The Beginning Of A Five Year Agony-Chapter 43: One more question concerning this matter

"One more question concerning this matter," Samuel responded to Solmira. "After this, I will listen to you about the Outer Dark." He wanted a full understanding of Arithmos’s past before moving on to his journey...

"How did Arithmos get married to Luminara?" Samuel asked directly. "How did she become his wife?" The question felt strange to ask...but he had to know...

"Oh, heaven," Solmira uttered, a slight exhaustion in her voice. "This is the last question concerning this matter, okay?" She looked up and down at Samuel, her gaze firm...and then responded.

"It’s simple," she began. "She used her time essence on Arithmos."

"How, so?" Samuel asked, prompting her for more details. He didn’t fully grasp How she used "time essence"

"She went back in time. She studied him," Solmira explained. "His dislikes, his weaknesses, his habits, everything about him. And then she came back to the present. She successfully made him fall in love with her, using all of the knowledge she had gained about him from across his timeline."

Solmira’s expression hardened slightly. "She even used that exact same knowledge in his capturing... and caging... in the Celestial Graveyard."

"A Promiscuous woman," Solmira uttered, her voice laced with clear disapproval. "Shameless."

"Alright, enough of this topic," Solmira said, cutting off the further discussion. The subject clearly bothered her.

She waved her hands. In a matter of seconds, they were no longer in the corridor. Samuel looked around. They were now in an emerald green room. The walls and floor shimmered with a deep and natural green light, emanating a calm energy...

In front of them was a transparent, holographic image of three old women. They appeared ancient, their faces lined with wrinkles...

"These are the Daughters of Mercy," she uttered, gesturing toward the holographic image.

She moved her hands again. The hologram changed. It now showed a couple of different locations, five in total. Each one was a distinct, geographical area, marked on a larger map.

"You will have to journey across these lands in order to get to the Temple of the Daughters of Mercy, located on the island of recreation..." Solmira explained, indicating the holographic map.

"What exactly am I looking for?" Samuel responded his voice was direct. "An item? Or a power source? Which is it?" He needed to understand the objective...

"You are going to become a full god," Solmira stated plainly, her voice calm.

Samuel’s eyes widened in disbelief. "A full god?" The words felt immense and impossible...

"Yes," she confirmed. "Right now... you are only an awakened vessel. You are not even considered a sovereign-born being."

She explained his current status in the divine hierarchy. "You need them...the Daughters of Mercy...in order to unlock half of Arithmos’s strength. If your body accepts the rituals they provide, you may gain all of its full powers. But not his domain. You cannot have a god’s domain while he is still alive, even if imprisoned. So you will need to create your own if necessary..."

Samuel stared intensely at the five names listed on the holographic map. Each name appeared below a representation of a distinct...dangerous-looking landscape.

{The Desert of Malice}

{The Mountain on a Fallen Lesser God’s Hand}

{The Lake of Sulfur}

{The City of the Abandon}

{The Black Castle}

And the final destination: {The Island of Recreation.}

"Give me seven days to prepare," he said to Solmira, his voice was firm and his decision already made. He needed to be ready for these challenges.

She smiled. "No problem, child. It’s all up to you. Your choice. Your decision."

Her crimson-red eyes glowed at Samuel, holding a subtle intensity as she accepted his terms...

"I need a private room," Samuel uttered. "A place where I can concentrate, away from any form of distraction." He needed to focus on his training...

"And also, I need you to unlock my essence access," Samuel added. "I want to be able to use my powers and abilities for something important." He was ready to resume his training, to test his powers now that he knew their origins and also use one of his abilities...

Solmira looked at him, her eyelids narrowing slightly in consideration.

"Alright," she agreed.

She waved her hand, and in an instant, they were back in the corridor where their conversation had begun, the vibrant garden still visible beyond...

"Step into the middle of the garden," she uttered, gesturing towards the open, expansive space area...

Samuel didn’t argue or utter a single word. He walked directly into the center of the garden as he was told.

Then, in an instant, dark green energy burst out from his body, expanding outwards in a visible power surge...

Samuel could feel it again. He felt his blade, Aegirion, present within his body again, not physically, but as an extension of his being. His powers were back, flowing through him, invigorating him...

