A genderless voice that Rowan would have found familiar as it was the same as the voice of the Oracle from Covenant sounded, “The candidate Andar Erickson came under no agency, and he applied in person for transportation from Rezur City at Ikaron V.”

“Interesting, was that not your Jurisdiction Shemira? You have always been tracking down candidates for your crystal legion. I’m surprised you would let such a great seed leave your domain.” The two-headed figure turned to the shadow sitting beside it.

Like the Covenant, these four shadowy figures were seated in a circular array, and a hologram of the activities in the Trial Ground was being broadcasted in their center.

The female figure Shemira the Archmage who was hunting Andar sighed, “Khasos, my disciple allocated these duties to his servant, and the man he gave this essential task to was foolish, he allowed his ego and small-mindedness as the reason for this talent to slip through my grasp, but as the Prime Jurisdiction Officer over Ikaron V, I expect that his discipleship would be placed under me. The child has promise and needs a steady head, I will not be using him as a soldier in my Crystal Legion, he is to be my Legacy Disciple.”

There was a snort from another shadowy figure, “Shemira wishes to return the air she had breathed away back to her lungs. He is now in the Trial Grounds, and he is no longer your concern, what is left for him to do is to choose his future or for you to entice him to yours, I also want a Legacy Disciple and he is a suitable prospect.”

The shadow of Shemira glowed in anger but she answered with slight laughter in her voice, “That is the plan Lucius, let us see how far these children can reach. For three Spirit Bodies to be present here in our Trial Ground is unprecedented. You must be very proud Hasshim of your daughter’s accomplishment.”

The last shadow figure laughed, “The silly girl. Wasting all her riches on the first boy who catches her eye. She would need to be reprimanded after this is all over. She is letting her heart lead instead of her head.”

These were the four Archmages of the Black Tower, 2 Star Archmage Hashim Prizahl Watcher of Blades, 3 Star Archmage Shemira Myrcelo Circle Of The Crystal Rose, 2 Star Archmage Lucius Gyfron The Pioneer of Treasure, and 5 Star Archmage Khasos Mylos The Golem King.

The figures soon began discussing other matters, including a Talent found in the Mist Tower who had both a Supreme grade talent and a Supreme grade Spirit Body. This news was enough to shock them as they argued furiously about how such a talent would be able to utilize his full potential.

Shemira Myrcelo did not divulge that the monster they were witnessing had surpassed whatever supreme-grade talent in the Mist Tower, and she was determined to make Andar her disciple.

She was also the only one who had a sneaking suspicion that Andar might succeed in his ambition to reach a Supreme Meditation Art, it was so unlikely that this would ever happen but she always liked to bet against the odds. This boy who came from nowhere, might just be able to shock the entire Mage World.

Her breath imperticably quickened and anticipation began to brew in her heart. This child might be the key to unlocking the treasures of the Supreme world, and bring her before the gates of Endirius.

It was a good thing that she had leverage over him.

®

Rowan’s consciousness had reached a level where he could accurately simulate and process massive amounts of data even when he was currently restricted to possessing just a mortal body.

He understood Andar’s entire life, and he was able to wear the shell of Andar as he pleased, it was as if he was a computer and Andar was an application he was running. This was important in order to fool the defenses of a Supreme World.

He could do this possession so well, that he became the ‘Application,’ yet his intellect remained in the background as he supervised every action being taken.

This was a unique talent of his that was born as a result of his bloodline and the fact that he no longer had a Soul, he could become anything and anyone he wished to a degree, that it would be nigh impossible to tell the fake from the original.

He was a perfect imposter.

Sometimes this was a good thing, but it came with drawbacks, such as the situation Andar was currently facing.

Compared to the pain he received when he was evolving into an Ouroboros Serpent, or when he received his Spatial Sight, or the many times his body had to liquefy itself as he evolved, this amount of pain he was currently feeling was nothing, and he would have to deliberately struggle for this sort of pain to even affect him, and recently it was becoming difficult for him to even notice pain.

But for the program he was running—Andar, this pain was everything, but he had to give kudos to where it was due. The child struggled through the pain without his assistance, but for how long he wondered.

Mira’s words served as an Anchor and her voice was like a beacon in a stormy sea. Andar swam towards it, and Rowan became surprised at the stubbornness of his Spirit.

He had barely recovered when he roused himself and with a yell, Andar began to attack the cloud to get to the next level.

Each punch was almost like he was driving his fist through dozens of blades, and the pain kept increasing, but he kept muttering, “Follow the light… leave the darkness… follow the light…”

With a last mighty punch, he collapsed the cloud and reached the next level, but the strain of holding so much pain nearly drove him to unconsciousness and for the next few minutes, Andar battled to reorganize his mind.

He was failing. The pain came in endless waves that began to tear his sanity apart.