Chapter 2

Right after my response, a sharp ringing sounded around in my head. I jerked back slightly since it hurts my ear a bit. I looked up and saw the crown of the mind glowing in a bronze shimmer and the thorns on it glowed red and flaking ash as if it was just pulled out of a fire.

Looks like Lidia had immediately attacked me with a mental affliction, although thankfully it was blocked by the crown so nothing happened. After the ringing died down I entered the cave to find an almost incomplete magic circle, a pot filled with a black liquid and a lizard roaming about with the black liquid dripping from its tail. Originally Lidia was using her psychic power to control animals or insects to slowly draw out the circle which is a slow and precise task, but now her mental power is still trying to pry my mind open. She couldn't do much since she was practically an urn just sitting there. There was nothing else apart from the cave looking like a cave.

“What’s with that crown!? Dammit!” [Lidia]

As Lidia continued to complain, I took out another item from my bag, it was a ribbon that looks like it’s made of glass and yet it felt like a normal ribbon. I tied the ribbon onto the urn and it glowed with pale blue light and then the urn was silenced. With the urn contained I finally can take off the crown without worry, the crown itself wasn’t as perfect since it still allows {thought transmission} and other related spells which are the only loophole. It’s the only mind protection I can get as of right now so it was a big gamble whether she discovered it before it was too late.

I looked back at the incomplete circle. The lizard had already scampered off but I didn’t need it. All I need is the black liquid and the memory of my past life. It didn’t have a smell but it did feel uncomfortably slimy. After I dipped my finger into the pot and I slowly started drawing out the circle stroke by stroke. It took hours to slowly complete the work and add the finishing touch. Thank god the dried liquid was easy to scrape off or else I would’ve already messed up.

When I looked at the finished circle I checked the content. I never fully understood it but it’s some kind of disintegration spell combined with some sort of reconstruction spell and other unknown magic circles I can’t understand. But it doesn't matter because it’ll still function whether I know it or not. I took off all the items that I have on me which I didn’t want to lose during my transformation and then I sat in the middle of the circle and started the ceremony on my own.

At the end of it, my transformation was instantaneous, I turned into a black mass of mess and the circle was slowly absorbed into me. The feeling that I had in my past life returned to me and my body started changing. Two stars like shape started forming inside of me. One of them was the soul star, it holds my consciousness and is the core of this body. I can have multiple soul star but right now I only have one made from my soul. The second star is the magic star were I store my magical powers, it was really small since I never had much magical potential even as a human. Then a voice in my head resounded

Congratulations, you have turned into an immortal being. You shall be the only immortal of your kind as there will be no more others like you, other people attempting to copy the process will be unable to do to @#$% reasons.

Since you’re a new being that hasn’t existed up until now, you can choose a name for yourself.

Right. Llya and I once tried to replicate the magic circle but the disintegration spell of the circle started melting itself, which wasn’t something that happened when in my past life nor when I drew it. The voice confirmed our theory from my past life, although why did I get the voice now? Maybe because I was in too much pain by the effect of {bounded one} that I simply didn’t hear it. For the names, I’ll have to postpone it for later.

After analyzing myself and confirmed everything still functioned, my mass started to swirl around. It moved around like a tornado of black sand as I started to take shape. I was able to manipulate its state changing it from solid to liquid, even into a gaseous form. Llya simply called it ‘dust’, Lidia never bothered to name it and since I never found a better name, I decided to name it just that. My dust starts shaping itself and starts to take the form that I chose, my human form. The dust replicated each part of my body perfectly to the cell. I stood there naked so I put my cloth items back on. My mother would be mad if I lost those cloths. Then I removed the ribbon from the urn. I wasn’t worried about the effect of the {bounded one} since it can only be cast when the living target goes into a change such as my change from mortal into an immortal. Lidia doesn't have the mana anymore to cast any magic as the ribbon absorbs the mana it’s tied too.

“Anything to say for your last word?”[Aurum]

(...)[Lidia]

“So nothing?”[Aurum]

(How did you know all of this, do I know you?)[Lidia]

Her voice was small since she barely has enough mana to use {telepathy} anymore.

“Well let’s say I came from the future.”[Aurum]

I answered with a smile before my arms that held her transformed into a gooey weblike substance that wrapped around the urn. The web started to slowly melt the urn and turning it into dust, which means I’m integrating her into a part of my body. I also compressed her soul and magic core turning it into my soul star and magic star. That was also how I collected children's souls in my past life. They’re trapped with their consciousness still intact and Lidia will put them through experiments since she’s trying to find a way to transfer herself back into a body without destroying her mind and all I can do is sit there and watch. When they’re broken, she would have no use of them anymore and I would wipe their consciousness, putting them to peace and I would put my mind into the soul star to create another me... I looked at the now silenced soul star of Lidia who couldn’t speak without her magic, closed my eyes and sighed before wiping her consciousness from the star, ending the figure that started everything that made me.

