Life Giver

In the much cleaner and nicer halls above the Ellaris Council Prison, the Council Hearing was finally drawing to a close.

Speaker Blackfire had announced the councils decision and the councillors were slowly exiting the hall, flooding the corridors of the building with important people from various parts of Ellaris city. Cultivation experts were truly as abundant as rice in this place.

Walking down on of the less busy corridors were Casmir and Master Bluefire, at this time Casmir was questioning Bluefire on the councils punishment for the captured members of the Truth Religion.

Each and every member was given the same punishment, 50 years imprisonment and 'Tier 2 Cultivation Annulment'. It was difficult to assign individual punishments to them due to the concealment of their identities, thus a blanket severe punishment was given to them.

50 years imprisonment was a harsh punishment alone, which even to the higher level cultivators whose cultivation had resulted in an extended lifespan, was a large portion of their life. However what truly made the members of the Truth Religion sorrowful, was the 'Tier 2 Cultivation Annulment' punishment that came with it.

Cultivation Annulment was something Casmir had heard of before, from his Uncle who worked for the Ellaris Guardship, but he was only aware that it was some form of restriction to a persons cultivation.

"Restriction? That's probably the wrong way to describe it, but in a sense it's not wrong either.." Bluefire said after Casmir asked her about the punishment.

"Well what exactly is it then?" Casmir replied curiously as they continued to make their way through the building.

After what he had been through and how many people had been killed as a result of these people's actions, Casmir wanted those members of the Truth Religion to be given the highest punishment possible. It wasn't an exaggeration to say that he would even feel slightly happy if they were sentenced to death, but Master Bluefire had already explained why such a sentence was unlikely.

The Heldan Republic had already moved away from the more barbaric punishments such as the death penalty and life imprisonment. Such punishments were only reserved for those who truly had no future in this society and would only serve to damage the Republic in the future.

In modern times most serious crimes by cultivators were dealt with through a combination of re-education through prison sentences, expulsion from the Republic and Cultivation Annulment.

Re-education was the most popular and effective method, Normal people or cultivators who could still contribute to society were educated on their crimes and the consequences of their crimes. Then they were taught a useful skill so that they could still have purpose after they were released and finally reintegrated into society through social workers, ex-prisoner communities and crime monitoring systems.

The re-education approach worked in the vast majority of cases, but in the case of repeat offenders and career criminals, expulsion from the Republic was considered.

In this case, a criminal would be sent to another nation to serve their prison sentence there. Usually only the poorest and most chaotic nations would accept such people for a price, purely exploiting such prisoners as free labour for various industries.

This approach was the least favoured in the republic because most of the time prisoners would be no less than slaves to another nation. Slavery was against the core values of the Republic, however for some criminals only by showing them what it truly means to be the lowest of the low and what their actions could lead to, would they change for the better.

Finally, if these two methods were inappropriate or if a criminals cultivation was too high, representing a more dangerous element, only then would the death penalty and Cultivation Annulment be considered.

Bluefire explained this to Casmir, saying "Cultivation Annulment is essentially the act of crippling another's cultivation through special methods."

"What?!" Casmir said, rather shocked and confused that crippling someone was even considered as a punishment in modern times.

"Don't be mistaken Casmir, their cultivation isn't simply stripped away for no reason. The key is how the criminals cultivation is taken away..."

"By using special methods their cultivation can be lowered by a single Qi Grade or multiple Qi Grade's but it can also be restored through special methods as well."

"One common example of how this is achieved is by poisoning a cultivator with certain Qi energy imbued herbs or pills. The poison will linger inside a cultivators body, blocking or interfering with their Qi energy, reducing their effective cultivation by a Grade or so. However there are cures to such poisons and they are solely controlled by the Heldan Republic itself, completely banned from being distributed without their permission."

Casmir nodded hearing Bluefire's explanation, he had heard of various techniques that could interfere with ones cultivation before. Even as he learned about biology from his foster mother Gloria, she had told him about various medical techniques that could interrupt the internal flow of Qi energy in a cultivators body.

Thinking about it further Casmir guessed what the Heldan Republic would ask of those criminals with their cultivation Annulled.

"I assume that their cultivation will be restored if they work for the Republic?" He said.

"Correct." Bluefire responded. "Generally they are asked to serve as Ellaris Guards, soldiers or a variety of other positions in more dangerous environments. After all, Ellaris is one of the safest area's of the republic but even here we still have to deal with low level ferocious beasts and you even encountered a Grade 6 Giant Shadow Wolf!"