"My powers are back," he uttered to Solmira, testing the sensation, and confirming the activation.

She smiled. Then she turned around.

"Now, carry on with your preparation," she stated, her voice indicating the conversation was concluded and her part in this phase was done...

In an instant, she vanished from the vicinity. The corridors were now silent, the only sound was the soft hum of the living house. Samuel was left alone in the vast garden...

"Aegirion," he called aloud.

Then it answered internally, a clear voice in his mind: "How may I assist you?"

Samuel couldn’t fully understand, the complex relationship with the weapon, but a part of him was somehow profoundly relieved to have his powers back. He felt more complete and more capable...

Then, he heard footsteps, coming from the corridor behind him. Samuel looked up. It was the maidens.

"Son of Anarchy," one of them said, her voice soft. "We have prepared the room."

Samuel looked at them in confusion. He had only just spoken with the goddess about his need for a private room and unlocking his powers. He wondered how they knew about his requests...

Then, one of them opened a portal directly in front of him. It shimmered with soft, inviting colors.

"Wait," Samuel responded, holding up a hand. "I would like to let my friends know." He didn’t want to leave without a word this time...

"Understood," one of the maidens replied.

They opened another portal. This one shimmered with a warmer light and seemed to lead to an outdoor environment, a different setting entirely. Samuel stepped through the portal. Seconds later, he found himself standing on a river shoreline. The water flowed gently, and the air was fresh. There, in the peaceful setting, he saw Lira, Yvaine, and Veora.

Seeing them so peaceful, laughing and talking by the river, made him come to a clear conclusion. He was going alone. He couldn’t drag them into the demon realm, into a journey that was fundamentally his. He had to keep them safe here.

"Samuel!" Lira ran up as she saw him, her face lighting up with recognition and relief. She hugged him tightly.

He quickly smiled, making sure to hide any sense of burden or worry from his expression. He hugged her back, briefly...

"Is there any problem?" Lira asked, pulling back slightly. "When I woke up, you weren’t on the bed. Then I was told that you went to meet the goddess." She looked at him nervously and clearly concerned.

Veora and Yvaine came closer to the scene, their expressions also showing concern.

Samuel didn’t want to lie to any of them. He chose to be sincere. "Yes, there is a problem," he admitted.

"What? Why? When? How?" Lira nervously asked, her questions tumbling out rapidly and her anxiety clear.

"Just a quick journey," Samuel said, trying to make it sound less daunting than it was...

Lira looked like she was about to tear up, her eyes welling up with tears.

Samuel patted her head gently. "Don’t worry, I will come back," he promised.

"You all just have to stay and wait for me here," Samuel responded, looking at all three of them. "Okay?"

She sadly and cutely nodded, accepting his words with a heavy heart.

Samuel looked at the sisters, and they both nodded in synchronization, a silent agreement to his request.

"Good," Samuel said, taking a breath. "Now, let’s get that out of the way. What are you guys doing?" He changed the subject, trying to lighten the mood, to make this goodbye feel less permanent.

"Nothing much," Veora uttered, her voice soft. "Just sightseeing." frёewebηovel.cѳm

"Cool," Samuel said, a small smile on his face. "I’ll leave you all to it. I still have some things to prepare. So, I will be going back now." He gestured towards the portal the maidens had opened.

"Already?" Yvaine responded, her small voice filled with disappointment.

"Yes," Samuel confirmed. "It won’t take long. Once I am done, I will join you at the house. Promise."

They all agreed, their faces still showing a mix of sadness and acceptance.

But it was a lie. Samuel knew he wanted to train in his "Dual Spectrum," his artificial battleground. He did not know how long it would take him before he could regain consciousness back after using it for extensive training. He couldn’t tell them that.

He smiled a genuine smile this time, hiding the true weight of his feelings. He turned and left them, walking back through the shimmering portal as they looked on.

Then, in a matter of seconds, he was in front of a white house, simple, plain and unassuming, distinct from the colorful living house. The maidens were already there, waiting. One of them gestured for him to enter. He walked into it, the door closing silently behind him.

He took off his shirt. Then, he proceeded to activate his ability...

"Dual Spectrum."

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