2056 2056. In the Flow n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om


    "So, he will just be staying like this?" Gi stood next to Walker. He was wondering just what it meant that Walker would be in this cross legged position meditating for who knew how long. "Yes, he is apparently going to finally learn true mana and whatever else. But I have no idea what that actually means." Su was unsure. They had heard Walker talk about how he had to understand natural mana more. That he had to grasp more than just natural mana though. That he had toprehend what natural manabining with omre of the other mana meant. The idea to understand death. Life, space, and time was simple in theory butplicated inpractice.l he was already sure that he had to understand them all individually. Yet, the theory that he had to see the whole, was a little more interesting. However, it also confused the party members. From their perspective, the smaller manas made up the whole. That left the true mana which was allbined, as the final solution to understanding all of those manas. Not that they thought Walker would understand that all right away. "How long?" Midnight''s reaction was quiet. She felt that Walker would step too far away from them if he were to understand all manas. If he were toprehend True mana as a whole. It could greatly separate Walker from everyone. "At least three days. That''s what Remey told us she heard the natural alchemist say. But Remey is also studying with the natural alchemist. Haven''t you all seen the other echidna popping up here and there to teach their methods and skills?" Su wondered just what was going on here. While it was natural that the echidna were helping them, it felt off. Like the echidna were starting to share secrets that they had kept for good reasons. Even in another mindset, if the echidna had decided to share all their secrets, why now?


    "I feel wrong saying this, but are we missing the seriousness of all this?" Gil kept himself calm while looking at Midnight, Su, and Onyx. he also wanted to include Remey. But she was upied. She wouldn''t step away from making her alchemy technique for anything right now. "If the world is giving the echidna quests to share their secrets with us so that everyone can break through to the proper flow of the world, or whatever we should be part of. Then does it mean that the world might be too threatened now? Was that fragment that Walker told us about too dangerous? Did we fail?" A weight fell on all of them. They realized that if Gil was correct, then it meant that even though the evil vampire they had defeated was gone, that the entire party had failed. Beyond that, the demon lord was still powerful enough to beat all of them together. "You are probably right." Su showed some of her mental fatigue and sighed. The drawn out breath that followed was enough to make Gil and Midnight worry. The only one remaining still was Onyx. his eyes following the actions of the few echidna that he could spot from where they spoke. "If things are this bad, then we will learn a few things from Walker when it is done. Midnight and Onyx have the closest bonds with him. So I can bet that whatever the changes are he gains, they will too. I might get a little help because of my bond with Midnight as her guardian, but you have your own ways. You have the elven ways." Su knew well that if the real battle wasing, that the opportunities they had now were invaluable. "It''s the pure drop of high elf blood, huh?" Gil also sighed now. He had expected something a little like this. Not that it was a bad thing, but because he felt that he had barely begun to scratch the surface of the being that has literally been the source of the elven race. Gil had just made these gains when it came to bing closer to the elves a s whole. He also was still human. However, he had to change the way he thought and focus on his style of dagger usage. The one that allowed him to use natural mana that gathered around him. The high elven dagger technique allowed Gil to do this, but it also allowed him to resonate that mana with his newfound blood. Because of this, he had begun to sense the manas around him much more. The key to this being that he remained focused and open to the natural flow of manas around him. He also knew that in doing so, he had to understand what changed his body was going through. He had already seeing his ears be slightly pointed to match the elves. He had tried his best to ignore other changes. Slightly risen cheekbones. His height being slightly taller than it had been. And his body being slightly more flexible overall. All of this proved that he was more like the alves. But it also meant he might be further from being human like his mother and father. Like many others he cared for in the world and strove to defend. He hadmitted his life to Alma, his love. He just understood that he had roots. He had an origin that he did not want to toss aside. Yet, he had to ept that he was progressing and move to adapt himself. To be able to be the one that could protect many more than just the elven race. "Do you think the origin of the leven race felt burdened by what he was?" Gil''s question made You look at him with a calm but serious look. "I think that he created that burden so that he could feel the joy of it all. I want to protect everyone so that we can see them grow. See them smile. That''s why I will defend everything we work toward as a family to the very end." Su''s words resonated with the air itself. She was speaking from her very core. Midnight even nodded in agreement. Her eyes darting between everyone else. "Sisters, brother. Even if the world requires us to grow beyond what we would normally be. We are still us. We may change, I may grow toorge for one home to cover me. But I know that I will still feel that home everywhere in my memories and in your presence. So let us tackle the leading step ahead of the others. So that we can guide themter." "Pfft, Onyx the philosopher." Gilughed a little. But he didn''t look to be making fun of Onyx in the least. He looked happy. "You know you''ll always be the tiny little serpent that hatched from an egg and wrapped yourself around Walker to stay warm and absorb light mana. Right?" his hand patted Onyx''s head for a moment before Gil shook away his negative and fearful thoughts. "We move forward then. Just like always. And after we understand what''s what, we make sure we get a little revenge on Walker for trying to skip ahead of us. And Remey too, she''s doing the same thing." "Agreed." Midnight, Onyx, and Su all responded. Their faces holding a look of determination that would have scared anyone in to moving a little faster. Especially Walker and Remey who would feel that they could be beaten right here and now. "I will see youter. And I will bring Walker to the main camp where one of the dragons can help carry him along. We are going to gather the ships to pursue the corrupted city." Su took up the lead and easily lifted Walker up to carry him in his statue like meditative position. Midnight followed carefully. Her mind elsewhere as she was searching herself for the next steps that she could take. To match Walker. While this happened, Walker was allowing himself to fall apart. Allowing his very mind to meld with the manas flowing around him. He was trying to see beyond himself and the manas that were currently in contact with him. He could sense the life mana thumbing through him much more clearly than he had been able to sense it just some time ago. That was the same for the space mana. He could feel the ambiguity of where and how it existed. The mystery of it enough to drive anyone crazy. That was the same for the death mana that he had managed to grasp at. Like wisps floating by, there was death all around. Every monster killed had been a ce where death mana came to be. But it also inspired darkness mana to allow rot to happen. Then for life mana toe fill that ce. Furthermore, he sensed that time was passing in off intervals. As if he was being pushed in and out of a different flow. When he was focused and time passed quickly. When he was unfocused and time passed slowly. All of these feelings mmed in to one another. Over and over. It tempered him but confused him like nothing he had ever experienced. He tried to grasp these feelings but could not reign them in. They were wild and uncontroble with his force. So what was he to do now?


    …


    ….