Chapter 6- S For Sage

While still fighting his demons on the inside, Arthur's outside wasn't doing much better. His Icarte - dragon tattoo on his back, gave off a deep red glow as well as heat carried forth by the sound of siering flesh.

Luckily Akila had left the room shortly after he had fallen asleep, otherwis3 there would have been a new cause for concern.

Unconsciously, he moved his body to the side chalking his discomfort as but a side effect of a bad lying posture. But he soon jolted up when the pain threatened to carve out his back.

"What the?!" He thought, his bed now held a burnt imprint of his icarte with smoke still oozing out of it.

He panicked afraid that maybe the Emperor wasn't too pleased with his whole

- I don't want anything to do with you' talk

But even then he was the only one who could answer his question. So he ignored the pain while trying to re-enter his mindspace. He was so frantic than instead of the soft pull which would usually leads him there, he instead envisioned himself there and was surprised to find out that it worked.

Once again he was back in the familiar void but this time instead of the domineering aura of the Emperor surrounding the space, he felt a lingering energy which felt both familiar and foreign at the same time.

He didn't have to think to much to answer his fears as with but a glance he could see the Emperor sprawled on the floor panting heavily with a greenish glow escaping his chest.

Panicked, he rushed towards the floor grabbing unto the Emperor's body before placing it on his lap

"Emperor!?, What's wrong?" Three stings pierced his eyes rustling in three translucent drops on the Emperor's ask robe.

"Ar..Arthur, is that you?" His voice was husky and without life while his face was as pale as a table cloth.

"Yes it is, what's wr-"

"-What the hell is that?" He jerked back almost dropping the Emperor on his head. He stood mouth wide staring at the huge gaping hole which was on the Emperor's chest. His innards were partially visible, obscured by the greenish glow.

"It's from a Runic Roblox, a nasty little thing" he finally replied after a coughing episode from which he spewed lumps of a black substance Arthur chalked up to being his blood.

Arthur became even more suspicious becayse he knew there were only two ways of activating it, and what on earth could make someone who was worshipped as a god falter in such a way.

"How- I don't understand?" His brows were now furrowed as he awaited the Emperor's response, but instead he got a question.

"What are the ways of causing Runic Roblox?" The Emperor asked, his grin expression showing alongside the urgency in his voice kept all the questions Arthur wanted to ask at bay.

"There are only two ways of causing it; The first being when a Ring has not fully mastered one of his rings and attempts it with shallow understanding, the second is when a Ring lacks the Runic requirements to complete a ring but still trys it" he passed before continuing "Id rather drol dead than say that a god who has lived for about a thousand years doesn't know how to cast a ring"

"I second that, then I guess it's the latter"

"What?, You not having enough energy for the ring. Your kidding right, your a freaking god. Aren't you?" His tone sounded more worried than concerned over his status but the edge from his usual stern tone still found its way there.

"I am, and as for the not having enough energy, that part is true. Right now I'm just as weak as you- no offense intended. The only reason I could best Dregbane was thanks to Sage power and sadly I depleted every onunce you had accumulated since birth" his voice dropped in pitch, a sign which made Arthur know that he had to resolve the situation at hand before any further questioning.

"How can I help?" He asked looking at the faint particles streaming out of his chest

"I need Sage power to survive" he stated

"I don't understand, I thought you just said I normally produce Sage energy which was how you defeated Dregbane in the first place. Ok, do you need my permission to take it?, Very well then I allow you take my energy, now heal, heal dammit" he was choking on his tears, hicuuping while the salty sting tourtured his eyes

The Emperor smiled, his face already so pale one would liked it to a blank whit sheet. His lips held no colour and his eyes were as bright as a foggy sky. He could feel his life force being sucked dry by the Roblox but he couldn't bring himself to tell Arthur.

"Nothi- you must accept who you are" thx words clawed out of his mind, each syllable felt like a teeth wrenching episode, but there was nothing he could do, he couldn't lie to a Sage Of Truth.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked

"You have to accept your powers as well as your title if I am to survive" he said

Arthur looked into the eyes of the Emperor, searching for that selfish glint he had once seen in them, but they were not there. His mind plagued him, althought he didn't want the power because he had resolved that if anyone was going to destroy Dregbane then it would be him- as Arthur Elaine Pendragon and not as the Sage of truth. But then again was someone really going to loose his life just because of his volition. Life truly wasn't fair so he chose to make it.

