Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy Chapter 1211 1211: The Spirit Scheme
Previously on Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy...
Their initial plan was straightforward... The Spirit Queen had come to recover, letting her spirits interact with Marshall Academy's students to build stronger ties between worlds.
For this, she received a safe haven to mend her wounds and remain concealed from the Demon Lords or Demon Gods who had stormed the Spirit Realm and seized nearly half of it.
Yet, as she remained in the Human Realm longer, the Spirit Queen started recognizing its possibilities.
The abundance of its energies, the firmness of its territories, and the incredible toughness of its inhabitants... Everything surpassed her anticipations. Unlike the Spirit Realm, now battered by the Demon Lord's forces, this realm felt like a true haven.
Thus, she started plotting.
If Armin, Vale's initial disciple, managed to claim the Mystic Arts Tower with help from her spirits, it would establish a link, a base for her kin.
Precisely, the Mystic Arts Tower alone could form a compact Spirit Realm for them and serve as the launchpad for their fresh abode...
Armin suited this role ideally, given his strong ties with Vale. Through him, she could gradually shift her spirits to this realm, step by step, disguised as support for Vale's pupils.
The Demon Lord could devastate the Spirit Realm, but in the Human Realm, her folk could endure, flourish. They might even dominate a portion of it...
Her mouth twisted into a subtle grin, even in her frail condition.
'Armin... you're the ideal pawn. Vale relies on you, and via you, we'll claim our new sanctuary... The Mystic Arts Tower won't just challenge your destiny; it will shape mine too.'
Yvaine, devoted and without doubts, cared for her Queen's damaged aura, oblivious to the complete scope of her schemes.
Meanwhile, as Armin ascended the Tower's initial levels, convinced he was merely demonstrating his worth, the Spirit Queen observed from a distance via the Spirits lurking in his shadow...
***
At that moment, inside Vale's Immortal Tower, the already tense air abruptly eased...
'That Immortal Vale... I can't help wondering how many Avatars he's crafting.'
Mesa, among the Spirit Guardians, found herself pondering this.
Currently, countless Spirits glided quietly along its corridors, tied by pacts and missions.
Mesa grew weary of lingering here, yet she dared not venture out sans the Spirit Queen's approval.
Just then, she spotted someone descending to the fourth floor... It was Hessa, another Spirit Guardian like her.
"Where are you headed?" She inquired.
"It's my turn today..." Hessa answered, not halting her stride.
Distinct from the minor spirits, Spirit Guardians such as them possessed forms resembling humans. Hessa, in particular, stood tall and elegant, with fair traits.
Still, under that appearance, they remained pure spirits, originating from the Spirit Realm.
Hessa had lately secured leave to exit the Tower.
Her assignment was straightforward: to supervise the spirits dispatched to the Marshall Academy, making sure they weren't squandered or diminished by reckless students.
"Best of luck! Grab some keepsakes!" Mesa called out before choosing to seek out Ceres, the woman Arcanist she'd grown close to in the Tower.
In the interim, Hessa crossed paths with two of Vale's Spirit Beasts in the vast hall.
The initial one was the Frostborne Vulpestra, a silver fox boasting nine tails that flowed gracefully, each ending in frost resembling icy fragments. Its gaze held serenity, yet it exuded terror, its aura bearing winter's bite.
The next was the Nightreaver Shroudfang, a dark panther with eyes like glowing coals in obscurity.
Similar to the Vulpestra, its aura felt overwhelming...
Both creatures eyed Hessa with interest.
"Are you exiting the Tower?" Vulpestra's tone was gentle, echoing straight into her thoughts.
"Yes," Hessa responded, dipping her head in respect. "The Spirit Queen commanded me to monitor the spirits at the Academy. Numerous lesser ones have weakened from the students' lack of knowledge. They need direction, lest they vanish."
Shroudfang's tail flicked once before she resumed her position.
"Master Vale has approved that Spirit Guardians can depart occasionally. It's your role to collect resources and oversee the spirits. We won't hinder you."
Vulpestra dipped her head. "We'll record your exit and notify Vale afterward. Proceed, Guardian. Avoid failure."
