Chapter 15: Briefing

It took an hour of drinking and story sharing from both Val and Noah before they were finally set free by the townsfolk. While they told them a lot, it wasn't exactly what happened, but more of a cheerful adventure between 2 boys who encountered a pack of wolves and took their chances.

They didn't speak much about the levels and danger of the incident and just phrased it as was able to kill them all but needed to rest at the outpost for a while as they were drained which was why they were late.

Of course the old men knew they were stuff they weren't telling but the kids being back safe and sound was all that matters, they asked if there were any more wolves or beasts of that level lurking in closer areas as that would cause a problem if they were allowed to multiply during winter.

Since Noah couldn't assure them, and the teams were already formed, they decided to head out and perform a wide sweep, they'd rest at the outpost for the night and be back tomorrow.

That was how they parted ways.

Noah followed Valdor to his home where they met his mother. She knew the real reason he left for the journey and was just glad he came back safely, she served a mel she had prepared earlier today and the boys the their fill. After helping stock the materials they brought back, Noah turned making his way to the temple with Valdor in tow.

They still had to report to Diara after all.

They took the cores of the beasts with them both youths with different intentions in mind. Noah wanted to find out more about them as his thirst for knowledge was unending, Val on the other hand needed confirmation that this could be used to awaken Noah, this trip couldn't have been for naught.

Getting to the temple, They made straight for Diara's office, luckily she was in. She allowed them in and listened to their story. This time around the both spoke without hiding anything.

From the beginning part of the journey to the springs, finding the route to the lava baths filled with more beasts than usual to the den. They went into details about the chase and each battle against the pack.

When it was time to talk about the final part, both Noah and Valdor flinched as it wasn't an event they would like to experience again, but under Diara's warm gaze they calmed down enough to recount the the tale, each one explaining their part of the story, supplementing where the other left out.

After Val had told his part about how he clashed with the second strongest of the pack, Noah recounted what happened from the moment of their separation to the strange sensation he felt as he took the life of the wolf he faced, catching the unconscious Val and performing the clean up before he finally blacked out.

According to him, while he knew what he was doing, it felt more like a trance or a lucid dream where he had no conscious control of his actions, everything just happened and he went along with it till it ended.

As Diara understood what Noah had gone through, this time around her expressions couldn't be controlled, of all the mind-blowing things Noah had done since she came into custody of him, this had to take to topmost spot.

She quickly enclosed the space they were in to avoid any of words she was going to say now leak. Going towards Noah, she used her fingers to draw a rune in the air and launched it towards him.

Noah caught the rune with his left arm reflexively, he wasn't bothered by the attack, but he hands started lighting up afterwards as a distinct pattern started to snake it's way from his palms up until inside his clothes and the image of iceflakes was projected around him.

Diara at this point had seen enough to last her for a lifetime.

Not only had Noah awakened at a crucial moment, he had the highest ever awakening event recorded in history in an advanced element directly skipping it's elementary form.

Although this meant that Noah would never be able to use the water element as all his channels had been customized to fit his advanced element, the pros outweighed the cons.

Valdor watched as Diara performed her stuff not understanding what was going on, and after he saw her not making any actions seemingly lost in thoughts, he brought out both cores, placed it in front of himself asked

"Hey Diara, sorry to disturb you, but if you used this fire cores to stimulate Noah, considering his affinity to the fire element, is it possible for him to awaken"

Diara snapped out of her thoughts and took a look at the cores before Valdor.

'Noah has a really good friend' she thought to herself displaying her motherly smile before shaking her head

"Valdor, these are of no use, even if you bring the strongest fire natural treasure and create the greatest stimulant out of it, you can't use it to awaken Noah"

Valdor's eyes lost their lights, his reckless action to help pay back his brother couldn't even bear fruit. Even after having his life saved by Noah, he couldn't even fulfill his promise to help awaken him.

Noah's eyes, on the other hand, widened at realisation. The strange sensation, the lucid dream and the overwhelming power he felt during the event, of course he couldn't awaken the fire element again

"After all he has already awakened boy"

Diara completed the though Noah had in his head. Valdor immediately shot to his feet

"What do you mean"

"Calm down boy, you listened to Noah's words earlier yourself, the weird state he was in, how he defeated the wolf and put a stop to the situation, cleaning up the surroundings and even securing a resting spot before he blacked out, that's was him during his awakening"

Diara went back to her seat and begun telling a story of how people awakened.

"The main cause of an awakening isn't really known, but one thing we all acknowledge is that all awakenings happen with a distinct vision. What Noah here experienced was the vision overlapping with reality"

"While rare it has been recorded in the past that some people's awakening was so so powerful that the vision only they was supposed to see overlapped with reality, having an effect on the outside world. Thankfully that was able to save you, which was also why after the vision ended all traces of its effects on the surrounding also vanished"

Diara shed more light on the situation and even put some books out on the table which Noah browsed through. Valdor on the other hand just listened to Diara, avoiding the books like a plague.

"Now that all that is over"

Diara said as she walked towards the boys and encompassed them in a hug

"Welcome back home, I'm proud of you both"

Placing a hand on both their shoulder she flashed he motherly smile as she asked

"Now tell me, both of you, what was the real reason you went to the lava baths"

Noah was genuinely confused, he didn't understand what that question was about. Diara noticed that and release her grip on Noah's shoulder declaring him innocent and free. For some reason Noah felt like he had escaped certain death when she released him and faced Val

'Sorry buddy, there's nothing I can do to help you now, I'll burn incense at your funeral' He monologue as he silently stepped away, catching on that Valdor was hiding something from him. That something was why he was free from Diara's anger right now

Valdor though thought Diara's usual motherly smile wasn't so warm and refreshing today. Instead he was cold and chilly, he was scared. He didn't even think twice before spilling the beans.