Master Of None

It took some time but eventually the party stopped to rest for themselves.

They all seemed to understand that the survival knowledge of the white stag race was developed on fleeing more than anything. There were some of the older members of the village who had worse injuries from years ago but had survived nonetheless. Proving that their toughness had developed over a long term before they had gained the intelligence to make them a race.

However, there were signs that they were using tools and weapons, but they did not have other races to push them forward enough that they had newer and brighter ideas. Whenever they started to change and adapt even more, they would be attacked by a monster and lose their homes too.

This was a rough cycle of trying to advance but being set back over and over while their numbers decreased. Now that the party had given them the materials to be able to break that cycle, there was a larger potential that they would begin to advance rapidly.

It felt a little like the party had broken the proper flow of things, but thinking about it, that would mean every race should always remain isolated. That they shouldn’t interact with one another since they might change the course of fate. Which just seemed foolish since other races do meet. They do change the futures of one another.

That was how new ideas and new communities were born. Yes bad could come from it, but in cases like this there was a lot more opportunity to progress. To learn from one another. To become stronger and better than the past they had.

”The dragon only mentioned one race here, so we have more than achieved the goal. They should have a fair fighting chance now. They just need to listen to what Su taught them and work hard for it.” From Gil’s perspective, this was the best and most they could do without remaining here for a full twenty years and protect the white stag race as a whole.

As much as the others would wish to stay and act as guides, that was well outside of their goals. ”I think you are right, we did enough. But they might not be happy to see us leave quickly, they just survived a rough endeavor and we are going to leave them with shocking knowledge all alone.” The worries Su had were fair.

Emotionally it felt like they had just saved a child from falling in the water, but instead of getting them somewhere safe they just left that child at the edge of the cliff above the water anyways. Just daring bad luck to come and undo it all.

”They need to take what we gave them and push themselves to survive using it or adapt their own methods. We give them the tools, they can learn. Plus, the system allows for languages to be translated so they have no issue reading the books we left them and copied quickly with notes that should help them. I also left a record of descriptions of herbs and the monsters I saw. They know how to survive here, but now they will be able to thrive here. We just have to hope that in time we will see them join Genesis.”

This felt natural to Walker. Almost like he was doing something that should be done and he was just following the perfect example of the way it needed to be done. Yet, he also could tell that he would not forget this place so easily because he had left an imprint of it. No, more than that, he had taken ownership in parts of how this entire race survived.

”I think this is part of me learning how the Origin race lives and grows. I can feel that we are doing what we need to do and that it is part of who and what I am. More than anything right now, I feel like this is right.” Everyone looked at Walker and understood that he was also making the final call to leave.

”Then I will bring you out. You did very well. You have given them the opportunity to become what I feel they can be.” The voice was rough but they all knew it to be the dragon guarding this elemental plane. When the light encompassed them and the party was dragged away, some panic broke out with the white stage race who noticed but the party was already being pulled away without any goodbye.

”It may be a challenge to leave like this. Just remember, they are growing and you have played your part. It has been quite a few years since I heard of a young origin race member. I thought that they may have stopped increasing their numbers. You bring me faith. Something I did not feel since I was a small hatchling. We may see one another again. For now, take this mana and use it as a memory of your time here.”

As the party was released from the encompassing light, they saw the entire light elemental plane flickering. The dragon was cloaking it in their magic and illusions. Hiding it away from prying eyes.

The dragon had allowed them to see it this entire time. It had known and was clearly stronger than what it let on. But it hadn’t forced anything within the elemental plane allowing for the white stag race to grow naturally. Yet, with the opportunity, it had let Walker in. Not in a way to force the race to grow, but it felt like a test.

”I think you were being tested brother.”

”Mhm, tested.” Both Onyx and Midnight nudged Walker making it clear they agreed with one another. Walker had been tested and the party had been his supporters to get through the test. Leaving knowledge and experience behind for the race while Walker guided everything to begin what he could only imagine was the path of the origin race in terms of these young races and elemental planes.

”I think you are all right. I think that guardian is a bit older and stronger than they let on. Especially if they are left to help a young race grow. I might have been tested by more than just them…” The idea and thoughts in Walker’s head were ringing a little too loudly since he wanted to get some more solid answers. The issue was he couldn’t do anything about getting those answers.

He did notice that there were other gains from this other than his own comprehension of what the origin race did and what the guardians they placed in charge of fledgling elemental planes did.

Alice had a dense layer of light mana all over her body. It was less like she did so consciously but like the mana had decided to wrap her protectively since it was in tune to her. So the odds that Alice had become closer to the small amount of angelic blood in her body and grown toward the light affinity even more so than before. To the point that it might not just be her words that made light mana move and just her presence drew it in to act as an additional protection for her. It was a good thing.

While Walker thought that Omnyx might show some growth, it was actually Su who seemed to gain a bit more than expected. She had learned from Alice and managed to use the light affinity she gained through becoming a guardian for Midnight to use light shield skills. But right now, it appeared she was a little caught in the fact that she could use that same skill but larger and stronger. Enough to protect all of the party with a weaker shield of light that followed them.

”Everyone gained a lot from this. But, what are we doing next? Are we going to check out those elemental planes over there? Or should we go that way where there seems to be nothing at all?” Remey was curious about both directions. One could contain the unknown lack of elemental planes which made all of them somewhat fearful. The other could hold new young races and different guardians to meet.

”I think we should head toward those elemental planes. I can feel that they are different just looking at them. They don’t feel like I know them.” Trusting Gil’s eyes was something everyone learned to do. But saying that his instincts told him he didn’t know what he was seeing meant a lot.

”I think we do that then. The emptiness over there makes me feel like we shouldn’t go because we might stray away from our goals. And if Gil can’t tell what those planes are…” Walker smirked at everyone, curiosity always seemed to win with him.

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