Master Of None

Grand ceremony aside, Walker tried to not think about it. He knew it was important to the people and he had given his speech. He had listened closely as the true flame elves had explained their stance, and accepted their hope that Alma would stand as their representative as well.

Many had been surprised by the fact that races could change this much, however, they also understood why and how to some degree. Walker and the rest of the party were more or less proof that races could change based on extreme conditions or the bonds possessed.

While that was a fact, this change was more related to the state of the world and how it had changed causing a new progression. The changes in mana would cause more than just the monsters, plants, and landscapes to change. It was causing the very people to change.

The demi-human race showed this very mucus since they were some of the ones awakening the bloodline connections to monsters or increasing the prevalence of the traits they naturally possessed.

Since this was the case many people looked to them for guidance when it came to the way that every race may change. For the witch born, they highlighted the facts that they would regain their magical abilities in terms of manipulating and binding with nature.

That was something that the echidna and closely came to understand and were very quickly beginning to bond with the witch born over since they spent their time focusing on how nature world. The echidna race even bonded with natural mana and focused on moving toward understanding nature and the cycle of life and death, something even more abstract than most races touched on right now.

This and many other things aside, the positive impact that came from the introduction of a new race and the potential that some had developed beyond the ability to return to ancestral roots was shocking.

Many people had begun to talk about it being proof that there was a future rather than proof that there was a division between even the elven race who was still trying to unify again.

The reason that some had stated that they believed this was a step in to the future was the fact that the entirety of Genesis had elemental sections of its territory. They were made to acclimate the dragons and many other races who would struggle with the mixed environment. Therefore, those places would always have specialized races that were best suited to live there.

It was something that had already been demonstrated and with so much buzz about the elemental planes, it made even the average person understand that this was a mirror to the elemental planes and hope Genesis was the prime example of the elemental planes joining with the world as a whole.

It was a good mentality to hear and feel as they all moved through the elemental rune teleportation formations and took positions to walk in to the bridge to the fire elemental plane.

Not much conversation happened as they set forth. Most were nervous or already on edge. However, Walker had explained that battles and enemies would happen or be found in the bridge. Simply because of the ways that the manas moved, using magic for most or even trying to fight was impossible.

For the average person, no matter how well trained there was a natural pressure in the bridge that detected fighting and kept everyone held back. Even the fire mana moving through the bridge right now was hard to pull in to control for anyone due to it being in flow to enter the world.

Walker knew he could influence the manas and even touch the space mana. He wouldn’t do that though. If he did he could cause damage.

What he did sense though, was an increase in fire mana gathered ahead. It wasn’t the same as fire mana moving about or just gathered because of some herbs in the area. It was gathered because it lingered around something. Meaning they were moving right in to the guide promised… or.

Moving through the bridge only took a few hours, but the burst of heat and intense fire mana hit every single member of the expedition immediately. This was the unrelenting nature of the fire elemental plane without restriction.

In no way was it chaotic, but it was naturally powerful without apology.

The prepared stances helped everyone handle the what, however it was the force of the moving fire mana that shook their formations slightly.

Walker looked up in to the eyes of a larger creature than what he had expected to meet. It wasn’t simply a large being but a massive one. Something they had not even sensed the try size of in comparison to the fire mana he’d noticed earlier.

’Flame swallowing turtle

This is an ancient monster known for existing in the harshest of fire environments. They live for a thousand years while consuming massive amounts of fire mana. They can condense their size since the majority of their body is made of flames.

Using any form of fire mana against it is akin to offering it food. Even some of the more powerful fire elementals can not handle when it moves about the fire elemental planes.

Often wise in the ways of fire, they are known to even overpower the fifteenth dominator dragons in their elderly years, however they often live peacefully unless bothered…’

Walker didn’t bother with the rest of the all around appraisal. He didn’t need to to know this monster was intensely powerful beyond what he or the others should aggravate.

The shell made of deep orange flames and the large maw showed the raging inferno which was the creature before them. Flames that most would not be able to gather and condense in lifetimes.

”Children of the world. You will follow my children to the city of coal born sparks.” The rumbling flames shook the very area as the massive flame swallowing Turtle left in just a few steps. While Walker wasn’t sure if it was even stepping or just changing the location of its flames, he was certain that this monster had been sent by the true fire sage.

There was very few who he could think of that were able to control or send a monster this powerful. Yet, as much as he wanted to think about this, he noticed smaller and denser flame swallowing turtles similar to the size of Midnight left behind.

They didn’t appear to speak but they bobbed their heads in a means to get attention. ”I am Walker, I am leading the expedition and we are heading to meet the other race slicing within the fire elemental planes. Thank you for coming to guide us.” He gave an appreciative nod which was met by several fire swallowing turtles bobbing their heads again before walking ahead.

The fire mana was being drawn in to their bodies slightly decreasing the pressure that the flames that made up this entire plane put on everyone.

The only person who appeared to be in much more comfort was Remey who was moving about with more energy and vibrancy. She seemed a lot more energetic. Something that Walker had not realized decreased from when he had first met her.

However, she had changed races to become a true fire dragon soul. She bonded with Ignus at his very core and was part of his and her own growth. So, she had needed more pure fire mana than she could easily get in Genesis. Meaning now her body and soul which had united as one were gaining exactly what she needed to freely move about without anything holding her back.

The true flame elves also appeared to be more vibrant. The flames around their hair and some even in their arms were stronger and a deeper red than what it had been before. They didn’t appear to have any other changes though which could be a good sign they would easily be able to return to the world without issues.

Walker could sense the space mana around him still too. He could feel the locations of the bridges to the elemental planes. The one they had come from which was close, and even the furthest vibrations of space telling him the direction he could go to discover more.

It told him more about where he was and would be allowing him a better feeling for where he was and the directions he would be going. The elemental planes may shift naturally but he was now able to understand that shifting and follow his own path to get where he needed to be.

”So, that was a greeting if I ever saw one.” Gil kept Walker focused and nudged him forward. He knew that the monster they had just seen was one that didn’t come to harm them but he wanted to make Walker spill the details about it.

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