"What am I to do?" The question shocked the Emperor who had gotten himself mentally prepared for another bout of quarrelling and convincing. He was flabbergasted and at the same time, relieved.

"Well you have to say your name and title" he said

"That's it, well my name is Arthur Elaine Pendragon and I am the Sage of Truth" his voice was plain as it was flat, but he didn't expect it to be some high and mighty speech made by the Knights of old, and it wasn't, but still nothing happened. The Emperors5body had began disintegrating form the feet up and by the time he was done, part of his lower abdomen was gone.

"I did what you said, why isn't it working?" He was panting haveily watching the life drain out of the Emperor's eyes

"Arthur, being the Sage of truth means you have to accept the truth. Your father is gone and you must accept that you will never see him again" the Emperor said

"But-"

"-No, no buts. You have to accept this loss and move forwards else the pain will consume you" his eyes became watery, but it wasn't his death that made him somber, rather the words he was forced to say due to the Sage power influencing him. He had wanted to tell Arthur to not worry and to live his life, but he knew inside of him that there was every reason to worry and that he would never again lead a normal life.

That was the con of Arthur's status. Although at face value, the idea that no one could lie to you was a dream come true, but the after taste of not being able to hear lies which could reduce his pain and comfort him was a misery he was doomed to experience.

Arthur was trapped in his own mind; on one hand he didn't want to have to let his father go, and on the other he could see the Emperor quite literally slipping away. His turmoil ended with the realisation of the last things his father had said to him. It was just after he had gotten up for the Rites of Passage. On his way to the mountain top, his father had stopped him.

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Location- Keshnia, Ring Village

Time- 4:00am

Three days earlier.

Asake was staring at his ceiling, his mind in a haze as a result of his continuous overlapping thoughts. The Order was about to take a decision which would forever shift the balance of things, and although they could exploit the rules to gain asylum, what then?. They would become slaves of the academy, governed by a new power and authority, he was just pondering how the other Rings would feel. Being deprived of their free will, becoming no more than a dog in every sense of the word.

But he knew it was a necessary evil, their little slice of life had become too toxic to host life and what was left of the forests they called home were a sight for sore eyes. With their numbers plummeting and resources becoming scare, it was just a matter of time before even the Beta Hexi evoked into Gammas. Then their already overwhelming force would include an aost endless swarm. By then it would no longer be of choice but of a necessity to retreat to the academy.

"Better now with honour than later with shame" he said finally resolving the matter.

He suddenly remembered that it was his son's Rite of Passage ceremony so he hastened to freshen up and catch up with him before he left.

After a few minutes, he was done. His jet black hair now looked shiny and polished under the faint early morning light and his creamy skin also glistened alongside the hilt of his blade.

Rings were accustomed to holding unto their weapons wereever they went,even if one was tj go on a stroll, there would always have their scabbard accompanying them. One would think it a sign that they were always on guard and that it was one of the traits of a good soldiers, but only they themselves knew the state of paranoia which led them to such practice. During their years as exiled people, they faced many threats and assassination attempts, not just from the Hexi but also from their fellow humans. As though being shunned by society wasn't enough, the whole of Sanctum wanted them dead. In the whole of Zynthra, everyone wanted them dead.

He brushed down his robes before walking out the door. The dusty air filled his nostrils , but he didn't find it unsettling, quite the contrary he had always loved the country air Keshnia had to offer. The green and lush scene made it a safe heaven as well as a landscape wonder.

But now wasn't a time to praise the air for its feel, so in a hurry he made a beeline for his son's hut which was just a few steps down from his.whike walking he thought of what he was going to say to Arthur, he had always been the father who did nothing to aid his son, even the training which had been his only defense as to why he thought Arthur was ready wasn't exactly true.

Yes he sparred with him before drawing out the conclusions he gave to the Order, but that was it. He had never trained him even for a single day, it broke his heart to think that Arthur became that strong on his own, relying on spectators to improve his skills rather than a mentors steady hand. In the same way it made him feel relieved that even upon his neglect, Arthur hadn't been lazy or self absorbed in being abandoned, rather he worked very hard -twice as hard even. All to make sure he could make him proud.

So seeing as he was taking his first steps into adulthood, he couldn't sit back without trying to lead his son in the right path. Although he wasn't good with words, being a hardened warrior, he set it upon his self as a mission to wish his son luck in the Rites.

