Maxi
In the depths of the Redbud Flower Tribe, in the corner of a dark cave dug into a black mountain.
White quartz glimmered as it illuminated the moss-covered area, giving the place a sense of life. There was a pillar near the end of the cave, shaped like a cross. The humanoid pupa that was Gillian’s current form had fused perfectly with the base, showing her beautiful curves and face off like the most exquisite work of art.
‘This silent evolution is similar to those of Magi…’ The A.I. Chip’s light flashed in Leylin’s eyes as he reached forward to touch the statue, feeling the weakness and regret of the soul at its core. Having said that, though, this weakness was in comparison to Leylin himself. The soul was already as powerful as a rank 5 or rank 6 Magus.
“Have you sensed my arrival?” A slight smile rose on his face. “Seeing as you’ve been helpful in my research, let me give you a tiny gift.”
A dark red glint extended from Leylin’s fingers, leaving behind two elegant trails as it formed strange arcs in the air like a dancing butterfly. It landed on the statue’s shoulder.
*Pu!* Red lights flickered, and the points of light and skin of the statue immediately dissolved upon contact with it. The entire human-pupa began to move slightly, and the eyes now appeared to have gained some life in them.
Sensing the rate at which her soul awoke being quickened, Leylin turned to leave, seemingly uncaring of the situation, “You can do it, little Gillian…”
The lives of beings of laws were extremely long. Leylin could foresee that if Gillian failed to become rank 7 this would probably be their last meeting.
“Is this how people who can live for eternity feel? Loneliness? And transcending worldliness?” Leylin’s looked melancholic, recalling a great number of people. Images of Bicky, Kroft, and even many enemies flashed across his mind.
Many of them had been unable to endure the passage of time, entering the cycle of death.
‘Still… Even so I want to seek out the extraordinary, achieving true eternity!’ With a fling of his robes, Leylin unhesitatingly left the cave. ‘A.I. Chip, what are the results of the investigation from before?’
Upon hearing its robotic reply, Leylin sighed. “There isn’t even a specific time. Looks like a sample of a native who has yet to become a being of laws can’t be useful towards my research…”
Leylin’s primary goal in this excursion to Dreamscape was to study the weakening of dreamforce, completely grasping its power and making it the foundation for him to fuse laws and enter rank 8. The A.I. Chip’s analyses had all been pointed towards this direction.
Unfortunately, a sample and model comparable to a rank 6 Magus still could not help the A.I. Chip progress further. Only a true rank 7 existence of laws could give Leylin some enlightenment.
‘Then again, one gains a body of laws merged with the world after entering rank 7. They experience a complete change, and I can only use such existences of laws to study the World Origin Force…’
“But going around here will still give me some results…” Leylin transmitted a wave of soul undulations, summoning the one-eyed dragon Bodach who had disappeared somewhere.
“Get Cabadole. We’re going to leave!”
“Leave? For Maxi?” Bodach scratched his head, “I don’t think that sort of place will have what you want… All the treasures of this territory, the cute little sparkly things, they can’t escape my sense of smell…”
Bodach had guessed at this point that Leylin was probably looking for something. Still, with his limited knowledge and thought process, he only considered dazzling gems and crystals treasures. As for signs of civilisation or historical poems and the like, those were only used to pass time. With the one-eyed dragon’s great background in the Ultron World and the memories passed down through generations, it was nothing to him.
Leylin suddenly turned back, a depthless darkness in his eyes. “I’m warning you right now. You’ve already provoked one Lord of Calamity. Don’t provoke another or I won’t let you off!”
It caused the one-eyed dragon to shrink back in pure terror, shaking his head, “Fine, fine. Don’t worry, I won’t be that stupid… besides, the dream demon likes to collect dreams, which I don’t care for…”
“It’s actually because you don’t care for his treasure trove!” Leylin rolled his eyes and waved his arms, signalling to the hunter Cabadole, “We’re here…”
“My lords!” Cabadole had now changed into different clothes, this one with at least fewer patches. His face had been washed, revealing freckled cheeks that were slightly red from excitement. Intelligence flashed in his eyes.
He now knew that Leylin and Bodach were definitely amazing people. Though he would just be a guide, even their tribe leader Hosain was envious of his position. As long as he could obtain their favour, the tiniest thing they handed over to him could last him a lifetime.
“I’ll guide you well, my lords!” Cabadole puffed out his chest as he guaranteed, holding tightly onto the black lance in his hands.
“You’re just a guide though!” Bodach snorted disdainfully.
“This might be a little different from before. We’ll be flying, so you’ll just need to show us directions…” Leylin reminded him.
“Flying? We’re flying?” Cabadole felt slightly dizzy, and then gaped as he saw Leylin jumping into the sky.
While the people here had the vitality and soul durability of official Magi, they could only fly if they mutated to form a pair of wings. The laws of Dreamscape were very harsh.
“Stop getting so surprised, kid…” Bodach picked him up by the collar, and all Cabadole felt was a powerful gust of wind from below as his feet left the ground.
*Thud!* He released his hold, and the black lance from before fell to the ground, slanting as it entered the soil.
“Careful there, kid. Don’t blame me if you fall!” Bodach snickered, finding that he had discovered a way to deal with Cabadole.
How about a 360 degree dance in the sky? Or a few flips? Faster than sound flight? That kid would probably spit out last night’s food from his nostrils.
Bodach laughed vilely… Until, unfortunately, Cabadole’s incomparable adaptability as a child who’d survived the harsh wilderness showed itself. By the time the three reached Maxi City, Cabadole was pale no longer. Instead, an excited flush had risen on his face.
“That was amazing! If I could fly, I’d be able to hunt even demonic wolves down using my arrows!” He looked towards Bodach with anticipation, “My Lord, can you teach me how to fly?”
“Damn it, damn it! Can I strangle him?” Bodach looked towards Leylin.
“Of course not. Unless you want our journey to end here…” Leylin glanced at Cabadole, who was shocked at the bloodlust Bodach was exhibiting. A kind smile arose upon his face, “Don’t be afraid. Your uncle Bodach was just joking with you!”
“That joke isn’t funny at all!” Cabadole muttered, and his footsteps were intentionally faster as he ran to Leylin’s side.
“Tsk! Foolish people will always make more foolish choices…” Bodach turned away with contempt.
He shifted his attention to a huge arch made of white marble at Maxi City’s entrance, as well as the high city walls with elite warriors on top. His thieving instincts began to show themselves.
“Tsk tsk… I never thought a bunch of immigrants in Dreamscape would have this much wealth. Unfortunately, I’ll only need three periods of refining metal to loot this sort of city…”
“Be more careful and don’t make us more enemies!” Leylin clutched at his forehead, beginning to wonder if bringing the dragon along was the right decision.
“Maxi is governed by its own citizens, its officers and protectors being elected into office every hundred days at the outdoor square…” Cabadole was performing his job well, introducing Maxi City to Leylin and Bodach.
“Citizens? Them?” Leylin looked to the side of the road. The citizens Cabadole had mentioned could be seen by the gardens and marble fountain. They dressed themselves up tidily in white, their garb held up by a single ring on their shoulders. It made them look languid and comfortable.
Their derision for Cabadole and the like was obvious from their very gaze, arising from their souls or maybe even their genetics.
“Yes. They’re citizens of Maxi, with enough food and servants to attend to them…” Cabadole lowered his head. The reason these citizens could avoid work and yet enjoy food and servants was obvious; they were exploiting numerous tribes like the Redbud Flower Tribe.
Bluntly speaking, the environment here wasn’t the only reason for the terrible plight of the natives. It could be attributed to the citizens of Maxi as well.