Master Of None

As the pressure of the unique earth mana that the king of earth used grew, Walker felt he was learning through it. Like his body was acclimating to it. More like he was able to grasp the understanding between his body and the earth mana better than before.

He felt tougher, his body overall, and not just because of the density. He also felt he could more easily use the earth mana to boost his defenses using earth in an armor form if he desired. While these thoughts came to him, he wondered if it was due to his race now. If it was adding more boosts to him now that he was in a mana rich environment.

It would explain a lot about the origin race. They clearly had this deep connection with mana for a reason.

The entire mountain shifted slightly before settingly again. Walker and the rest of the party could see that. It was also when the pressure of the mana subsided a little. ”There it is, he has invited us in. Just a quick move inside to his hall.”

The true earth sage was showing that he knew much more about what to do and where to go with the earth king. But they had just moved in to one of the densest places for earth mana. It was a true show of where they were. This wasn’t some partial boundary. It was all earth mana.

The only thing that had allowed them to come to the center of the earth elemental plane was the true earth sage. The speed which they moved over the earth was spectacular. But now they were stopped in front of a massive cavern.

The earth was formed in to many pillars. All forming unique aspects of earth. They showed their uniqueness in the forms of earth manas that they radiated as well. Walker sensed that he was able to grasp a different understanding of each as he walked.

He saw raw iron ore as a pillar, its shape was more akin to stone. But then he saw a pillar of purified solid iron. Showing that there was a unique change that came with the iron being in an ore form and being solid iron without impurities.

While everyone knew this was the case, it was this way to show off the magnificence of the earth manas. How they changed no matter what form of earth it was. These changes between each form would allow them different roles.

The weaker dull silver would be used for jewelry that could be polished brightly. The moon silver would be used for unique tools that required soft and cooler light mana to flow through them. This was a metal that would bind well with moonlight if used to forge it. But it was still a part of earth, not light.

He easily counted over a hundred of these large pillars running along the walls of the massive mountain entrance as they walked in. Small rumblings like more were rising well ahead of them also caught the party’s attentions.

The walls were not made of brick or anything. From what Walker could tell, the walls were also different bricks of different solid forms of earth. The surprise that Walker found this time though, was that they were made of fossils at some points. As if they were there on display to show that even those that were buried in earth could become one with it somehow. A full circle of life that went beyond just walking on the earth.

Small details like this was a very interesting thing to find. Because it was hard to imagine what it meant to become earth even in death. Regardless of becoming fertilizer for plants and returning in that way, this was a way to become stone over time. A hard concept to understand.

However, it made Walker think about how the earth could change something over time as well as the other elemental manas. How time would play a part in what earth was as a whole. How they might have its own unique connections to time mana. How else would a fossil become a fossil?

Time had to move for the earth to gain a fossil. For a being to be trapped so perfectly that the body left behind would lose all mana. Lose all form and be left back with just bones. Trapped as stone forever.

”Walker, that’s what the blacksmiths were low on. That’s called azure cloud iron. It’s what they want to use as the main body for all the flying ships.” Walker looked over at the deep azure colored pillar. It appeared heavy, but the earth mana coming from it was light and stiff. Meaning it was not heavy and could hold its shape fairly well.

’Azure cloud iron

This is a very rare metal that only forms during extremely unique instances. It requires a weak iron vein to mix with various wind materials without losing contact with the ground. This means that the winds exposing the vein of iron this came on will be covered in small boots of iron dust.

It is extremely light compared to all other metals. It is also very tough to bend or break once it has been forged for the first time. Many people use it as a permanent art metal. This is because once heated for the first time in to a shape, it will always become very brittle the second time it is forged…’

There was a lot more information on what manas were best to forge it and so on. But the azure cloud iron was very interesting. Nith that any of them expected to take anything from here. It was part of the earth elemental king’s place. Or maybe it was even a part of his body. It was hard to tell to be fair. The way things worked here was a larger mystery than what Walker could put together.

Hoover, their movement deeper in to the mountain brought them to an even larger chamber. ”This couldn’t have just been hollow a moment ago.” Walker looked up in to the large chamber they had walked in to. It was so open that at least a hundred dragons could fit. Full grown dragons at that.

”Well, the king enjoys creating something for guests. Believe it or not, other sages and other unique beings come here often to speak. Not all can become one with the earth to be able to communicate. They rely on the skill of the one controlling this land to make a place for conversation.”

The earth mana shifted again showing off forms of earth taking different shapes. A large stage with a throne of different earth crystals. It was made as if it was decorative and not at all something someone would actually rest on. Around them were different features of stone. Some were twisted to look like abstract art and others replicating monsters within the earth elements planes.

”It is different every time I have come here.” The true earth sage was still enjoying this. But to be fair, he relied on earth mana. This would feel just like home to him. Whereas for Walker and the others, this was still foreign and new to them.

”It is interesting indeed. I just wonder how we are supposed to interpret that there is no one on, ah, I see.” Su saw a form coming out of the crystal throne and taking shape. It was a roughly made copy of what could be a human.

It began to make movements to gesture them forward and the mana grew denser around it. ”You venture through my lands. You battle those who live there. I know from where you have come. Answer me, do you come to do more than hunt the one tainting the earth mana purity?”

The way of speaking was odd, but Walker sensed a shift in the true earth sage’s mana as soon as the earth king spoke.

”We come in search of an evil great. Fleeing responsibility and prison in search of grand wisdom. We hunt it to atone for its evil deeds. We hunt it to prevent its future evils. We ask for the great earth king’s hand in assistance. Benevolent and powerful is he.”

”Ha! Estron, you have made interesting new friends with the first from the world to cross the bridge. I am impressed that they know jokes too!”

The earth king’s manner of speech had been just a joke. An odd sense of humor but one it had.

Walker shook his head while trying to make sure that he was still standing there. If he hadn’t realized that the slight shift in earth mana was the true earth sage laughing, he would have missed it and been led on. However, he wasn’t sure how he had understood that it was a laugh in the first place. Just instincts.

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