While strolling down the path way, he caught a glimpse of his Clan's crest jumping in the wind, pegged on a dark silhouette. The figure ran through the living areas performing various vaults and flips with as much sound one would get from dropping a pin in a noisy place.

He was thoroughly impressed but not so shocked at his son's physique and flips that he didn't join in. He immediately gave chase but instead of his son's power through, he opted for a more graceful approach.

Standing on his left foot, he jumped into the air with such grace that he actually used the howling leaves as stepping stoves for a longer bound. With just a few jumps, he covered the same distance as Arthur had done and even bigger as he was now currently waiting at the base of the cliff for his son.

"I thought I heard someone following me, what are you doing hear dad?" Arthur asked from high above a tree just shy of the cliff's base.

"Is it wrong for a father to want to see his son?" Asake was taken back, Arthur had appeared in a different part of the forest and furthermore, instead of him waiting for Arthur as he had predicted, Arthur was the one waiting for him.

Were his senses becoming dull from age?. No, he knew it was just his son being one of the most skilled users of Runic energy; being able to disperse it in a wide area to cover his tracks as well as deceive his targets. Although if Asake had been really set on finding him, he would, smoke screen or not.

"No it isn't. I'm sorry dad" he jumped off from the tree landing just within his father's reach.

Asake's heart was overjoyed. "The Pendragon Clan will leave on" he thought

"No worries, how ready are you for the Rites?" Asake asked

"Very, I've practiced my Rings to their fullest and I also have a surprisingly brilliant new addition, just wait till you see it, I'm calling it pur-"

-thats not what I meant. Forgive me son but I already know you are talented. You have proven yourself so much now that I doubt there is anything I can teach you. What I mean is are you ready to be a Ring?" He asked taking a seat on a carved stone before gesturing Arthur to take the one beside his.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked after sitting.

"I've been a Ring my whole life what difference is there before or after the Rites?" He went on to say

"My boy I am truly sorry , I have failed you. If you do not even know what lies ahead of you, then I really am a bad father" Asake's eyes became teary. Then he lowered his gaze, averting his eyes from that of his son. Too ashamed to mutter another word.

"Don't say that father, I know you have been busy with the needs of the Order as well as the needs of the other Rings here, that's why I work hard because I hope to someday be like you, a person people can trust and rely on. You have not failed me, rather you have given me a reason to live" he took his father's hand

"I'd like to believe that but even I am not that indifferent to the truth. Well I guess this isn't the time to sulk about my shortcomings, so I won't. I just hope you are ready to tread on this path" he said retrieving his hands to stop Arthur from once again trying to cheer him up. He knew himself that after Elaine's death, the world has looked completely black and white to him. Devoid of color as well as emotion; like his heart. So instead of mulling over his past choices and broken nature, he opted to at least mend his son's view of the world.

"What do you mean?, Aren't I already a ring?" He asked

"No you are not, not a full fledge one though. For that you have to pass the Rites of passage" he said

"What difference does it make, now or later. I am already able to cast rings as well as fight quite well with a number of weapons" his face showed an innocence which almost broke Asake

"If that is all you think a ring is good for, then I am sorry to say that your very far from the truth. He cleared his throat to continue "Rings are not just warriors of magic and blade, but also herbibgers of death. We were made entirely to vanquish evil and for that, people despise us" he stopped

"How father?, Aren't they supposed to be grateful for us saving them?" He asked

"Well that should be the case in normal circumstances, but humans are anything but normal. They behave, look and fill like us, but they do not think like us. While they see as as Hexi hybrids because of our use of Rune magic and the apparent nature of our blood which has special characteristics; for instance, you are aware that Rings have the ability to regenerate as well as heal wounds, but do you know that humans don't. Our bodies from birth have been conditioned for battle, granting us increased physical attributes to the point where even the most physically strong human can only be compared with the weakest from our ranks. All these and many others make them view us as monsters" he explained hoping to not scare his son with thos revelations, but he knew that he deserved to now the truth before they reached the academy to further prepare himself for life outside of Keshnia.

"But father seeing as I also possess the traits you mentioned, how am I any different from the rest of you?" He asked hoping to get insight on the matter.

Asake heaved a sigh of relief but he continued on knowing that he was responsible for his ignorance. "Being a Ring isn't solely related to all those things I mentioned rather it is it's full sum and then some. A Ring Cates not for his own life rather he cares for the fate of others; a noble gesture but in some ways this makes us twisted. We would happily sacrifice anything and anyone if the greater good was preserved, regardless of affiliation and relation. Our nature makes us akin to mindless beast, the only difference being whilst beast are in control of their instincts, we are rules by them and so people all through the ages have tagged us as demons for our lack of empathy" hmthe subject weighed heavily on his soul, but there wasn't much time left so he raised his hands to stop Arthur from asking anymore questions.

