Chapter 1540 (1/2)

Raymund Ballast squeezed his hands so tightly that his arms shook with the strain. His knuckles ached. Two responsibilities warred with his chest, the first toward his morals and the second toward his people. After his experience in the Nexus… and then today feeling the frightful conflict of images as the Head Drill Sergeant fought against the infiltrator… Raymund had stared directly into the unforgiving truth of his current situation: He was not strong enough to find Techetadore alone.

He was weak. Raymund blinked slowly and looked around him at his shabby shelter. He was incredibly weak.

...yet I cannot guarantee that what I offer will tempt the hearts of the Overseers, Something within Raymund’s body disengaged and slowly began to relax at that thought. His shoulders, which had been so tensed against this momentous decision, could gradually ease as he acknowledged that his off might not be enough. The true responsibility would lay with Advisor Zauna. All I have is my own body… and what meager potential I possess…

Raymund was currently weak. In the wider Nexus, this weakness had severely restricted his movements. But at the moment… his weakness was reassuring. Because as soon as he acknowledged his inability, he understood the responsibility wasn’t something that he alone could bear. He needed assistance to move forward.

For some reason, Raymund smiled. He raised his head and nodded decisively. Yes… this is the correct decision. I was always the one who would prepare the way for Techet. Therefore… my own wishes are unimportant. If I am able to liberate my brother from whatever current circumstances bind him… achieving success in that endeavor is worth any price.

With resolve in his heart, Raymund marched out of his shelter and toward the Northern portion of the training grounds. Most recruits were resting at the moment, but the Vulpine didn’t want to miss this opportunity. The sooner the training started, the better the result. That was something that Overseer Helen had drilled into him.

Today would be the day that his life changed… again.

When he arrived at the Overseers building, he informed the guard at the door that he was here to see Advisor Zauna. She came out soon after, her heavy eyes on Raymund. With his two tails excitedly swishing back and forth behind his back, he announced to her that he had resolved himself; he would accept her advice regarding how to change his image and utilize his Legendary Skill.

He then went on to explain that his reason for earning the top examination score and coming to the Nexus was to find his brother. In exchange for Advisor Zauna’s assistance in locating Techetadore, he would make whatever changes were necessary to his image to reach his full potential.

Zauna moved slowly after Raymund’s speech, reaching up and running her thumb over her chin. Her face made it difficult to read her expression. “And this new resolve to change your image… this new form… is what you truly desire?”

“It is what is necessary,” Raymund said with certainty. He performed a short bow toward his Advisor. “My hesitance in the past- oof!”

Advisor Zauna slammed her fist into Raymund's stomach. Then, as he bent all the way over, she brought her other hand down upon his back. Gasping weakly, Raymund fell forward with bulging eyes. He sat on his knees and struggled to breathe; Zauna had struck him directly in the diaphragm with her first strike, briefly paralyzing the muscle group.

Zauna spat off to the side. “You are foolish. Have you truly listened to my advice? The problem was never that you didn’t use your most potent Skill. I suggested that you focus on that because it is definitely powerful, whereas your current image… is definitely not. But what your image is missing is not anything specific, but the presence of a personal desire. You, as an individual, must identify a clear goal for your image.

“As long as you treat your image simply as the executor of a foreign responsibility, you will be weak.” Advisor Zauna turned away. Her heavy footfalls seemed to shatter all the fragile optimism Raymund had come here in his heart. “Go rest, recruit. See if you can meditate away your stupidity.”

*****

Sulfur hummed in concentrated as it gradually began to stretched its body across the ground to mimic the shape of the Grim Chimera’s new image. Randidly’s lips twitched as he tried not to smile at the plant-armor’s struggles. “Are you sure you don’t want any help? I can strike you a few times so you build up some kinetic energy…”

Sulfur resonated with annoyance, practically shouting through their mental connection that it didn’t want to bother Randidly with something as trivial as this. It was more than capable of adjusting its form to resonate with his images.

Truthfully, Randidly appreciated the sentiment behind the glacially slow shift from Sulfur. The fact that his armor was trying to help in his own way was kinda adorable. But realistically…

Shaking his head, Randidly turned away. At this rate, it will take a couple of weeks for Sulfur to ooze into the correct shape. With my assistance, that time would likely be shortened to only a few days… Well, I should be safe in the Rally Station for a while at least. Two more weeks until the next recruit challenge, two months until I will be leaving for the frontlines. I suppose we have the spare time.

So Randidly left his armor to its business and found a comfortable position on the floor. He cast a forlorn glance at the empty plate where his roast pig used to sit, but that could wait until later. His attention turned inward. His three images stirred, each with something on its mind. The Grim Chimera wanted to refine its shape. The Stillborn Phoenix whined that it wanted to devour more emotions. Yggdrasil wanted to strengthen its dominion over the surrounding area, in case another attack was incoming.

For now, Randidly ignored the three issues that were raised and focused in on the form of Yggdrasil. He passed through the emerald leaves, the rune-covered boughs, and arrived at the sturdy trunk of the World Tree. He was engulfed in a sea of rustling, creaking, and shifting as the invisible wind tousled the canopy around him. In his mind, he reached up and touched his hand against the thick bark. Even through his fingertips, he could sense the raw vitality beneath the rutted surface.

Releasing a breath, Randidly focused further on that life-energy that seemed to pulse unceasingly from the core of this mythical plant. As he sunk more deeply into his vision, golden light filled his vision. Sprinkled into that grand vitality was elements of purification that Randidly had incorporated early and now he focused on that purification and expanded it. As he began to work, that energy released a pulse of overwhelming light. Shade and color were eliminated and only illumination remained.