Chapter 20: The exit

Unlike the inventory box, the mysterious inventory bag that Cyan was holding on to, only needs a little bit of mana to function, being to putting items in or taking them out or more importantly, the weightless function that doesn’t need mana or anything else to work.

For an inventory bag to be able of being completely weightless Arlom could only theorized that, something else was holding the weight for him, but this was rather complicated to think of and even more complicated to do, even the most intelligent of humans could only do a spell for weight reduction instead of weight nullification, and that was using the top most powerful spells in the laws of gravity category that humans known of.

Even if the development of inventory box was halted after a few generations, the inventory bag functions were never easy to be replicated since the beginning, even to this day no one has replicated a perfect copy of the inventory bag.

Because of the weightless functions of the inventory bag, Arlom could not help but to wonder, if there are really items inside the bag to begging with, a law can be bend but not broken, even with the most powerful of spells, the weight of items remains, for there to be not weight, then there must not be items inside it, something impossible to think of, unless there are really not items inside it.

Of course, the current inventory box, could also create, a sub compressed space inside the box, but that sub space, would still weight the same as the sum of the items that were inside it, using a spell, the weight would be reduce but if the spells ends, then the weight would be back.

Even with his current understandings of the law of gravity, nullification of the gravity was impossible to do, early before, even if Cyan could not feel it, gravity was still putting pressure in him, he was not weightless, he Cyan were to weight 500kg he would still had felt his own weight back then, and so Arlom could discard any spell in gravity category was being used in the bag.

Then, how the inventory bag creator managed to make it so, no matter, what you put inside, the weight was the same, without the need for a spell to hold out the weight or mana to be fueled.

The humans thought about this of course, it was not well known, but the inventory box is divided into three categories, sub space compression, sub space folding and a mix between the two, the latter category are in the current generation, nevertheless even if the Golden bag was also doing both it was also not doing both, because not spell was detected inside it or outside it.

The space inside the bag was being folded and compressed, but there was something else to it, it was like a natural occurring phenomenon and not something someone has do, nevertheless this space helped the humans to broad their understanding of the laws, and being able to create the inventory box.

Arlom only answer was, that the inventory bag must be not a bag of compressed and folded space, but a gate between two places, and the things he put inside it, are not truly inside it, instead of carrying them, he felt like he was carrying a gate to another place altogether, but where was this place and how can he accesses it with this bag? Would not other people also have access to this space too?

This thought could send shivers to Arlom spine when he remembered all the important things he has put inside the bag in the past, that’s is why now, truly precious thing he was not willing to lost, were not put inside of the inventory bag, of course Arlom explained Cyan all of this, even if Cyan didn’t truly understood it, he will not put anything important in the future inside it.

Arlom has tried to tag into the bag gate, but he could not do a lot of research in it, this bag was the most important item for him inside here, he didn’t have any other, destroying it to do some researching was not worth the risk, even if the bags could hold 1 ton of weight, they were actually very delicate things that could be destroyed if not used correctly.

Even if the inventory could hold a total of 1320kg, if you try to put something of that weight in only one slot, it would only end with a destroyed bag, in fact it was the easiest ways to do it, and you don’t need a ton of weight, each slot can hold up to 100kg if you put something that weights more than that in a slot, it would not destroy that slot, all of the bag would be destroyed, it was the flimsy things ever made when you looked that way, there was nothing that stopped you for doing that.

Even if the total amount of kg that a bag could hold, was equal to that of a mountain, and if a mountain were not to be glued to the ground, the inventory bag could not store it, if not separated in chucks to fill the slots first.

It was funny that in this regard the inventory box has one up the inventory bag, in the box, any slot can be destroyed without destroying all the box, and it even could be fixed on a later time, industries for fixing inventory box was born of this.

Nevertheless this was key to Arlom own theory that the inventory bag were gates, what it gets destroyed is the gate, even if all the other slots are still good, once the gate is destroyed the bag would become just that, a leather bag, that cost just a few silvers in any market.

After Cyan has told him about the [inventory] word, a new theory has pop up inside Arlom head, as the inventory box was a copy of the inventory bag, the inventory bag was a copy of the [inventory] word, this [inventory] word needs a lot of studies from his part, but he could barely hold himself awake, doing researches in the new [inventory] word sounded like a joke to Arlom right now.

In the end Arlom had to teach very carefully to Cyan, what bag really are, and to not put for example a whole dragon body inside it, even if it was a pity, trying to do so would end destroying the inventory bag anyway, or even put things he doesn’t want to lost.