"I'll leave you with this, although what I've told you now depicts us as lunatics ravaged by choice or rather a lack of choice, I want you to never stray from it. Always think more of the needs of others before your own. Regardless of time, place and situation, for if you do, then you have made our existence no better than the Hexi. Always preserve the greater good". And without warning he was gone mixed in with the wind, leaving Arthur staring.

D The same stare was on his face as he looked into the eyes of the Emperor's fading body. Only party of his face remained and even then it was still dissipating at a visible rate.

Arthur held his breath as he struggled to keep his calm. He had initially planned on moving past his father's death as Arthur Pendragon and not as The Sage Of Truth. The difference being that while the former could carry the grief and fury accompanied with his father's death, the latter could not.

Then after remembering his father's words, he realised his selfishness and was on the verge of plunging into despair, but once more Akila's voice sounded in his ear, reminding of the resolve he had recently built. Using that he stood on his feet, staringvdorn at the last strand of the Emperor's hair slowly disintegrating. He said his next words more to himself that the world he was meant to be talking to-

-I AM ARTHUR PENDRAGON, AND I AM THE SAGE OF TRUTH-

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The mindspace began tearing, letting in a binding light which soon took over the former black of the space. Everything was now white for as far as the eye could see, it looked like billows of cloud; apparently soft but in reality there weren't even there. It was just his occular alteration born from dispersing the overwhelming light. He stood there emotionally exhausted from but physically strong as he looked at the Emperor with a soft smile; the only he could make what ,let holding back the lingering tears in his eyes

Never had he seen so much pain and sorrow from one person. It hurts him to know that he was the cause of his pain if only he had enough unique energy then maybe just maybe Asaki would have survived he couldn't bring himself to Luke Arthur in the eye knowing the anguish he must be passing through

"What's next emperor?" Arthur asked with a smile, startling the emperor

"Arthur I-"

"-Don't, I don't need pity or words which I know are only half truths or white lies. I have accepted this burden so let me carry it. I-"

In one swift motion the emperor held him in a tight embrace promptly shuttijg up mere moments before the hot stream poured from his eyes stinging his eyelids shut.

"Words cannot begin to describe how I know you must be feeling, I-"

"-Stop" he whispered his tears just kept pouring out making him almost choke on them.

"No, Arthur!" he released him and held him at arms length, staring deep into his eyes; looking for any semblance of his former high-spirited self.

He deepend his gaze searching and clawing his way past the abyss of blurring emotions until he finally found it. The little boy who once wanted nothing more than to make his father proud, to do rights by his people are most of all, to fight for his friends and family.

"Forget what I said earlier about not dwelling on your emotion, channel them, draw strength from them Arthur, because no matter-" he paused gesturing for Arthur to join him

"-the trials, we always push forward" they said in unison.

He nodded to which Arthur wiped the tears from his eyes. For the first time since he learnt of his father's death, he was filled with new types of emotion; joy, cheer, comfort. He felt no need to drown himself any longer so he finally decided to forge ahead

"Now, on to more pressing concerns, your mission as you've chosen to accept is one of great trials, few have met it's completion with their lives intact. Your task is solely to gather the other sages and confront the tyrant known as Dregbane" his voice held no shred of emotion, jusr static and alarming.

"Yeah about that, I've been wondering, is there anything else to this sage thing aside of course of the title and your self. No offense"

"Some taken" he smiles, glad to see that Arthur had finally started feeling better

"Have a seat, I guess your right though. There are indeed a lot of things you need to get accustomed to if you are ever to become the true sage of truth"

"Have a seat?, where?, and also are t I already the sage of truth?; if not tgeb why the wjoke me having to scream out loud and all" he asked

Before answering, the Emperor literally sat on the air with his leg crossed in a formal posture. Seeing this, Arthur followed suit albeit ommiting the last part

"To answer your question, you aren't yet a full fledged Sage, otherwise your body would explode since it is still too weak to accommodate true Sage power. What you are right now is an acolyte, and at the very bottom no less, probably at the O, no wait!.... 1st circle. I refute my earlier standing, you aren't all that bad"

"Thanks I guess, but why is that?, haven't I already proven myself?"

