42 || Unlocked Sun Claw! Results Of The Fire Pill!

"What kind of backing could these snot-nosed brats have?" Iron Wall laughs with his voice booming. It had been a long time since they and the other powers had been blindsided by newcomers. If they were offering a sweet pot, there wouldn't be any problem working with them for now. "Show me what this Dawn Blossom is capable of then." He says, a flash of arrogance in his eyes as they head out.

The last thing that changed the main world was much more subtle. It involves a Water Dryad Forefend and a Dark Ifrit Vanguard registering for a Workshop with the Explorer's League. For the Ifrit known as Syringa Fang, this goes unnoticed as every day new parties and teams are making their ties to one another official. For Gladiolus Rain, this draws the eye of many in her area of both independent and group players.

The small party of six just yesterday reached level 8 through clearing two local Dungeons fairly quickly and became minorly famous instead of being unheard of. Those watching hadn't realized that the time that the Bloody Gladiolus was about to be born...

Tara wakes up in her bed in the Dark Saber hall. Her body is aching and stiff as if she had been hit by a truck. It doesn't take her long to realize that someone is beside her bed, head lying on their arms as they sit in a chair.

"You came home early just for me?" Tara croaks, her voice dry from lack of use. Princess Viyen, looking more mature and worldly in the short time they had been apart, immediately sits up. A beat later, tears are flowing down the royal's face as she shouts for someone. Tara's still adjusting to her body after the upgrade and completely unsure how much time has passed.

'You made Her Highness worry,' An unfamiliar voice comes suddenly but somehow Tara knows it all too well. Tara closes her eyes for a moment and focuses before realizing her Guardians have moved.

'The first thing you say to me and it's cheeky? Really?' Tara replies to Oorun who is now found in her heart port while Wolyung has moved to her psychic port.

`I take after our sister, what can I say,'

There are more changes but for now, as her friends and family crowds her room, that is for her to look into later.

It turns out that Nie Yao himself had come to destroy the crystal that had blocked off the room! Tara had been stuck within a similar red crystal which faded after a few days but she was still unconscious until now. Nothing anyone tried could rouse her but everyone took relief in that she was breathing and actually in a state of growth while she rested.

"You woke up at quite a hectic time, young one," Nie Yao says as he asks everyone to leave. He quickly brews two cups of tea after pulling water from thin air before heating it.

"What do you mean by that Sect Master?" Tara says, gladly taking the cup.

"Well for one, all the academies under our Sect, seven in total, are having a forging contest in a few days. I was certain that you would be interested in that, no?" The elder man laughs at the spark suddenly in Tara's eyes.

"As for the second thing, Sharost will be holding a martial arts tournament in a year. You and your Dark Saber classmates have all been invited to partake. The rumors about the reward are enticing that even I wish I could send some of the Sect's disciples but alas," He sighs but immediately perks up, "Many were concerned for your wellbeing, as you are all too aware, but I assume your condition for this past week is connected to what I showed you?"

Tara weighs her options when the thought of her Nature comes to mind. Sect Master Nie Yao had trusted her with the secret of the chambers, so she should honor that secret with her own. Tara proceeds to tell him what she had figured out concerning the ancient alphabet, how to access the trial, as well as the reward of the key and the energy pill. She isn't certain if any of the NPCs would be granted a Skill like she had, so Tara omits that from her explanation.

"Amazing! I never would have guessed such a secret was hidden. So one must get all the keys in order to open the final trial. And you've told no one of this discovery?" Nie Yao asks her, drinking the last of the tea. Tara merely shakes her head, as the last thing she did was check her rewards, "Then I must look into this myself. If it's true for all the chambers then you have surely done your Academy and the sect a great honor in your find!"

He rises before giving a small bow to her. When they make eye contact, Tara swears for a second he looks decades younger by how ecstatic he looks. He quickly exits and leaves her to consolidate the changes within her.

Without her saying so, the moment he crosses the threshold, her aura activates before turning a shade of orange and splitting from her body. In her place is a young African girl, her fiery red hair braided on top before leading towards black beads. She wears a tunic and shorts with open toed sandals. Other than her amber cat-like eyes, claws for nails, and fanged teeth when she smiles, she could easily pass for human.

"Finally he's gone and we can talk!" Oorun groans, stretching out her arms wide before falling back onto the bed.

"I'm not sure I understand what's happening or why," Tara admits, head tilted in confusion.

"I thought it was pretty obvious? You can summon me in this form for a little bit of time as part of my twin and I's next stage. Normally we wouldn't be able to do this till later, according to that big sister, but apparently your growth is even beyond her expectations, so it's affecting us as well." Oorun drawls casually as if the answer were obvious. Tara's internal guardian rolls off the bed before getting up to inspect her. Tara looks even more confused than before.

