Chapter 9 - Divine Soul Crystal

The Headmaster's floating chair takes him to a painting of a Giant Humanoid Dragon. The six wings on its back and a tail made of white melted wax resemble long feathers. The Head, Neck, Torso, Waist, Legs, Arms, and Feet are Golden Sand compacted into Dragon scales. The silver bar on the base of the wooden frame has 'Porrima' etched on it.

The Headmaster grabs hold of the left side frame of the painting and pulls it. An old metal safe is merged into the wall behind it. After a combination is entered by rolling several number wheels, the safe opens to reveal the contents. At first, Nero thought it was a Diamond, but the size was as big as his head and shaped like an egg.

"This is a Divine Soul Crystal. The Academy founder discovered it below this Academy."

"Wow! Hold on! There are ruins underneath us?"

"Why do you think we made the Academy here? But you won't find anything valuable there. It was cleaned out long ago, but the layout is massive enough to hold an army of 300000. Most of the traps have been disabled, but some were still left intact to spawn weak combatants for the Exams. It is one of the reasons why the Emperor wants to take over this place."

"You hid such a precious Soul Crystal behind the painting in your office? Are you not worried someone who knows might try to steal it when you are not here?"

"This painting is an artifact by a Mage from the Age of Legends. Whoever bound it in blood can see through its eyes. Its owner will also know when someone tampers with it. Regardless of the distance, I can be summoned back into this office to deal with the thief within seconds."

"Artifacts? Are they rare?"

"You would be lucky to encounter one. These were produced during the time of the Ancients and Legends. The knowledge to create them was lost to time, but there is a prophecy that it will return."

"Who made that Prophecy?"

"Haha! Porrima! The Dragon on the painting. She is the soul in this Divine Crystal who shares visions of the future."

"There is a Dragon soul inside this crystal?" Nero asked in confusion.

"No, the soul inside takes the form of a Dragon since it knows Dracomancy and Chronomancy."

Nero stares back wide-eyed and confused.

"It knows Extinct and Forbidden Spells?"

"Divine and Demonic Soul Crystals specialize in Non-Elemental Spell Tomes since they don't belong to any element. As I mentioned before, Ancient, Extinct, and Forbidden are just labels created by Mages. So there is no need to be surprised. Just defeat it, and it will reward you with positive energy to upgrade your Magical Core."

"You make it sound simple to take on a Time Dragon," Nero said as he took another look at the painting to pay closer attention to the claws and fangs.

"Since your Magical Core is White Grade, the Divine Soul Crystal will lower its strength to reflect you. So all you have to deal with is one Dracomancy Spell and one Chrono Spell with a 100 Mana cost. If you were an Indigo grade, you would have to deal with 7 Dracomancy Spells, 7 Chronomancy Spells, and 700 MP cost. The difficulty level matches your Grade. Think of yourself lucky that you are on Easy mode."

"The Senior who had a session before me. Did he defeat it too to reach Indigo?"

"No, he took on the Demonic Soul Crystal. Which is taboo for your blood."

"Still... he must be strong to survive that difficulty."

"Focus! Or your jealousy will be the death of you. Now place your hand on the crystal with mine to enter the Spirit Plane together."

"Together?"

"Porimma might go easier on you if I am there with you."

"Sounds like cheating. Hey! I was kidding. I need all the help I can get."

"Now clear your mind as you search for the soul in the crystal! Do not summon it or treat it as a pet. This is a life that is old beyond comprehension."

Nero places his hand on the Divine Soul Crystal along with the Headmaster. The two disappear from the office in a flash of light generated by the object they touched.

Nero wakes up on a bed made of a cloud. The Headmaster is standing on a similar cloud near him. Not sitting in a floating chair, but standing.

"You can stand?" Nero asked.

"In the Spirit Plane, my body feels like a 30-year-old."

Above the two is a black sky filled with countless stars of different colors. Below the clouds, the surface of the Earth passed by as it rotated.

Nero is terrified by the scale of everything below and above him.

"Where are we? Why aren't we falling?"