"There are many more dangerous places in the republic, especially in the north of the Republic, near to the Ferocious Beast Domains." Bluefire quickly explained.

"It's difficult for people to have their Annulment rescinded, but the success rate is fairly reasonable. Such a punishment was chosen for these Truth Religion Heretics because they're foreign nationals, as long as they pay back what they have done to this country, they can return home."

"Oh yes. The 'Tier' of Cultivation Annulment describes the type of restriction used, Tier 1 lowers cultivation by roughly 1 full Qi Grade, Tier 2 lowers Cultivation by 2 full Qi Grades etc etc.. you get the picture." Bluefire added.

She then looked over at Casmir, expecting to see a look of understanding written across his face, however Casmir's brows were tightly scrunched up as he displayed a conflicted expression.

"What's wrong Casmir?"

Casmir glanced at Bluefire rather uncertainly, asking "Isn't Cultivation Annulment just slavery? They're forced to work for us because we have control over them, even the method you described sounds like something a slave owner might use..."

Looking at Master Bluefire's face that was calm and unconcerned, Casmir grew worried for a moment, wondering whether his Master's didn't object to the use of slavery.

Slavery was something that Casmir was truly disturbed by, not only was it malicious but it forced other people to become malicious. He had only encountered someone who attempted to 'own' another person once, that was Arthur Feniss whom Casmir had attacked when he discovered Arthur wanted to 'buy' Rose from the Golden Flower House.

Even for those members of the Truth Religion who had nearly cost him his life, Casmir felt that such a malicious punishment like slavery was wrong, worse than even the Death penalty.

Bluefire meanwhile simply smiled calmly, explaining "You misunderstand its use Casmir."

"For someone who's cultivation has been Annulled, they are not controlled by the Republic. After they have served their time in prison or any other punishment that they might have been given, they are free to go." She said without any concern.

"Having one's cultivation Annulled is, like you mentioned earlier, a restriction. No one is forcing them to serve the Republic, they could forget about their past, move to a new place and start a life with someone if they choose to... nothings stopping them."

"It doesn't restrict them from living a full life, it restricts them from gaining power through Cultivation without having first understood how such power should be used.."

Bluefire's eyes grew clear and focused as she spoke, as if her most firm beliefs were being revealed.

"Absolute power corrupts absolutely, only by binding the power that cultivation brings you to serving something greater than yourself, can you remain uncorrupted."

With a deep, calm breath Bluefire softly said "Cultivation isn't for the one, it's for the many..."

Listening to her calm words, Casmir's pace as he walked beside Bluefire slowed down.

He completely understood the purpose of Cultivation Annulment in this moment, it was designed to teach those who did not understand what to do with the power cultivation bestows them, what to do with that power.

But what caused Casmir's pace to slow down was not his thoughts on Cultivation Annulment, but what Master Bluefire had just said.

'Cultivation isn't for the one, it's for the many..' He thought.

The more Casmir thought about these simply words, the more he realised they lined up almost perfectly with what he believed.

The reason he became a cultivator in the first place was because it would help him cure the Lifeless Plague, then it evolved into a strange d.e.s.i.r.e for power and strength but not for himself, for those around him. Everything that motivated him to cultivate was for those around him, if not for the Life Giver Orb perhaps he would have chosen a simply life with Elena, one in which he did not cultivate, because it was for himself.

But now that he had started the journey of cultivation, everything was pushing him to Cultivate not for himself, but for the many...

"Casmir?" Bluefire called out as Casmir eventually stopped walking.

Roused by hearing his own name, Casmir quickly awoke from his thoughts, smiling slightly as if having understood something important.

"Sorry, I was daydreaming." Casmir said as he caught up with Master Bluefire.

Bluefire looked at him oddly as he caught up, she then shook her head and pushed Casmir's odd behaviour to the back of her mind.

As they continued, Casmir calmly replied to Bluefire saying "Cultivation isn't for the one, it's for the many?"

"I like that idea..."

Bluefire simply nodded at Casmir's words, unaware of how they had affected Casmir, before they finally reached the main exit for the Ellaris Council Building.

They soon exited the building, confirming their identities with the guards as they left and finally arriving on the streets of Ellaris.