Tara pulls out Sun Claw and, as a result of the Basic Energy Pill's power, has undergone a transformation. The weapon radiates a burning aura with white ancient runes of flame and fire etched into the blade.

[Sun's Claw, Minor Artifact]

<A dagger made from a mysterious ore, the weapon harbors a powerful Soul Bead!>

<Attack: + 20>

<Defense: +23>

<Vitality: +24>

<Passive Ability: Bleeding Sun; chance of inflicting Bleed and Burn effects>

<Active Ability: [Locked]>

<Additional Ability: Summon Oorun's Animus Form for a certain amount of time.>

"I have to ask, was an axe through the heart really necessary?" Tara asks as Oorun twirls a war axe twice her size through the air like a baton. The spirit doesn't even look as she spins it behind her back and catches it.

"That's what you have to ask? About the drama of your send off? Not the fact that I'm an Artifact now?!" Oorun scoffs, rolling her eyes before stopping mid twirl.

Oorun leans on the pommel of the axe, blade towards the floor. "The few sentient weapons Soul Beads would weep with joy just to achieve a physical form let alone evolve? Honestly, how disrespectful, sister."

"Wait, most Soul Bead weapons aren't sentient?" Tara is surprised at this information.

From what she was taught, it was assumed every Soul Bead was fully aware of its surroundings which is why the weapons could grow stronger. Oorun shakes her head as that seems not to be the case.

"The majority of Soul Beads are either damaged in some way or carry strong restments towards their wielders. That's why many eventually consume and kill their owners--though it's understandable why this fact is kept a secret. We were fully intact plus chose to acknowledge you. It might sound like a minor detail but that means we'll match your pace as you grow instead of attempting to over take you."

Tara attempts to rise from her bed, but her legs give out. As if to answer an unasked question, Oorun is already at her side and lifts her in a bridal carry despite being the same size. Oorun then tucks her back into bed and pats her head.

"Tara can I enter?" Comes Beiling's voice. The headmaster didn't have much time to interact with her student before her teacher kicked her and the others out. Tara looks at Oorun in a panic before her guardian giggles. Oorun sends a telepathic message clarifying that only Tara could see her.

"Yes Teacher! I'm sorry to have wor--'' Tara cuts herself off when she sees Beiling's appearance. Tara had never seen her teacher so tired and exhausted before. Even the slightest bags under her eyes meant Beiling had run herself ragged the entire time Tara was out of commission.

"Sect Master says he didn't check your condition out of respect for your family being present. The way of things is for me to do so. If you'd don't mind," Beiling speaks softly as if addressing Tara might cause her to disappear. Oorun gives Tara a kiss on the forehead before turning into sparks as Beiling approaches and places a hand in the same spot. After a moment, Beiling steps away relaxing. "There doesn't seem to be anything lingering."

"Why I'm sensing a 'but' at the end of that, Teacher?" Tara can't help but laugh. Beiling chuckles lightly, her face brightening at that.

"I would like to say it's an impossibility but with you nothing is certain. Whatever happened to you almost completed Bone Crystallization. You're nearly at the high tier level already. With rest and guidance you could possibly move onto the Billowing Muscles stage within time."

Tara had guessed that the Energy Pill would have a large effect but to practically skip a whole stage? Certainly she had a perfect transformation as well as a special mutation thanks to the Twin Sphere gathering technique, but this was too much!

"There's also two things else I noticed. First was the shifting of your internal guardians, which isn't actually unnatural so much as an oddity for them to switch now? The second is something is different about your spiritual port but I can't place what or why. Hopefully it wasn't anything to worry about." Beiling continues as she sits down at the chair beside Tara's bed.

'Oh the Soul Realm!' Tara remembers what Aelix gave her. Tara focuses on her spiritual port. Like the other two aural ports, it has now grown a bit thanks to the new technique. Just from a glance the cobalt cube was now decorated with a repeating constellation. Most of the stars were dimmer besides three so Tara couldn't make out what it was supposed to be. Tara decides to see what the interior looked like later.

"Of course, you awake just before the forging competition. You're in luck, since the Sect Master said he will take up residence here for some time. Thus they moved the venue here. The competition is among the several academies spanning three countries under the Sect, and even Sharost is sending some of it's young prodigies despite not having a formal school." Beiling muses, her eyes still scanning Tara with worry.

"Each contestant will be given a set amount of material, I believe it was two hundred sets? Additionally you can bring your own material if you so wish. Over several days you'll be graded on the quality and quantity of what you make. The reward is being kept secret even from the Sect Master and to have moved so many academies in 3 countries says about its rarity." Beiling follows up.