Cyan wanted to retort to that but he would not do that in a millions years, but then again, who would be able to kill a dragon to be even thinking about storing it away, even more, the dragons existed too in this world? Cyan could only ignore this fact for his own mental health, nevertheless he will never forget what Arlom has teach him about not putting everything inside the bag, but as for now, he have nothing to store inside it anyway.

While Arlom was submerged in his own theories, Cyan was still practicing with the inventory bag.

After a few mistakes, Cyan got the hang of how to use the inventory bag to a level that Arlom himself could feel proud of.

[Arlom]: “Very good Cyan, you really can learn very fast in any field”

Cyan could not help but to feel a little embarrassed, it was not unusual for people to praise him back in his world, being in sports, martial arts or grades, but those were mostly empty praises, and he only care about those coming from his own family and close friends most of the time, but his Master praises were so honest and straightforward that Cyan wished he could be praised by him every day, instead of being called stupid each time.

Nevertheless saying so would turn him back into a stupid kid in front of Arlom eyes, so he tried very hard for his thoughts not being reflected in his face.

In the other hand, Arlom nodded his head while thinking ‘at least he is trying to hide his thoughts now’ while letting out a sigh.

It was still too early to be called a successes, but at least Cyan stupid face was becoming less stupid in Arlom mind.

[Arlom]: “I think you are ready, we will first gather the food for lunch for a few hours, after that, we will start with the new training, here take this supplies with you just in case, and here are some medicines and potions, and here is more water… and this, and that, and you will definitely need this”

Soon enough half the inventory of Cyan was filled with the items that Arlom was keep pouring at him, they were supplies and other miscellaneous stuff that Arlom keep pouring at him nonstop, if not for that he has took a lot of time explaining how the bag works and the history behind it and they need it to gather food, Arlom may as well past all of his item into Cyan inventory bag, maybe Arlom was being a little over protective, but it was in a good way, at least that’s how Cyan thought of Arlom actions.

Cyan nodded his head, his new training will beginning very soon, he was getting over his head, but Arlom was taking everything very seriously, even a simple task as gathering food, was an enormous task in here, actually Cyan was very surprise that Arlom had agreed with his request so easily at first, but he could understand it was not an easy task at all.

He needs to come back to reality now, being praised by his Master and receiving an inventory bag was a happy occurrence but, reality doesn’t wait for anyone, after he helped Arlom with his task the new training will be waiting for him, Cyan mood grew more serious.

[Arlom]: “Come, follow me”

After saying that, Arlom started to walk away until he stopped in front of a wall in the cave, the wall was in the opposite direction from the tunnel he has come out the first time, Arlom did not mind Cyan surprise face, and then he give it a good punch to the wall, after that, the wall started to move away, and like a hidden door a new tunnel appeared behind it.

Cyan could realize now, apart for the initial tunnel he had woken up for the first time when he just arrived to this cave, there was no other place to go, this was because the exit was hidden since the beginning, the was a form of protection to Cyan, so he would not run away from Arlom, but now Arlom was showing him where the exit was, and with it, his trust that Cyan would not do something so incredibly stupid in the near future like running away.

Cyan could understand Arlom intentions, letting out a sigh he started to walk after Arlom, this was his first trip outside this cave, after 4 days of being inside it, he has just realized that he didn’t knew practically anything about the outside forest, since his arrival he has being hiding inside a cave, now this was his first big step into the forest, Cyan could only feel the pressure around him incrementing.

Reaching at the end of the tunnel, Cyan started to feel a wave of heat that was coming not from inside of him but from the front, and the heat grew more with each step he took, as well as the strong orange light that was coming from the end of the tunnel, this was the same type of light that illuminated the ceiling of cave, he could finally see from were that light was coming out, it was coming out from heat itself.

Because the tunnel was a straight line, there was nothing blocking his view, he could see it clearly now, a water fall where there was not water falling but lava, and he felt a great amount of heat making his face twist, his fist steps to go outside the cave and he has already reached a dead end even before he went out.

It don’t looked like there was a way to walk between the hot lava and exit the cave, no, he was not even able to come any closer to that, ‘is this was a joke? Did Arlom had pick out the wrong exit?’ Cyan could only think.

Looking over Arlom, he was dangerously close to lava, if he stretched his arm just a little bit, he could surely touch the lava, and nevertheless he was waiting for Cyan like he was looking over the sun rise in the horizon, unaffected by the heat.