Hessa nodded once more. "I won't."
With those words, she left the Tower... Shortly, her shape began to melt into vapor before reshaping beyond its entrance.
The trip to the Marshall Academy passed quickly.
Spirits journeyed unlike mortals, weaving through shadows and flows of power.
After roughly an hour, Hessa arrived at the Academy's boundary, her human-like shape intact, now clad in attire like that of local folk.
The Academy teemed with activity as usual.
Learners rushed between lessons, honing spells in open areas, or clustering in discussion rooms.
Amid them, certain Mystic Arts Practitioners appeared near several minor spirits.
Sure enough, they hovered by their linked students, some robust and lively, others pale and vanishing.
Hessa's gaze sharpened.
'It's accurate... Many are indeed diminishing.'
They recognized that pairing students with Spirits so soon posed risks. Still, due to the pact with Vale, they had to accept the danger.
After all, they refused to endanger the Queen's security over concerns for their own well-being.
Before long, Hessa strolled across the Academy grounds, initially overlooked.
Her essence was understated, veiled by a Spirit Guardian's aura. But as she moved, the lesser spirits roused, sensing her command.
A few approached nearer, murmuring softly in tones only she perceived.
One learner faltered in the courtyard, his spirit scarcely visible at his side.
Hessa halted, observing as he tried casting a spell, yet his power wavered. The spirit, too, was feeble, on the verge of dispersal.
"Reckless," Hessa whispered. She reached out, and the spirit stabilized, its light beginning to brighten as she channeled additional Spirit Energy into it.
The learner inhaled sharply, feeling the abrupt boost, but upon looking back, Hessa had vanished.
She pressed on with her review, shifting from corridor to corridor. Certain spirits flourished, cared for by attentive students.
Others withered from neglect and abuse. Each instance, Hessa aided discreetly...
She offered a soft word of advice, a surge of vitality, a assurance to the spirit of its companionship.
As dusk arrived, the Academy hummed with tales. Learners murmured about an enigmatic presence that had emerged, bolstering their spirits, steering them invisibly.
Some insisted it was Vale in person, while others viewed it as an examination.
Yet solely the spirits grasped the reality.
Hessa, the Spirit Guardian, had arrived to protect them.
And as she lingered at the Academy's fringe, eyeing the soaring structures, she reflected silently...
'This location... it could well serve as the link the Queen seeks. Should Armin prevail, the way forward will clear for everyone.'
Her mouth formed a slight smile, and thus, she faded into the shadows anew, her duties for the day fulfilled.
They targeted not merely the Mystic Arts Tower, but far greater ambitions!
***
Meanwhile, Armin inhaled deeply upon stepping into the tower...
The ground level was uncomplicated. It featured a spacious chamber packed with snares demanding fundamental insight into Mystic Arts...
The challenge aimed at novices, assessing concentration and precision. Budding Arcanists frequently tripped up here, sidetracked by assorted Spells that might arise and ensnare them.
By now, though, Armin had grown far too capable. He scarcely required Mystic Arts. His intellect had honed against trickery.
In mere moments, he arrived at the actual doorway.
The next level examined mastery.
Scores of hovering energy spheres floated across the room, all precarious.
The objective involved steadying them sans detonation. It demanded exact command of Arcane Energy...
"This ought to be straightforward..."
Armin stretched his arm, directing his power. As he instinctively reached for his Dark Energy, the spirits inside him awakened and altered it, and gradually, the spheres settled, shining mildly before vanishing.
"Ahhh..." Armin noticed the trial had been finished by the Spirits!
"Well... This counts as part of my abilities too." He said under his breath.
The subsequent level proved a test of stamina.
A tempest of arcane gusts assailed him, phantoms of swords and flames charging toward him...
Even novice Arcanists might overcome this through grit, but the Tower gauged endurance duration without faltering...
Armin steadied himself, yet the spirits bolstered his barriers. He held firm until the gale calmed!
With that, it concluded!
The fifth level marked the final basic ordeal.
There, he confronted a typical challenge in Arcane Arts Towers... It involved clashing with a reflected version of himself. More precisely, an apparition employing his very own Dark Arts!