Chapter 449: The Shape Of The Tower [Part 2]
When Northern became the Master of the Tower of Trammel, he inherited the memories of all other Tower Masters.
Yes, from that moment, he already knew how he was going to travel out of Stelia. It was the reason why he took such measures to go to the Luinngard Empire.
He bothered asking his mother for help because he didn't want to cause a scene. The moment the Tower appeared, every eye was going to be on it.
However, thanks to the chaos Raven had wrought in this nation, people didn't seem to have seen it; perhaps many were busy looking for a way to save what was left of their homes and lives, placing petitions and waiting on the Emperor to tell them what exactly went wrong. Even those that probably saw the structure were not blessed with the luxury to care.
Which, on one hand, worked to his own benefit but didn't make what Raven had done any more tolerable.
Massive sections of the tower's edifice started to peel away, moving with ponderous grace. What seemed like immovable stone now flowed like liquid, defying all known laws of physics. The spiraling buttresses unfurled, stretching outward to form the beginnings of a hull. The tower's pinnacle tilted, descending gradually to become the ship's bow.
As the transformation progressed, the air filled with the sound of grinding stone and the hiss of displaced water.
The tower's midsection bulged outward, its smooth sides taking on the ridged appearance of a vessel's hull.
Windows morphed into portholes, their glass gleaming with an otherworldly iridescence.
Where moments ago a tower pierced the sky, now a colossal ship took shape.
Its hull, gray and textured, bore the unmistakable appearance of weathered cement. Massive stone blocks, seamlessly fused, formed the deck and superstructure.
It was as if an ancient fortress had been uprooted and set afloat.
The ship's stern rose from the water last, completing the surreal transformation.
Ornate carvings, once decorative elements of the tower, now adorned the ship's sides, telling tales of forgotten civilizations and cosmic journeys.
As the metamorphosis concluded, the vessel settled into the waves with surprising buoyancy. Despite its stone construction, it rode the swells with the grace of a traditional ship.
Mist rose from where the cool sea met the warm stone, shrouding the lower decks in an ethereal veil.
Northern raised his head, almost craning his neck to take in the entire view. It looked like a titan of the waves, a marvel crafted from dreams.
An impossible existence.
Northern was awed to his very core.
Out of the memories he had inherited, there was a particular one he had learned about the Shape of the Tower.
Northern had even seen how the Tower was created, and a certain nomenclature from that memory stuck in his head.
"Hand of Fire."
He murmured the words as he bestowed his eyes upon the might of the Tower, now a colossal ship that would carry him all the way to the Central Plains.
From the memories of all past Tower Masters, even up to the first, Northern had them all written down in his head.
The divine and unhuman hand that built this edifice.
The strange reality that has caused every Master to question the true shape of the Tower.
The Tower of Trammel wasn't just an edifice that could change to a ship; it was an edifice that was given to the ship by the will of its Master.
There were more complications to it, but Northern didn't think now was the time to ponder upon those.
Northern felt his heart beat fast as he realized that indeed, the way home had finally been paved.
He took one step forward, paused, and looked back at the ruined Empire, looking directly to the Palace and his mother's chamber.
Then he turned forward and began to walk towards the ship, with Jeci behind him.
As he neared the ship, a door opened out of its concrete, and floating stairs arranged out of it, granting Northern an entry with majesty.
Northern stepped into the control room, his footsteps echoing against the stone floor.
Unlike traditional ships, where the bridge was situated on the upper deck, this control center was nestled deep within the vessel's heart.
The room was a perfect fusion of ancient architecture and otherworldly technology.
Crystalline panels lined the walls, pulsing with an inner light that seemed to respond to Northern's presence.
As he approached the central console, intricate runes carved into the stone began to glow, their soft luminescence filling the chamber.
Jeci, following close behind, let out a low whistle of appreciation.
"I thought I had seen the height of it... Now this is something else," she murmured, her eyes darting from one marvel to another.
Northern placed his hand on the central pillar, feeling a surge of energy course through his body. The memories of past Tower Masters flooded his mind, guiding his actions. With a thought, he activated the ship's systems.
The entire vessel hummed to life, a deep, resonant vibration that Northern felt in his very bones.
Outside, the misty veil surrounding the lower decks began to swirl and coalesce, forming a protective barrier around the ship.
Through the crystalline panels, Northern could see the coastline of the Luinngard Empire growing distant.
A pang of guilt struck him as he tho of his mother and the chaos they were leaving behind. He even almost felt bad that Raven and Terence were still there.
But if there was anything he was sure about, it's the fact that he knows that Raven is only allowing herself to be taken because she wants to be taken.
She had an ulterior motive, obviously; he was not going to put himself in her matters anymore. He just really pitied Terence, who was willingly being used by such a villainous lady.
He sighed and looked forward.
"Setting course for the Central Plains," Northern announced, his voice steady despite the mix of emotions churning within him.
The ship responded instantly, adjusting its heading with a grace that belied its massive size.
Jeci moved to stand beside Northern, her expression a mixture of awe and concern. But she
said no word.
After a couple of seconds of grave silence, Northern decided to talk.
"Jeci."
She responded immediately when she heard him call her name.
"Yes, my lord."
"From now on, it's not going to be a smooth ride. The moment we get to the Central Plain, I
don't even know how my life will play out. If you want to back out, now is the time."
Jeci smiled and shook her head. "I'm very sorry, your highness. But I don't intend to go anywhere. I will follow you until the day I die."
As the ship picked up speed, cutting through the waves with impossible ease, Northern felt a weight lift from his shoulders.
Finally, he was leaving this realm of suffering, a place that in and of itself had presented to be an advent of evil. And he was finally going home, to the Central Plains; he was going to meet
his family once again.
It was a lovely feeling.
Northern dwelt on it for a few minutes before he eventually left the control room to go to
another free room where he could lay down.
He instructed Jeci to make herself feel at home and do anything she wanted to, except touch
the control room before leaving.
Northern slumped on the bed like he hadn't slept in two months. While he did intend to have a
lot of sleep, he also intended to do one thing first.
He closed his eyes and entered into the Limitless Void, without his material body.
He appeared in the palace and was quite shocked at the sight he was seeing.
All three knights were kneeling on the ground, chains plunged out of the ground to restrain
their hands. If they were to move slightly, the chains would stretch taut and restrain them
from moving any further.
Lynus and his subordinates were viciously glaring the moment Northern suddenly appeared
to them.
Lynus himself shouted, "What have you done? Where have you brought me?!!"
Northern, who was still addressing his shock at this scene, sighed and refocused his gaze on them. Then he smiled as he spoke.
"I wasn't really expecting you guys to be already restrained, but I guess you were unable to
withstand the fight."
Lynus looked at him and narrowed his eyes. "You'll regret your actions."
"Do you know I could kill you right now and no one will know about it?" Lynus, at that point, froze, although he still carried that air of furiousness. Northern, seeing that his words were beginning to have an effect, spoke. "Don't worry, I didn't bring you all here without a plan. Right now, you have been enslaved by
me. But with time, when you have worked enough for your freedom, I will return you to the
Luinngard Empire."
Lynus and his subordinates grimaced, Lynus inquiring, "Wh-where are we right now?"
Northern widened his eyes as he remembered, "Oh, my bad, I forgot to tell you, I am on my way to the Central Plain, which means you are on your way to the Central Plain."
"Uhhh?" They all wore shock on their faces.
Northern nodded and explained to them, "Yes, this place is a plane of reality that only exists
in my soul. So right now, let's say you are in my soulscape. And together we are making our way to the Central Plain."