Chapter 750: Wishful Thinking Brings Disaster
CHAPTER 750
Most of the students had arrived by the end of the third day, and that night, everyone had been summoned and briefed in a large hall within the estate.
His clone had been particularly elusive, deftly slipping out of situations that would have required him to talk.
The second part of the contest was no daunting task either, at least for him. Many did not share his sentiments.
The academy instructors had taken a compilation of what each student was capable of. The point of the second stage was to define the uses of one's talent beyond mere combat.
Be malleable, be creative, and use your talent to solve the problems around you. For that, a wide variety of tests was distributed across the students.
Some had to navigate through an illusionary maze. Northern did not envy those ones at all. Others had to scale vast mountains within a set record of time.
As for him and his team, they had to break through a metal alloy to rescue a teammate. The alloy was reinforced by another instructor's talent and so formidable that no hammer could pierce it.
And Northern did not give his clone the liberty to change names. As a matter of fact, he was not sure if it would be possible.
The clone did hold 100% of his power but there was a subtle twist to that information as Northern had discovered in following days after small experiments here and there.
There was an extent to [Omniform] and [Unwritten] that his clones could adopt; to put it simply, they both could not be cloned. All his clones appeared with a mimicry of the achievement.
However, the peculiar thing about [Omniform] was that it gave him another identity. His second name was an existence outside all he was currently as [Unwritten], so when he creates a clone as [Unwritten], they stay as [Unwritten].
Even with his command, they can't change names.
So the team would not have the second test as easy as they were supposed to, if he had been there. He thought of switching over but the day was setting soon and the caravan was preparing to set out again.
Gareon in that moment walked up to him, joining him as he stared at the dim stars; there was a particular one that glowed and dimmed incessantly through the seconds.
The captain's thick voice flowed to him, intended to be soft but barely succeeding.
"Do you love stars?"
The air seemed to tremor slightly as his voice resounded.
Northern glanced at him, blinking before looking back at the stars.
"I don't know... I do love to read about them. But I have not been an avid follower of the constellations and their teachings."
Gareon gave a small nod, his rugged face illuminated faintly by the flickering light of the distant stars.
He crossed his arms and replied after a brief silence.
"Fair answer. The stars are more than just lights in the sky. They are arrays, written dots of the constellations themselves. They carry stories, legacies, and warnings. Our ancestors read them not for beauty, but for survival."
His voice carried a weight that hinted at personal experience, though he did not elaborate.
Northern tilted his head, intrigued by the captain's words.
"Warnings?"
Gareon gestured at the dimming star Northern had been observing earlier.
"That one-Dorgal's Eye-is an array dot in El-fach's constellation. It represents change: the end of the year, somewhat opening the door to the first month of the new year. But Dorgal's Eye is also said to represent chaos and unexpected opportunity. When it flickers like that, it means a shift is coming. Something that will test the mettle of those under its gaze."
Northern studied the star more intently, as if trying to discern some hidden truth.
"You believe in such things?"
Gareon chuckled, the sound deep and gravelly.
"Belief isn't necessary. The stars have their own way of proving themselves, whether we like it or not."
The captain's words lingered in Northern's mind as the caravan behind him got ready to resume movement. He could hear faint rustles of movement, mostly drowned by the hollow howl of the cold morning wind.
It was especially strong; a large gust blew across, prompting Gareon to hug himself and shiver. The man threw a glance at Northern, lights of awe in his eyes.
"So what do you think this... Dorgal's Eye is warning us against right now?"
Gareon glanced at the sky, silent for a few seconds as his gaze turned a little more somber with each passing second. He withdrew his lackluster eyes and shrugged.
"Who knows? Perhaps a great change is coming with the new year. Could be a blessing, could be a disaster."
A look of gratitude appeared on his face.
"Thank you for keeping watch. We won't be resting for the rest of the day; will you be fine?"
Northern waved slightly.
"Don't worry about me. I've had a lot of sleep these days; one night will not hurt."
The man glanced at him worriedly before walking away.
Northern stared at the stars and at the particularly bright one, muttering.
"Dorgal's Eye..."
'Sounds like a load of crap to me.'
Northern took a tentative look at the sky before turning away. He joined the caravan, silently placing himself behind the last cargo as the wheels rolled into movement.
The back was the best place for him to stay, aside from his desperate attempt to avoid any conversation as much as he could. An attack from behind could be easily subdued before it swallowed the group.
From the dark hours of midnight, the caravan resumed its journey, pacing through the rising day star, farther from the horizon but beautified by its grand golden light that cascaded upon
the mountains.
They were leaving the frozen forest, traversing an uneven plain, trying to maneuver their way through the rising grounds of the mountain.
They just needed to go over it and descend; it was their best shot at breaking the distance by a couple of days and arriving earlier than planned.
This was devised by the old man through the night. Gareon had briefed everyone before they continued their arduous march.
The route was also supposed to reduce their chances of encountering field monsters and increase their options and advantages of fighting one-should their luck be non-existent. Northern didn't bother objecting; he had none to begin with. Honestly, he was so bad with directions that they could've been wandering in circles, and he'd just assume it was part of the
scenic route.
He knew nowhere at all in the Central Plains!
'I was quite good though... in the dark continent.'
The morning rose peacefully, setting a bright light shimmering against the backdrop of the mountain slope. Everything was going so well that Northern almost felt bored.
The lady drew up beside Northern, causing him to slow his pace and look back for a bit.
She glared at him with a mix of hate and determination in her warm blue eyes.
'What again...?'
Northern sighed and stopped while the caravan continued its slow march.
"This is just to tell you. But you know what, scratch what I said earlier... everyone is surviving,
both I and you and everyone in this caravan."
She declared, her eyes burning with fierce flames of resolve.
Northern couldn't help but admire the determination; she almost wore it like a cloak.
"That's utterly stupid-"
His eyes went round as the boulder a few meters away from them suddenly shattered. The force sent a massive shockwave reeling through the air.