At this time the morning sun was just breaching the horizon, only the brightest of stars and the moon's fading white silhouette could be faintly seen in the slowly brightening sky.

The moment of twilight and the break of dawn were always a busy time for the streets of Ellaris, as everyone began their day. In front of the Ellaris Council Building today was even more busy as various additional people came back and forth, reacting to last nights event and the Council Hearing's decision.

The large street was flooded with people making it hard to simply walk in a straight line at times.

Bluefire and Casmir had just extricated them from the worst of the crowds before a voice called out to Casmir.

"Casmir!" A slightly groaning voice called out to him.

Casmir turned around to find a fairly tall individual dressed in a light green robe, in his strangely shaped green hand was a simple walking stick that he rested his weight upon as he walked closer to Casmir.

The tall man's body was formed from a mass of green vines, as two yellow beads that acted as eyes locked onto Casmir and the man's face scrunched up into odd looking smile.

"Ah, Vin! Are you alright?" Casmir said as he walked over.

Only now, as the crowds cleared between them did Casmir notice a slightly shorter individual walking beside Vin, locking arms with him to help him walk.

This person was of the same race as Vin but their figure was much more elegant, the vines that formed its body were coloured in a much lighter and clearer green colour. There was even a crown of flowers on top of this persons head, a beautiful bouquet of multi-coloured and lively young flowers.

"I'm fine, I'm fine Casmir!" Vin said enthusiastically "Come here, this is my wife Egardia. Egardia, I can't say much but without Casmir's help last night, I might not be here!"

Casmir looked at Egardia with slight surprise, politely saying "Nice to meet you."

Egardia however did not speak, she stepped in front of Casmir placing her head on his shoulder and shaking her head slightly. This caused the flowers on her head to gently release some sweet smelling pollen that fell onto Casmir upper body and especially upon his bushy hair, like a fine layer of dust.

Egardia then stepped back, retaking Vin's arms as Casmir looked at Vin slightly confused by Egardia's actions.

"Oh, my bad. That's a gesture of thanks, for helping me out. Egardia's from the Floral Kingdom of Helania to the north-east, I'm afraid she can't speak the common tongue yet." Vin explained with a smile.

"Oh!" Casmir said in realisation, he looked at Egardia and nodded his head with a smile in thanks.

"How are your injuries by the way.. did they.. how is your cultivation..?" Casmir asked uncertainly.

Vin put on a smile hearing Casmir, but it was clear to see that his eyes dulled at the mention of cultivation.

"I'm back to square one, but good news is after a few months my body will be healed perfectly. I'll probably do some cultivation then but it's too late for me to make much progress in it now."

"*Sigh* My time as a cultivator's over.." Vin said softly as his smile sank.

Egardia quickly squeezed his arm as she saw his face, a light whistling sound coming from her body as she squeezed.

This prompted Vin to look at Egardia for a moment, his hidden pain slowly fading away before he turned back to Casmir.

"..But I've done pretty well for myself already! I've got a shiny new merit badge with my name on it, a lovely wife, and a seriously impressive retirement stipend with it. Me and Egardia always talked about opening a little shop to cultivate rare plants with, maybe I'll do that..." Vin said, losing himself in a daydream for a moment.

"Ah, I don't know! Whatever happens in the future, we'll be fine." Vin explained to Casmir.

Casmir smiled hearing this, he was just about to talk about his merit badge when Master Bluefire's voice called out to him.

"Casmir, we still need to head back to the academy." She called out from not too far away.

Casmir glanced over to her before turning back to Vin with an apologetic face.

"Sorry, that's my Master. I hope you get better soon, send me a card if you open your shop, my fiancé loves gardening and she'd love to see some rare plants." Casmir quickly said.

Afterwards they quickly exchanged contact information before Casmir rushed away, worried about keeping Master Bluefire waiting for too long.

It wasn't until Casmir was out of sight that Egardia looked over at Vin, a deeper whistling sound like some form of wind instrument resounding from her body.

'Did you tell him about the pollen's effects?' Egardia said to Vin

Vin was surprised by her words, only just now remembering that Casmir didn't know much about his race.

Responding to her with a sound similar to whistling leaves Vin said 'Ah, sorry I forgot.. I'm sure when he passes by some flowers on the way he'll realise.'

Egardia rolled her eye as she heard Vin, lightly poking his arm in punishment before she dragged him away so that they could finally go home.