Re: Tales of the Rune-Tech Sage-Chapter 570: In Fear and Companionship

CH570 In Fear and Companionship

***

To Alex, giving up the knowledge of Energy Alchemy had been a far bigger decision than he allowed others to see.

Although he had rationalised the choice by reminding himself that he lacked the six Legendary-ranked Alchemy Grandmasters required to fully realise the technology, it had still been a difficult decision to make.

He had not even allowed himself to linger long enough to properly examine the rare SunHeart Blossom Seed before handing it to Eleanore and immediately moving on to the Anima Trial.

In truth, it would not be inaccurate to say that he had been running away from confronting the full weight of that decision.

That said, he did not truly regret what he had done.

After all, from a purely pragmatic perspective, Alex believed he had made the correct choice.

Unlike knowledge he might not be able to utilise —at least not any time soon— obtaining the seed for Eleanore directly strengthened the abilities of the party’s primary healer.

Considering they were currently trapped within a dangerous and hostile plane, investing in the individual whose abilities could effectively grant the group a second chance at life was undoubtedly a wise decision.

’The dead have no use for knowledge. Only the living do,’ Alex told himself.

With that thought, his consciousness entered the stele’s trial space.

Just before fully arriving within the trial environment, Alex felt something brush against his being.

A probing sensation.

More precisely, it was a probe directed not only at him, but at the beings connected to him.

The presence examined the various links surrounding him— spiritual contracts, soul bonds, and other forms of connection.

Eventually, the probe settled upon his bonds with his beast companions.

-

Outside the Heaven-Earth Concordance formation...

Not much time had passed since Alex, his wives, and his followers had entered the Grand Formation and disappeared.

Although their sudden disappearance had caused a brief moment of unease among those left behind, Alex and Sugud had warned them beforehand that such an outcome was possible.

Because of this preparation, the group quickly regained their composure.

With Alex gone, Dread soon grew bored.

The Nightmare horse eventually found a comfortable spot beneath the shade of the mountain peak and settled down to rest.

Fen, on the other hand, behaved much more proactively— as usual.

Chef Fen had just finished preparing a meal for the group and was about to begin serving himself.

High above in the sky, Senu circled watchfully over her flock.

Her keen eyes ensured that no danger —whether berserk humans or anything else— could approach the camp without being detected first.

Suddenly, all three of them felt a pulse within their minds.

It originated from their connection to Alex.

Before they could make sense of what was happening, they abruptly vanished.

-

’What the—?’

When Alex opened his eyes, he found himself standing within a collapsing world.

The landscape around him appeared fractured and unstable, as though reality itself was breaking apart.

Below him, a countless horde of beasts and corrupted humanoids slowly crept forward.

Yet this was not the most shocking part.

What truly startled Alex was the fact that he had lost all of his mana and cultivation.

He could not even command OmniRune to cast a spell.

However—

Standing beside him were his beast companions.

Dread. Fen. And Queen Senu.

"How did you guys get here?" he asked instinctively.

The three companions looked at one another with the same confusion reflected in their eyes.

Alex had deliberately left them behind to assist the other party members outside the formation.

He had reasoned that they would be far more useful protecting the Fortuna Party in the outside world than accompanying him within what was likely to be a confined environment inside the Grand Formation’s maze.

Never had he expected to encounter them within the stele trials like this.

Dread, Fen, and Senu quickly conveyed their own confusion regarding how they had arrived here.

Once Alex confirmed that these were indeed truly his bonded companions —and not fakes with nefarious intentions— he quickly explained everything that had happened inside the Grand Formation.

The three beasts did not fully understand every detail he described.

But they grasped one important point.

They were likely here to help him complete a trial.

And that was all they needed to know.

’What do we need to do?’ they asked through their bond.

"I’m not entirely sure," Alex admitted. "There’s usually supposed to be a voice that explains the—"

Rumble—

Before Alex could finish speaking, lightning flashed across the sky.

A violent bolt struck somewhere behind the advancing horde of beasts and corrupted humanoids below.

The brief flash of light illuminated their faces.

And judging from the glowing red eyes filled with malice staring back at them...

These creatures were definitely not friendly.

"The Heavens and the Earth do not exist in isolation.

"Heaven exists because it is supported by the Earth.

"The Earth exists because it is guided by the wisdom of Heaven.

"To become the Legatee of the Heaven and the Earth is to understand that the existence and survival of one being between Heaven and Earth depends upon the existence and survival of another.

"To become the Legatee of the Heaven and the Earth is to recognise the weakness of one’s solitary power and the strength born from cooperation among the beings who live between the Heaven and Earth.

"To become the Legatee of the Heaven and the Earth is to understand not only your own strengths and weaknesses, but also those of all beings beneath Heaven and upon Earth.