" You have?.... when?" He teased "i fail to see how shouting to the heavens your true nature counts as a proof of worth, but then again I am centuries old, maybe my understanding of worth is outdated" he joked hoping to keep Arthur is his new state; relaxed and unperturbed by the events outside the mindspace

Seeing him deep in thought, he continued

"The 'proof' you so casually speak off, cones in a series of auspicious events which would reshape your very being if passed-"

"-and if failed?" He interrupted, his eyes held no trace of suspicion, rather of a dum glint of worry

"Yo...your...death" once again he couldn't lie to Arthur no matter how much he tried. With a sigh HR cursed Sage power under his breath

"Death huh?" Surprisingly instead of the shock or rejection the Emperor expected to hear from him, his stoic expression remained even moreso.

The concept held no meaning for him. After accepting his dad's death, little held meaning to him

"A small price to pay to freely use Sage power" he regretted it the moment the words left his mouth

He had began experiencing another disadvantage of prolonged exposure to Sage power; one could no longer have the liberty of cognition.

Human nature relied heavily on cognitive responses when attempting to twist the true nature of things in an attempt to either create new meaning or purposely deviate from a direct consequence of their verbation. Sage power; that is of course truth sage power directly targets this nature, proceeding to thining the line between a preconcieved notion and and a train of tgought, or 'thinking out loud' as people often said.

It therefore made those affected to not only give up both truths and thoughts, sooner or later if the sage power was strong enough and the target opposutely so, then the sage energy could infiltrate their very minds, prodycung effevts sumular to hypnosis albiet without the added advantage of mind control.

As a god level entity, the Emperor evaded the former by mere virtue in the strength of his millennium old mind and the latter by his', being an extension of Arthur's mind, but everything inbetween these poimts were fair game.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"

"-its alright, I know" Arthur smiles softly

The Emperor gave a small nod to show his understanding before saying " As for your other inquiry-"

"-wait a moment, I recall you saying something along the lines of the prophecy requirinve to 'gather' the other Sages, does it mean I have to go in search of them?"

"Yes Arthur, that aspect is imperative because only sage power can stand a chance against Dregbane so it is important that we seek the help of the other sages",

"How do I do that?, it's not like anyone would wear a tag saying -im a sage, now would they?"

His sarcastic remark didn't seem to pass on it's effect seeing as the Emperor looked at him with an expression which looked like 'yes of course, how else would you do it?'

"Yes of course, how else would you do it?" He asked

"I don't know?, your the legend here" he spread his hands apart to emphasize his meaning

"Oh!, my mistake, I forgot to tell you about some of the perks of being a sage born of the Pendragon bloodline" he said to which Arthur suddenly felt waves of energy radiate from his body, a feeling of euphoria took control and he felt almost drunk from the amount of energy being channeled throughout his body

"I've unlocked your once dormant skills, or rather Xander has finally gifted you your birthright. For now only three skills lay unlocked, but as time progresees your tunic flow should make the other seals undone. Well those available for your current level of piwer, are in no particular order; The Sage unit, the truth seekers, and finally a legacy skill of my own creation-The chain of command"

"Wait a minute, sage what?" He asked

"Sage 'unit', it's one of the better utilities a Sage of your status has in his arsenal"

"So what does this 'unit' do?"

"Well, a millennia and a half ago after I became the first Truth Sage; that is of course before the formation of the Rings. Back then the imbalance in Runic energies was null; almost inexustent, thus spawning creatyres of untold power. I developed the Sage Unit through Arcane runes in order to gauge any opponents true strength with but a glance. After seeing it's usefulness, I again delved into the Arcane arts to create an argument which would both increase teh effectiveness of my original creation, all the while adding an unparalleled complexity to it. So, after three centuries of over three million failed sugul matrices, I finally made a breakthrough which is in the form of the _Chain of comambd_ skill"

"The Chain of command, is that another lightning ring?, come to think of it i believe i have heard it mentioned in some ancient tomes as _Chained spark or..."

"It seems you do not pay attention in your studies of Rubg-kind if at all you do study. First of all that ring is called _Chained current_, and secondly it is miles away from a simole ring. It, alongside _Imbue_ could be considered tbeing the opus of my creations from my understanding of the Arcane"

"The Chain of command is one of the few artificial rinekai's in existence. It's abilities enable you to see the strengths and weaknesses of any opponent you encounter, giving you much needed insight on how to do battle" he finished

"Doesn't that go against a rings honour?" His brows were furrowed in suspicion.

