Starlight Life Of The Sage

Public Release: March 13th, 2019 - 3:30 am EST

Cara's mind focused in on her new Path, onto the mage technique that she created. It wasn't a normal crystal-focused path nor was it a normal array-based one, either.

Cara combined the two most common Mage paths by using the same principle that allowed Dantian cultivators to surpass the Golden Core stage.

Just as her soul couldn't be locked into a cracked golden core, her soul could not be locked into a cracked and split Mana Crystal.

Cara's soul connected to the first of 10 crystals in her brain, making her a level 10 mage, a Houtian tier mage. To advance further she needed to connect her soul to crystal shard after crystal shard, and use the paths between them to draw arrays and map out spells.

Cara grinned and opened her eyes. She found Zara in front of her watching.

"Zara, how long have I been meditating?" asked Cara.

"At least a day and a half," said Zara. "We don't have much time left before we originally planned to leave."

"Dammit," Cara cursed. "I need to rush and collect as many scrolls related to my bloodline as possible…"

"I already took care of that, Teacher," said Zara. "When I realized you had stabilized yourself, I took the liberty of creating copies of every scroll I thought you might need."

Cara frowned. She didn't like leaving such a job to her student, because Zara had no way of knowing what scrolls Cara really needed or didn't need.

"Teacher, let me rephrase," said Zara when she noticed Cara's frown. "I copied down literally every scroll, book, and slate in the entire library that you didn't already have a copy of."

Cara froze. Her eyes went wide and her jaw dropped. She tried to say something but ended up just mouthing the words. To create a copy of everything? That couldn't be done with the provided machine. It didn't record things fast enough. The only way Zara could have done that was if she did it by hand…

"Thank you," said Cara, finally managing to eke out the words.

Zara smiled, "No need for thanks. You just need to teach me your mage stuff later!"

"Of course," said Cara.

-

The two women made their way out of the Library and into the open air again. The wind smelled of incense and smoke. In the distance they could see several campfires set up with a few tents outside.

Cara was about to ask, but the Dixon Head appeared just then to explain everything.

"Young Cara and her master, these people are from the East Empire," said the Dixon Head. "They want to invite you to their country for something. I wouldn't let them in the Library, and I can send them away if you don't want to meet them."

Cara shook her head. "No, I'll meet them. Zara and I, we were planning on leaving the Tin City soon anyways," she said. "We wanted to head to the 'Northlands', but I wouldn't mind going east first."

From within the tents several older men came out, each bearing the two-birds insignia. Behind them, Prince Lars emerged from a tent alongside a young woman who bore a striking resemblance to him.

"Young Miss Cara," greeted the Prince. "Before we talk, I'd like to introduce you to my older sister, Lynn, the Third Princess of our Empire."

The woman walked forward. Cara finally got a good look at her. Lynn wore a red-dress, similar in style to her brother's robe, but she didn't bear the insignia of the crossing birds. She had brown hair and a gentle face, though her stature was a bit strange. She stood as tall as Zara.

Cara was growing rather irate with having to look up to meet people's eyes.

"Hello, as my brother said, I am Lynn, and I've been desperate to meet you for a while," said the girl with a slight bow. Her tone was painfully polite and respectful.

"Nice to meet you," said Cara, a bit taken aback by being treated so reverently. "You can just call me Cara."

"Then please just call me Lynn," said the Princess with a genuine smile.

"Okay, Lynn, I suppose I'll be the one to stay on track here, what you do and your entourage want?" Cara asked.

Lynn, to her credit, didn't react the way Cara expected. Instead, her face blushed slightly and she bowed again. "I heard tales of a young prodigy from the Tin City, and a girl no less," she said. "So I wanted to come meet her. It's very rare to find young women willing to practice Knight Techniques…"

For the first time since she met the princess, Cara finally noticed Lynn's cultivation. Lynn was also in the Cracked Core stage of her outer cultivation, albeit she was only at the first crack.

Cara grinned.

"I agree. It's nice to find girls willing to put up with the stringent trainings," said Cara as she stole a glance to the side, towards Zara.

Zara wasn't focused on the conversation at all and, instead, was holding a few plants in her hands instead. She seemed to be diffusing their alchemical auras for some strange purpose. Occasionally she'd mumble something under her breath along the lines of 'Ionic bonds' or 'Mana 17% efficiency'.

"I'm glad you agree!" said Lynn. "Because I wanted to invite you and your master to my home for a bit as guests. In one month's time, the Empire's Training Grounds will open, and I'd be willing to get you a slot, Cara."

"The Empire's Training Grounds?" Cara asked.

"Oh, pardon me for not explaining. The Training Grounds are a special segmented space, created by a team of great ancestors in the past. They open up every five years and only let in people under the age of 30 into them. Inside there are tons of opportunities, treasure herbs, and legacies left behind. Normally it's exclusively open to people from our Empire, but I can get you a slot to enter…"

Cara smiled. It didn't take a rocket scientist to understand the offer. The Empire wanted to create ties to her and Zara. They probably wanted the ties to Zara the most… Despite that, the offer seemed lucrative.

Cara was in desperate need of mage spells to fill out her newest method of cultivation, and a legacy ground was probably the best place to find some.

Cara turned around to find Zara still not paying attention.

Zara probably didn't particularly care either way where they went, whether it was north or east first.

"You know what," said Cara, "that sounds interesting. I think I'll go to this 'Training Ground' with you, Lynn."

Lynn's face bloomed into a smile. She opened her mouth to say something, but someone else talked over her.

"That's fantastic. I'll be sure to get a big transport envoy for you and your master, as well as set up a parade…" said Prince Lars.

"Shut up, you brat!" roared Lynn as she smacked her younger brother in the back of the head. "How dare you speak out of turn in front of our guests!"

Cara almost stumbled at the sudden shift in tone from the princess. The jump from gentle and kind to 'harsh older sister' seemed sudden and wild.

For the first time since the conversation started, Zara looked up. "I like her," she said, while pointing at the princess.

Cara shook her head in disappointment. "We'll travel there on our own," she said. "No need for parades or envoys, either. I want to explore the countryside a bit on the way, and since I lived in the Soldier Garden for so long, a trip through it would be a bit nostalgic."

"Of course!" said Lynn, her gentle demeanor returning. "I brought plenty of maps and other navigation tools in case you need them, as well."

-

The rest of the conversation lulled a bit. Cara and Lynn didn't have too much in common, one being a princess and the other being a reincarnation of a multi-thousand year old Sage. They ended their 'talk' and went their separate ways.

The envoys from the East Empire left for their home immediately. They rode upon the backs of three flying eagle-type birds, leaving only Lars and a few elders behind to manage the Auction House.

Zara and Cara walked back to the Dancing Fire Inn where they paid the owner one last time, a small bonus for all the damages they caused, and then they packed their bags up.

Cara was happy. She wanted to explore the world more, and now that she had a goal of mastering her Mage cultivation, she could truly enjoy it.

The two returned to the Soldier Garden, to the treehouse home, for one last night. Zara set up her golem army throughout the Garden to defend their home while Cara set up several powerful arrays.

The next morning, they set out on their journey at first light.