"To become the Legatee of the Heaven and the Earth is to possess the wisdom and prestige required to guide and unite the beings who dwell between Heaven and Earth.

"O seeker of the Legacy of the Heaven and the Earth...

"The burden of Heaven and Earth is not meant for a single shoulder to bear.

"It is a burden shared by all shoulders.

"Thus...

"Present your conviction!"

ROAR!!!

From deep within the advancing horde below, a low and thunderous roar erupted into the sky.

The sound tore through the air like a shockwave.

It was a roar so overwhelming that even the most hardened warriors would feel their courage tremble.

The beasts and corrupted humanoids froze momentarily.

Then their glowing red eyes returned forward— toward the source of the roar’s target.

Alex and his beast companions.

Stripped of his mana... Stripped of his cultivation... Stripped of his bloodline powers and everything that normally defined his strength... For a brief moment—

Alex stumbled.

For the first time in a long while, true fear filled his being.

Without realising it, he took several steps backward.

Then he abruptly stopped.

’What did I just do...?’

His thoughts froze.

’Is this... all I amount to...?’

He clenched his teeth and tried to step forward.

But his legs refused to obey.

The terror carried within that roar seeped into his mind, slowly spreading like creeping darkness.

It threatened to swallow him whole.

"Neigh!"

"Bark!"

"Skree!"

Just as the darkness threatened to overwhelm him—

New cries erupted within Alex’s mind. Familiar voices that broke through the fear.

Seeing that distant light within the darkness, Alex gritted his teeth.

Then he forced himself to run toward it.

When he crossed that light—

His consciousness snapped back into his body.

Standing not far from him, his beast companions stared back at him encouragingly.

In that moment, realisation dawned upon him.

’To recognise the weakness of my sole power, huh...’ Alex muttered.

He now understood that the overwhelming terror he felt was part of the trial.

It was likely something he would never be able to fully shake off.

Alex lifted his gaze toward the horizon, toward the creature that had unleashed that terrifying roar.

"Yes... I am afraid of you," Alex admitted quietly. "However, that fear won’t stop me from doing what I must!"

At that moment, a saying from his previous life resurfaced in his mind.

It was something he himself had even said to someone in this world.

The words echoed through his mind, pushing him forward.

’Courage isn’t the absence of fear. It is acting despite it.’

’Forcing me to feel this fear... You are testing my courage, aren’t you?’

’Then go ahead and test it all you want!’

Summoning the last reserves of his inner strength, Alex forced himself to step forward.

Toward the advancing horde...

Toward the creature of that race which inspired fear across every plane where it existed.

His legs still trembled.

But through sheer willpower and stubborn determination, Alex pushed himself forward until he stood beside his beast companions once more.

Then he mounted Dread’s back.

Almost immediately, a sense of reassurance washed over him.

The crushing fear within his heart shrank noticeably.

Alex nodded slightly.

Then he turned to his companions.

"I’m useless right now, guys," he admitted. "Looks like I’ll have to rely on the three of you."

"Neigh."

"Woof."

"Skree!"

His companions responded with reassuring cries.

Senu and Fen’s bodies expanded, returning to their full battle sizes.

Alex smiled faintly.

Turning back toward the horizon, he watched as the monstrous horde surged forward, preparing to attack.

His gaze drifted toward the distant flames burning at the far edge of the battlefield.

Those flames illuminated the otherwise dark and collapsing world.

Beyond them lay an unknown future.

Yet somehow, those flames inspired hope.

’I suppose that must be our destination.’

The moment that thought crossed his mind —as if to mock him, or remind him of the hopelessness of such optimism—the source of that terrifying roar stepped into view.

The herald of terror placed itself directly between Alex and the distant flames.

Alex stared at the creature.

"Elder Dragon..." he muttered under his breath.

Indeed, the monster standing before them was none other than an Elder Dragon.

Alex gritted his teeth.

His trembling fist clenched tightly before he punched his own leg — the same leg that had gone stiff with fear while riding on Dread’s back.

’Come on! What are you afraid of?’

’Haven’t we eaten the heart and bathed in the blood of one of these before?’

’Right now, all we have to do is merely get past it. Compared to consuming its kin, this is easy-peasy.’

After forcefully rallying his courage, Alex looked toward his beast companions.

"Alright, lady and gentlemen," he said firmly. "We have a flame to reach."

"Any creature that dares stand in our way..."

"Kill it!" His eyes flashed a murderous light.

"Neigh!"

"Bark!"

"Skree!"

Unaware of the fear still lurking within Alex’s heart and sensing only the confidence in his voice, the morale of his beast companions surged to its peak.

And then—

Without hesitation—

They charged bravely toward the oncoming horde.

***