I then took dust that used to make up her urn and transformed it into a mirror. I looked at my proper reflection, yep I looked kind of an offset with my eyes completely black instead of dark brown with my hair slightly longer than normal. I corrected my looks a bit before turning to the pot now empty of the black liquid that was used to draw the circle. This time I just let my dust twirl around it like a sandstorm that disintegrated instead of melting. It seems I’m still proficient in both ways of collecting more dust. I then compressed the extra dust I have to create my 5th star, the storage star, where I can store my extra dust and other items into myself. Which I did with all the other magic items that I bought with me.

I left the cave, climbed out of it and up to the cliff where I sat on the edge looking down at the crashing waves. I started shifting my dust around testing my limit on how I can control it. I clumped a fist size of dust into a sphere and started to slowly push it farther and farther away from me until I found difficulty doing so. The ball can reach about 5 meters away from my soul stars before I start getting difficulties trying to control it. I decided to see what’s the maximum distance and pushed even further. The sphere started stretching out and shifting from liquid to what look like air-borne dust floating away from me. After the tip of the cloud reaches around 10 meters, it was near impossible to move around anymore. I can only really use it to create a thick mist to blind my opponent and if they inhale the mist I can destroy them from the inside if I get close enough. I would lose control of any dust that exceeds my range. It would just sit there until one of my soul stars comes close enough to control it. If I had enough dust, I can effectively create another body that I can control. To bad soul stars can only be transported to other dust by contact.

I checked back at the lingering voice in my head,

Since you’re a new being that hasn’t existed up until now, you can choose a name for yourself.

I remember how Llya once described to me what I looked like when I first showed her my original form and described that I looked like a drop from the universe. It was the name I decided to name myself with and when I did the voice came back with the same message just like from the past

Name received: you’re now named Aurum, the droplet of the universe.

I retract my dust back into me and I stood up from the cliff. Despite that I’m immortal, I still need to get more power. I still have a week before I need to return and within that time I can get more dust. I started reforming myself to make a suitable shape the fly. My two soul core positioned itself so I can have more range of control for my wings. I transformed into a big bird, a much more effective way of flying rather than a flying storm cloud. I walked to the edge of the cliff and jumped off flapping my giant wings, going much faster than the flying board that I was using, and heading to my next destination.

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“Puahahaha!”[???]

“They can’t even find us anymore!”[???]

“Silence you fools, we still haven't lost them yet!’[???]

We weaved through the forest and ran through holes that branched out into a maze and out of holes only to enter a new tunnel system. The guards chasing us definitely can’t chase us with their armor, mostly when they have to follow us through holes and around the thick forest. We reach to the center of the forest where I met up with my friends.

“You got the package Bhepo? Along with the treasures?”[???]

“Why do you have me carry both the package and the treasure Dhar!”[Bhepo]

“Because you’re the muscle of our group, now silence both of you or else the guards will be coming our way, Lithus bring us away.”[Dhar]

I immediately started casting {slip away} on all three of us. It’s a long-range spell that can teleport us far away but the distance must be exceedingly far, can’t be used in the close-range like in combat and there must be no active mana source affecting me or the teleporting target. However, it’s my best spell that can transport us far without leaving many magic residues and our base wasn’t close either way. When the contour of the cave started appearing through the bright light Bhepo walked to the bed and dumped all the things she carried with a loud thump on the bed.

“Haha! A clean getaway while the guards waste their chance to find us, the forest is way too big and they even have to try to search the tunnel system too! And we even got away from Night Return!”[Bhepo]

We had just escaped with the kidnapped daughter of a noble of the house of Elanvital and from the organization Night Return. We were hired to kidnap the daughter from the carriage while they create a distraction for the guards. But once we entered the carriage to get her we found a secret compartment that contained even more value than what the organization offered. We figured that Night Return will probably kill us at the end of the operation since they were infamous and we only took the job because we were planning to ditch them either way.