Arlom was seemly immune to the heat that was nearly putting Cyan to his knees, nevertheless Cyan took a closer to Arlom figure, and he could see a faintly blueish mantle, covering around Arlom, a mantle he was familiar with.

‘So that’s how he is doing it’ clenching his fist Cyan has understood what is this all about, a test for him.

Closing his eyes, Cyan asked mana to please hear his call once again, and form a sort of protection against the heat, surprisingly he was not using Athem language but one he was more familiar with, the one he has knew all his life, never minding the language, mana was listing to his intentions very clearly and formed a somewhat of a mantle similar to the one Arlom was showing off, which was excellent in protecting him from the heat, now Cyan could start walking to Arlom position once again.

But after reaching Arlom position, Cyan was panting like he has just run a marathon instead of walking 100 meters, even with the mantle of mana over him, the heat was almost unbearable for him, standing next to Arlom was already him reaching his upmost limits, maybe this could be considered a victory for him, but for Arlom.

Arlom turned his head around to look at Cyan and shook his head, the mantle of Cyan was still too crude after all, there were too many holes in it, maybe he was expecting too much of Cyan, his own judgment has being clouded over Cyan rapid development, maybe it was a bad idea to take Cyan out for today, he should be training Cyan a little more before…

‘No! There is no time, Cyan doesn’t need a father that worries about him, he needs a ruthless Master that push him pass his limit’ Arlom could only hit himself, he was being too soft, and this was a mistake.

Before Arlom could continue pondering if this was a good idea or not, he could only clench his fist, he has being thinking like this before, he has being thinking like this more and more without him releasing it, it was a huge change from the merciless Arlom he was just a few days ago, but he needs to put an stop to this now.

Letting out a mental sigh, Arlom could only ask for forgiveness in his own mid before forcefully took Cyan hand and guided right into the lava.

Cyan could not help but to screen in panic as his Master was going mad, even if the mana was forming a protection from the heat, his hand would surely be burned to cinders, he has just learned the way to past his intentions to mana and… ‘Wait… why I did not feel any pain at all, what is this?’

Taking his hand out, Cyan could see that it was perfectly fine, even it was in surrounded in blue smoke, it had not suffer any damage, and Arlom was clearing showing him the status of his hand for him to see.

[Arlom]: “Just now, I used my own mana to protect your hand, but I will not be always there to protect you, do you understand it Cyan?”

Cyan wanted to hit this stupid Master of his, that has scared him to death, nevertheless, he could understand Arlom actions, they were about to step out into the forest, and a lot of things could happen out there.

Arlom would not always be there to protect him against everything and he himself needs to be able to cross the lava if he wants to keep moving forward, something that 3 days ago he would had thought it was something impossible to do, he was now giving it a hard thought, how can he cross this lava?

Even if he tried to past his intentions to mana, she could only shook her head, she had no a clue, and at least this is as far as she could do right now, even if she has her own will, she needs to understand Cyan intentions, vague intentions could not be fully understood.

Cyan could only let out a sigh in defeat.

Even if Cyan was progressing very fast in his understandings of the law of mana, all his conversations with her, where in a subconscious level, he could only transmit intentions but not words, guiding his own mana was a lot harder he thought it would be after his initials achievements, he had a long way to go now, however in this forest, there was not a lot of time.

And even Arlom was still protecting him against everything, nevertheless he was still stuck between a hard place and a burning place. Let alone touching it, he can’t even come close enough to try it, the blue skin that was surrounding Cyan started to evaporate at a very fast rate, the more closer he got to the lava.

Nevertheless… Arlom nodded his head, before Cyan mantle was completely extinguish.

[Arlom]: “Did you quite well Cyan, I didn’t expect for you to come this close, now come”

Extending his hands over Cyan shoulder, the surrounding blue skin that was protecting Arlom from the lava, started to extend itself to Cyan, until it cover him from head to toes.

Now Cyan could not feel the heat of the lava at all, and Cyan could not help to ponder, what was the difference between the two blue mantles, the blue skin of both looked very similar but the end results were as night and day, Cyan could only let out a sigh of defeat, he has a long way to go now, nevertheless, he will not give up, before they crossed the lava, he passed his intentions to mana to do one more stilly thing.

Crossing the lava fall, Cyan and Arlom left the cave together for the first time in the morning of the 4 day that Cyan was inside the forest.