"Sigh!, child you have much to learn" he shook his head in disappointment "your status as a Sage acolyte makes you so much more that a ring, and as such you do not expect the many enemies you are bound to make give you the same courtsey of a chilvarous duel. Underhanded tactics are what differentiates a warrior from a survivor and I'm sorry to say that for you to stand any chance of completing your objective then you muct choose the latter abd embrace it aggressively"

Arthur sonidered his words realising them to be true. Once again the voice of his father echoes in his thoughts, further cementing his stand.

"I apologise for my naivity, I'm yet to accept our retreat to Sanctum as our future reality" he bowed his head

"No need to fret child, you will soon learn that there is no 'reality', only perception. I must also offer apologies"

"Why-"

"Argggh" he helped in pain.

A violent heat assaulted his eyes bring pangs of pain as it's only result. His body flung itself to the floor as his eyes gave off a faint green sheen. It felt as through his fave had become the epicentres for two volcanoes and there was nothing he could do to ease the pain.

He jerked himself awake, surprised to see, or rather feel that the same green glow formed a concentric bubble around him, bearing a struking resemblance to a nut shell from its intricate outline. Alarmed, he searched to his sides; not hoping to find anything in particular, but rather to ease his frantic thoughts . He squeezed his eyes shut hoping to counteract the foreign pain with one of his creation, but all that succeeded in doing was worsening his situation.

Web like cracks began appearing in the spaces around his eyes brimming with power with an obscurity which both frightened and excited him. By now he had realised that whatever was going on was In a way related to the Emperor's words so he was sure he wouldn't die from the aftermath, but that gave him little solace, for the pain he felt was real and even more so agonizing.

He steeled himself finally resolving to wait out the storm and just like that the pain was gone, and his vision was restored in a flash of emerald light. The heat which was previously rising within him calmed oncemore giving him his sanity, and a feeling of euphoria taht all but intoxicated him. He felt refreshed, revitalised and on a closer inspection - refurbished.

He couldn't yet put it into words but he was sure that something in him had changed. He felt lighter, his senses sharper, his physique bolder and his aura stronger. While admiring his new reflexes a sudden piercing pain in his eyes wrung him back to reality. It seemed his transformation was far from done.

His eyes bled profusely drawing on lines of blood laced with green streaks. Without warning botge his eyeballs implied cause him a sharp nerve racking pain. Only his grit stopped him from screaming his lungs out. The pain was immesureable and unending, it just kept climbing and climbing. He was literally against the wall while trying to keep his despair enclosed in his mouth, but alas his endurance had dwindled along with feeling of relief he once felt.

Just as he was about to proclaim his pain -it stopped. He felt a new mass forming where his eyes once more; he could feel every cell taking root, ever nerve connecting his oxcular pathways and ever sting from reattaching varrying tendons back in place.

It was gruesome yes, but compared to his earlier displacement, he considered it a slice of heaven. Any sane person would have lost his sanity if they were to be subjected to his same treatment. The only reason he retained his wits was due in part to the equally dire training he went through in order to reach his level of strength and the drive for survival which had kicked in after hearing the Emperor's words about the severity of his role.

With bayed breaths he stood up from the ground as he had long since flung away from the comfort of bed. Scanning his surroundings, he immediately spotted Akila sprawled on the floor in a less than lady-like manner. It seemed that teh emerald cocoon had knocked her away with it's release of energy, but he didn't care about the cause but rather the result.

He rushed to her side praying for her well-being, only to be reassured of her safety. Even before reaching for her palm to check her pulse, he could hear the faint snores escaping her nose. Never had he been so thrilled to hear someone snore, but considering the nature of his situation, it was no surprise to see relief wash over his face more than once.

'she really is a sound sleeper' he inwardly sighed, gently lifting her up and back to the bed.

Had she been awake, not only would she have inquired into the situation, but also left little room for Arthur to explain his new found strength because he himself didn't know the full story.

After double checking her condition, he too laid on the bed, eager tp hear the Emperor's explanation. He stripped his mind of thought and in no time, he stood once more, face to face with the Emperor.

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"I'm so sorry-" the Emperor rushed to say.

*-no worries, this isn't my first torture, but more importantly what was that whole process, was it some sort of spell or..."

"Far from it, the pain surrounding your whole body which resulted in your empowerment priginates from the world acknowledging your oath, whereas the destruction of your eyes is from their replacement into a form more fitting for a person of your status"

"-more fitting for a person of my status?, what do you mean?"