We looked through the stash of gold coins and counted them. Ever since the paper was introduced to the economy, it replaced the coin system. Coins such as gold coins are now considered even more valuable since production was halted. The bag has 10 gold coins in mint condition and each coin are preserved by being sandwiched between two magic circle that was still rotating around the contour of the coin increases the value even more. The daughter was probably ready to offer these coins to settle a truce but now they probably won’t get it since it’s in our hand along with the daughter of the Elenvital household. Sure we have to lay low but this is a jackpot.

“Hey I know we’ll try to ransom the girl, but can’t we just have a bit of fun?”[Bhepo]

He reached for the unconscious girl but I and Dhar didn’t answer him there was something felt off here. As if there was something unusual, then we realize that the cave was slowly getting even darker than usual. It was as if the night outside the cave was rolling inside like a mist, the torch’s flame sputtered as if it was being deprived of oxygen. Dhar approached a bit to the darkness taking a sniff at the mist

“Doesn't smell like anything”[Dhar]

Then a tentacle that seemingly made out of mist and liquid reached for Bhepo who was the closest to the cave entrance and pulled him outside the cave. We couldn't do anything before we heard a snap and then silence.

“{Soul resonation}!”[Dhar] He broke the silence with the spell

“How many?!”[Lithus] I said, pulling out my sword

“There are about several things outside, I don’t know how so many manage to get this close!”[Dhar]

“Did the guards know this place beforehand, how!?”[Lithus]

It can’t be the Night Return because we’re technically still in the operation was still going and they must not come in contact with us or else it might expose them as the mastermind. Even if Bhepo openly declared our betrayal, they knew where we are and simply would come to visit us when after everything has settled.

“You should look properly. I certainly don’t look like a guard.”[???]

A man who seems to be wearing a knights helmet that had no eye hole but rather two glowing eye slits that floated where his eyes should've been. He also wore a trench coat that flowed behind like a black wave while stars were decorated all over it and he walked towards us. His boot seemed to be made of many smaller pieces that each moved differently but clamped the floor making a metallic sound each time he took a step.

“Wha- all of those signals are all bunched into him!?”[Dhar]

I slightly knew why. {Soul resonation} was detection magic but it resounded with people’s souls. If he has multiple signatures one him that probably means…

“You’re a murderer.”[Lithus]

“?”[???]

“If you have so many soul signatures on you, you probably went and killed many people who cursed you and strapped themselves souls on you. You must also be trying to run away, I’m sure that we can reach an agreement.”[Lithus]

“Hahaha…”[???] he laughed softly “I guess it’s true that I did kill many people, but these souls aren't grabbing onto me like a curse, it’s just that I’ve many souls that are me. Most of them from monsters but some from people like you.”[???] he said pointing towards me and Dhar. His eyes moved and positioned itself in a way you can tell he’s smiling and bowed while introducing himself.

“My name is Ultimias and this shall be your last night, I hope you enjoy.”[Ultimias]

A shadow seemed to split from him and a clone of him walked out from his body and placed himself at the entrance of the cave, blocking the exit.

“That copy also has its own soul and magic is also emanating from it… it’s a perfect cop-”[Dhar]

Then he started choking before falling on the floor, black mist pooling out of his mouth and what looked like small jagged rock protruding from his body

(The mist!) I jumped back from the now accelerating mist that is now closing even faster on me. It doesn't seem to be poison since rocks are protruding from him, perhaps the mist can take different forms and it destroyed him on the inside when he went to smell it. Then I shouldn’t come into contact with it.

“{Suit: Biohazard}”[Lithus]

A protective layer covered my body which blocked the mist from entering and provided fresh air to me without needing to take air outside of the suit. The man’s eye frowned to the magic cast and muttered a bit.

“I guess it does work against it...”[Ultimias]

I saw that the mist was still eroding my suit, I have to make a fast decision. I sprinted towards him with my sword out ready to pierce him. Even if he has a perfect clone, it’s still a clone. If I can kill the main body the other it should disappear. I reached him but he didn’t even budge from the place. Is he confident about the defense of a trench coat? It’s probably enchanted with some protection magic. I silently enchanted {pierce} onto my sword and thrust at him. The blade plunged into the body, got his heart and out through his back. The was a feeling of relief until a felt something else plunge into my body. A sword appeared out of nothing into his hand and impaled me through the suit. I looked back at him with shaking eyes. His glowing eyes just looked at me as if it didn’t care that I just impaled him. I fell to my knees and he pulled his sword out, I just looked at him in a daze as I fell sideways with Dhar’s body in view. The mist was solidifying around him and is devouring like how a slime would with its prey. As the mist started rolling up on me I thought,

(So this is our fate, what would’ve happened if we simply didn’t betray the organization…)[Lithus]

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