"Calm down! The Spirit Plane shapes itself according to the will of the one who resides in the crystal. Porimma likes to display the Heavens and the Earth to all the challengers. To demonstrate how insignificant they are in the grand scheme of things. She won't let you fall. So stand up and face her."

Nero calms himself and then tenderly gets up to look around.

"Where is Porimma? I only see clouds, stars, and the Earth below."

Nero saw the landmass of Europe, West Asia, South Asia, and East Asia.

"Look more closely at the clouds."

The Headmaster pointed at a massive cloud formation that slowly separated to reveal a Gigantic Dragon. It resembled the painting, but the size and details failed to be captured. Porimma stood at 18-meter-high (59-foot-tall). Her eyes studied Nero, who could feel an invisible pressure radiating toward him and felt his knees buckle.

The Dragon Girl from the Wildlands could transform into a Cryo-Hydro Dragon, but this one dwarfed her. His body shivered at the thought of having to fight and defeat Porimma. Just how was that possible from the sheer size alone?

"I sense the Blood of Gluttony in this one. Why bring a servant of the Empire here to my domain?" Porimma spoke to the Headmaster, whose cloud floated towards her.

"The boy is no friend to the Empire. He seeks your help to purify his blood. A white core won't be enough to be a Mage. Will you help him, old friend?"

"He seems too scared to challenge me. Shame... I was surprised that he has an affinity for Chronomancy, Necromancy, Solarmancy, and Lunarmancy. Combined with the blood of a Summoner and the Sin of Gluttony, you have a monster strong enough to destroy the Empire."

"I have a name... Nero Ramus!" Nero declared after calming himself. He did not like the Dragon for pointing out his fear and reluctance to fight. Nero took a few deep breaths in a pattern his Grandfather had taught him to calm down before a hunt.

"Hmm... Young Nero Ramus. You have a future full of hardship and loss. Are you sure you wish to pursue the path of a Mage instead of a Summoner in the Wildlands?

"You took a look at my future?"

"The moment you entered my domain. My Chronomancy showed me the trauma you will suffer. Countless souls will die by your hands...many of them will be innocent and defenseless. Your time as a human will soon come to an end. The Demon inside you will take over and destroy everything... including what will become important to you. But there is still a chance for you to walk away from this place and live an immortal life in peace somewhere far away from the presence of Humanity."

This prophecy washed over Nero like a bucket of cold water. Since the Headmaster trusted her, it would be unwise to ignore them. But something about running away to hide for eternity alone didn't seem like a future worth living. Is the future written in stone or just a branch among many outcomes?

"I must become the strongest Battle Mage to defend myself against the Emperor and his Assassins. That is why I came here to upgrade my Core. So I challenge you to a duel! If I win, you purify my blood and upgrade my Magical Core!"

Nero Summoned his Pyromancy Spell Tome and activated the only Spell he knew. Two Maroon Pata Plasma blades appeared as extensions of his arms.

The Headmaster was surprised by Nero's Pyromancy Spell Tome and the Spell he used. But he was more surprised by Nero's resolve even after the tragic prophecy. He looked toward Porimma, who didn't seem surprised.

"I refuse!"

"WHAT?" Both Nero and the Headmaster yelled. The Plasma Pata blades disappear along with the Spell Tome.

"I will show you what is in store for the boy if I help him and if I don't." Porimma turned to the Headmaster and spoke before raising her arm to touch his head with the tip of the claw to show him the visions of the future.

Nero watched in stunned silence as the Headmaster screamed before collapsing.

"What did you do to him?" Nero somehow got the cloud to rush over.

"What he needs to know to get the best outcome for the both of you. But it will be many years before you thank me for it."

Porimma flapped her wings hard to force the clouds to disperse. Nero and the Headmaster lost the clouds they were on and fell towards the Earth below. But a flash of light consumes them, and they return to the office.

Nero finds the Headmaster in his floating chair again. The man seemed like he had experienced several nightmares in a row. He looked at Nero with a look that spelled bad news.

"I have changed my mind... you will use the Demonic Soul Crystal next."

End of Chapter 9