Chapter 1502 (2/2)
More than ever, Randidly was quite sure that the Nexus had been built on top of the body of an ancient beast. Which made him wonder if there were still such massive beasts wandering around in the area. The prospect was somewhat exciting. Especially after seeing how that primordial scent that remained suppressed any sort of bacteria from growing.
It also reminded him that his view of the Nexus had been extremely limited so far. If possible, he should explore a bit more in the future...
Still, Randidly let those thoughts go. Even if the walls weren’t helpful, his skin had plenty of options for Absolute Grasp of Yggdrasil. Very soon, thorny vines were wriggling off of his body and grabbing onto the cable beneath him. From there, the vines expanded and grew, weaving themselves outward until they covered about the outer 75% of the Web and left only a small portion near the middle completely unblocked.
Randidly studied the result carefully, varying the tightness of the weave until he was satisfied. Near the edges, the vines were extremely close together, allowing less of the emotionally volatile Aether to pass through. Meanwhile, near the open space in the center, the Aether was much thicker. Plus, Randidly created a single vine across the center hole, where most of the Aether now gushed.
Congratulations! Your Skill Absolute Grasp of Yggdrasil (L) has grown to Level 318!
Even then, Randidly wasn’t satisfied. For about fifteen minutes, he studied the roots and vines he had created, watching for any mutations due to the ambient emotions. Or even due to the relative prevalence of Nether in the area. After that time passed, Randidly had to conclude that there really was some serious pollution to the energy in the air; the bottom portion of the vines he created was turning vaguely bronze. But Yggdrasil vigorously protected its image against those emotions, leaving Randidly relieved. A little discoloration was fine, for his purposes.
Then, Randidly began working on the final goal in this six-day training operation: bringing out Helen, Heiffal, and the eight hundred other frontline soldiers under his command for training with this emotion-laden energy. Both to get a wider sample of the effects, but also to make sure that when Randidly showed up as a Drill Sergeant, even his subordinates would impress the recruits.
Although, if the recruits are anything like the people I saw… Randidly shook his head. Helen will tear them to pieces.
Then he began to train.
*****
“Charlotte, come here.” Commandant Wick growled, sitting before his personal garden and sipping tea. Without a sound, he set his small cup down next to his bamboo mat.
A small blue bird tweeted a soft song and flitted around the edges of the garden. The humidity that he kept his garden meant that Charlotte’s Wick neck was slick with sweat. She didn’t let any of the discomfort show on her face, however. At his summoning, Charlotte stood from her prone position and walked back to crouch near to the Patriarch of the family. Although the Commandant didn’t turn around, Charlotte could tell that he was pleased by her behavior.
Or rather, the lack of the bone-shaking dread she sometimes felt around the Commandant meant that he was relatively pleased.
For a while, he sat and she crouched in silence. Adding constant musical accompaniment, the bluebird flitted around the garden. Meanwhile, the Commandant’s eyes were on the prize of his garden: the twelve bloom amethyst lotus. The soft gradient of its brilliant petals glittered in the false light of the garden as the twelve thin stems stretched elegantly upward from the base of the bush. After humming to himself, the Commandant raised a finger. A leaf withered on one side of the bush, falling quickly away.
“Are you prepared for the training?” The Commandant finally said.
Charlotte kept her head low while she answered. “Of course Patriarch.”
He nodded slowly with the expansion and contraction of his lungs. “Good. Very good. But even considering your current image… you should have no trouble distinguishing yourself from the rabble, even if they might have some minor associations with characters of actual note. Still, there is something else. The Head Drill Instructor… I would like you to become close to him. By any means available to you.”
Even though she had thought that she was prepared for anything, the Commandant’s words still took her by surprise. For a split second, her words caught in her throat. “You want me to-”
“Foolish girl.” The words were uttered with a forceful derision that lashed across Charlotte's face with all the sharp burn of a whip. Flushing with an emotion between humiliation and fear, she was barely able to suppress a whimper; she knew weakness now would only earn her additional punishment. Pressing her fingers to the ground, Charlotte did her best to hid her shaking hands.
Eventually, the Commandant’s displeasure subsided. “He would have no interest in your flesh, girl. Even if he is a minor character in the grand scheme of the Nexus, he shows much more promise than someone like you. I just wish for you to befriend him. Make him understand the benefits available to him, should he profess his loyalty to the Wick Family. His image… interests me.”