"Your old pair of eyes have been replaced with the _Truth Seekers_, a rare mythical sight which dwarfs most of this generations creations. Their purpose lies in their ability to shield it's wesres sight from things meant to deceive or enchant"

"Wait a moment, are you saying I'm immune to hexes?" shock was plastered on his face, because, if his question was correct then it would mean that he had now transversed into a new realm of power.

"Sadly that's only half true. This skill does make you immune to hexes, but only those of the ocular nature. Other forms of hexes still have effects over you".

Although it was a step down from his former analysis, Arthur was still in joyous spirits, well who wouldn't be?. Mages thrived in the arts of deception and even more so in their talents in the field of illusions, so having an advantage over them was a dream come true. His head spun thinking of all the applications of such power, then he remembered that even though it was subpar to his initial characterisation, the ability was good; a little too good.

"What's the catch?" He asked

"The 'catch' as you so bluntly point out, is the same for all the skills granted by your inherent Sage nature. Your vows."

"So your saying if I tell a lie then all my skills go proof?" His visage was a comical one, but seeing the Emperor's still stern expression, he quickly composed humsel while bracing for the bad news.

"Usually I wouldn't use this phrase of diction, but in your case I'll make an exception- 'poof' is right. I told you once before that you were the Sage of truth, but I never told you the implications of such ties to the world"

"Sages are the embodiments of different aspects of the world. This singular fact makes Xander keen on seeing your progress, but it also presents a grave flaw; If you or any other Sage acts in a way that revokes their vows,...To put it simply, in your case as the Sage of truth; if you were to tell a lie, then Xander herself would corrupt the energies around you into a runic roblox, and by no means will the resulting effect be pleasant"

"Why?, what would the Roblox unleash?" He quivered at the thought of being wiped off by mere words of speech, but then again what was magic if not demanding

"That's another mystery altogerher. The magnitude of the Roblox is random as well as the energies employed. If you ever reach such a crossroad, you would be completely subjected to Xander's whims and that alone is cause for alarm. Do not let the tales of old fool you, our planet - Xander is an unpredictable and most times viscous consciousness as ancient as the very air itself. It wouldn't be wise to test or tempt her hand. Many stories of Sages who believed themselves Xander's guardians before revoking their vows are still fresh in mind. They sought her motherly embrace and tender care when faced in such times in order to curry favour with her. Some even threatened her with ultimatiums after falling prey to earthly desires, - those were the most unfortunate. The Roblox twisted their souls so deep that their existence started very far from the word living".

Arthur held his breath, too afraid to speak anymore. He realised the dangers involved with his role and for once he began doubting his capacity to fulfill that role.

Noticing this the Emperor said

"I meant you no worry, as long as you do not succumb to things of this world, you will be the greatest of the Sages, even greater than I was"

Once again, there was no flattery imposed in his words, he was speaking only the truth as his' was an existence filled with as much sorrow as there were stars in the sky.

💍. 💍. 💍

Arthur watched the Emperor closely, subconsciously searching for a tell that would raise his suspicion, but whether fortunately or unfortunately, he found none, reassuring him of the nature of his words.

" You mentioned being able to see the true nature of an opponent, how exactly do I do so? " His curiousity had finally reigned over his worry.

" See for yourself " The Emperor waved his hand in the air, swiftly conjuring a mirror, gesturing Arthur to take a look.

He walked u to the mirror, insecurity building inside him about the level of his strength. He recalled that the Emperor had said that his Sage level was amongst the weakest, and he was a - first circle Mage, what ever that meant. So he was quiet anxious about seeing his level.

With batted breaths he stared into his reflection with intent and shortly afterwards, emerald green words burner themselves into the space around his visage.

Name - Arthur Pendragon

Race - Ring

Title - Sage Of Truth

Energies - Runic Lightning (5th Circle), Sage (Acolyte).

Right away his gaze landed on the /Acolyte/ tag associated with his Sage power. He was about to voice out complaints, until he noticed something else.

"I'm a bit confused, why is my name shown as well?, I thought my power was meant only to show a person's strength?" He asked with a quizzical look

"And it has shown just that" The Emperor stated , he continued after seeing that his words had no effect on Arthur's expression.

" Some opponents possess extraordinary abilities thanks to their ancestortory origins, although such innate talents seem unjust, it still remains a form of power, and so the Sage Unit identifies such cases and reports accordingly"

"So in my case ..?"

