173 An Evil Presence (1/2)

Cesar, standing at the door of the Octagonal Room, suddenly shuddered. He looked around with an expression that Helial could not decipher, but apparently filled with fear. There had to be something inside that place that could frighten even the great King of Orma.

What could be so terrifying to terrorize that Goblin, whose exploits had been known for millennia?

Sighing slightly and narrowing his eyes, Cesar got his thoughts under control and calmed down, before slowly explaining to Helial: ”The Karma that binds you to this place belongs to your race. But what lives here ... is evil beyond comprehension and could exterminate entire Nations. The training you will be conducting here has a price, which could very well be your life.”

Hearing these words, Helial's eyes widened. The boy sent a thread of conscience to Iblis for further explanation, but surprisingly he received no answer. With a sly grin on his face, Helial realized that this time he would have to go all alone.

Inside the Octagonal Room, there were great opportunities and great dangers. If he wanted to have any chance to face Medusa in two weeks, he certainly couldn't hold back.

”I will train here before the fight. Please come and call me when the time comes; I fear I could lose the sense of time. ”

In fact, that room had no openings that could let light in, and it was impossible to guess the time. Perhaps for the first two days Helial would have been able to keep count of the hours, but then he would gradually lose the notion of time. As much as he wanted to stay in that room as long as possible, he didn't want to miss the fight either.

Cesar nodded silently. He was thinking something.

”Well,” he burst out after a few seconds, ”there would be a way to avoid the match. You and your companions could leave Orma and never show up in the city again. If you regretted your recklessness, now would be the time to admit it.”

Helial shook his head. ”It's too late for regrets, and besides Orma is the safest place for me. Both outside and inside the city there are several people who just need an excuse to take my life, but at least here your influence helps me survive. You have bet on me and I am trying to return all the favours you have given me. I will kill Medusa, I give you my word. I need two weeks of intense training and nothing more. I cannot stop right now.”

Helial's words hit Cesar's heart, awakening old memories of his youth and invigorating him. The King felt a tremendous pride for his disciple who, even in the face of ominous premises, was not afraid to risk everything.

This was the heart of a warrior, of a true hero.

A gust of air, coming from nowhere, made their clothes flutter, and them both shudder. Cesar felt a strange presence behind him and all the hair that remained on his head stood up.

”Boy, I think I spent more time here than I had to. My presence is not welcome. I'll come and call you in two weeks, good luck. ”

Without another word, the Goblin left the room quickly. The less time he spend in this place, the better it would be.

”It seems that have to take care of myself at this point,” said Helial, looking around curiously and resting his eyes for a moment on the door in the middle of the Octagonal Room.

Cesar had told him that that place was beyond his current abilities. He could not yet cross that threshold. However, for Helial it was not a problem: he already had a lot to do and time enough to explore places that would put him in danger.

His priorities were other now.

Runes.

Metamorphosis.

Flame of the Qilin.

Mana Energies of Life and Destruction.

Moreover, Helial still had other Skills that needed training, but those four were certainly his biggest tricks up his sleeve. Metamorphosis and Life and Destruction were closely connected and, if he really wanted to find out how much that Skills could evolve, he would have to find a way to continue on his Mana Path as quickly as possible.

Helial had chosen to cultivate together Life and Destruction, a very difficult feat to complete. Iblis had warned him that others, before him, had tried to follow that same Mana Path, but they all had failed.

To continue on that Path Helial should have been bold and in control, cautious and reckless. He had to seize every opportunity, transform every danger in a forge for his spirit. The more he risked, the more he could gain. But if one day he did something foolish, he would have risked death.