evelyn, and with its unique properties, he was sure the jewel had a use elsewhere. Replacing the centermost circle, a podium rose, ten feet wide, holding ten space pockets and a vibrant purple gemstone, the size of a small baby, in the center. Ein swirled inside it as if the gem was a shell containing the Ein.

Oscar stammered toward the podium, fixated on the purple gemstone. He couldn't believe his eyes, but the truth was the reality before him. Oscar placed his hand over the gemstone and felt the vast, encompassing Ein within, so pure and powerful. Wracked by shock, he leaned on the podium for support, his bandages slowly coming undone from how tightly he clenched. The purple gemstone was the most important for all Marshal Exalts, the one that provided a pathway to King Exalt, the Imperial Jewel.

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