"....your Sage nature is due to your Pendragon ancestory, and so it is quite obvious that your name constitutes a large portion of your power. That being said, coming fr a special bloodline doest always mean superiority, you alone are responsible for acquiring and understanding every bit of power associated with your name, so, the steadfastness in your training should not cease to be so; lest you become as sweet as a tonic made from palm leaves and ginger bulbs".

" 'Ok, keep on the good work' - * get it" he furrowed his brows once more as he had yet again found cause to speak

"Earlier you said I'm a 1st Circle Sage, and now I see that I am a 5th Circle Ring, I guess it would mean that 'Circle' is a form of ranking right?"

"Yes, the levels of power on this era are based on these 'Circles'. First of all, the seven stages of power are; Acolyte, Mage, Reactor, Valkyian, Sentinel and Herald. Although some other intermediate forms may arise due to artificial means, these are the widely accepted forms."

"The 0 Circle constitutes practitioners who are only able to bend the elements in their most basic forms; a gust of wind, a tendril of electricity, a clump of earth or even a thread of water. These Class are incapable of forming Sigils which would otherwise transform thos3 basic phenomenons into more intricate Spells and Pages. The Acolyte rank however is a push forward form the former, because the members of these Class are able to weave Sigils. Although, they are simple instances which contain only a single or double Circle depending on if cast by 1st or 2nd Circle Mages respectively"

" Mages once again are a step above the Acolytes, in that they are able to construct more complex Sigils ranging from the 3rd, 4th and 5th Circles, once again with respect to their Circle levels. Aside from this, the Mage Class is also where humans unlock the rest of their elemental affinities and luckily, Metamagics".

"The next level after this is know as Reactor. Reactors are superior fighters, proficient in Armes and spell combats. They range form the 7th to the 8th Circles. Following which are the Valkyians,; theirs is a stage of pure unbridled power, often making them leaders of troops or missions of Kingdom level importance. This stage ranges loosely form the 9th Circle to the 12th Circle".

"Then we have the final Sentinel level. Those at this realm of magic exhibit such prowess and might that one could easily mistake them for God's. They range form the the 13th to 14th Circles. Here there is little disparity between mortals and God's, because the level of destruction a Mage at such a stage is slightly below that of a Herald".

" I say that this is the final stage because the realm of Heralds is as sacred as it is mysterious; its candidates are ultimately choosen according to the whims of Xander herself. In more ways than I can currently justify, the realms of Herald and Sage belong to the same Class because they are both products of Xander's will, with the only difference being that while the former is meant to defend, the latter is to attack".

The Emperor finished his lengthy explanation and was relieved to see that Arthur seemed a bit knowledgeable about this outside his craft.

"So I'm a Ring Reacktor and a Sage Acolyte ?" He asked

"Precisely" the Emperor was overwhelmed with inward joy, seeing as Arthur's question had only required a single word of confirmation as oppose to his precious exposition.

He was still dead tired from the after effects of the failed roblox, even talking sapped the strength from his person, yet he persevered on order to acquit Arthur from any lingering fear or misconception. He believed himself the cause of Arthur's predicament so who was he to complain of a little sore

"Then how ab-" a new thought had sprung up

"Patience Arthur, you do not need to engross yourself in things which are meant to be part of your journey in an instance. You may not feel it so soon but the more you stay in our mindspace, the more your mental strength is drained to sustian your presence here, so even though your body thinks itself asleep, your minbd is operating at a speed whivh overshadows it's normal capabilities".

" If we keep this up come morning, no amount of will power will enable you leave the comfort of your sheets. And I'm sure you would want to be at full strength; both physically and mentally got what tomorrow entails".

"Yeah" his voice neared a whisper and the years soon gave his iris a reflective sheen. The morrow would be when they would put his father to rest.

Hoping to reinforce his point, the Emperor begun to speak, but Artur beat him to it.

"I've got to go, talk to you soon, bye!" He immediately disappeared put of sight, leaving the Emperor stating blankly at the white walls of the mindspace.

"Sigh!, youths, always so hot natured" but he was indeed greatful for his leave because he too required a session of silence in order to recover the energies which had abandoned him due to the roblox.

Without waste of time, he conjured a bamboo bed fitted with raffia endings and immediately sought to accomplish his mission.

A few minutes later, faint snores escaped his mouth, signalling the success of his objective.