Chapter 15: The Tolling BellA step at a time. That was only what he could do. If he died tomorrow or at the end of next month, it did not matter if he knew he had done his best. Rowan called up the Primordial Record. PᖇᎥᗰᗝᖇᗪᎥᗩᒪ ᖇᗴᑕᗝᖇᗪ Name: Rowan Kuranes Age: 11/11 Strength: 0.2 Agility: 0.2𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂 Constitution: 3.5 Spirit: 2.5 Class: None Title: Plane walker Skill: (None) Passive: Decipher language (complete), Icy soul (level 2) Records: Ouroboros - level 0 [0/1000] Soul Seizer - level 0 [0/1000] Soul Point: 25.0749 Remark: Divine Fodder Rowan perceived his mind felt clearer, and his eyesight increased in scope and clarity, and he noticed that his spirit increased by an entire one point, this was just by activating Soul Seizer at level zero! This level should be the mortal state of the technique. It should be known that even at level Zero, the Records had to be activated because at the moment they lay dormant. When he activated each Record, his physique would change accordingly, thereby preparing him to ascend to a higher state. That was the reason his spirit increased by one point. The rush of pleasure that came from Soul Seizer receded, and Rowan noticed he was naked. When his body repeatedly destroyed itself and healed, his robes did not enjoy that same treatment. "I have been doing this a lot lately, perhaps what I need are extra stretchy pants." Rowan scratched his hair in embarrassment his mind returning to a particular fictional green giant. Maeve could as well be reading his mind, for she bought a silk coat and attempted to cover him. Rowan stopped her, " It's not over yet, I am still going to...Change" Rowan glanced at her and closed his eyes, he seemed to be preparing himself, "Oh. And Maeve, whatever transpired here must be kept in the utmost confidence." "Master, I shall wipe my memories of this event." Maeve smiled. Rowan arched an eyebrow, he contemplated for a while, " That could be for the best." He paused and said, " Maeve, there has never been anyone more loyal." A weight seemed to drop from her shoulders, and she exclaimed, "My life is for your service, Master!" Rowan closed his eyes, he was not aware when the mannerisms of the previous Rowan and his fused, he could not tell, and with everything on his plate right now he frankly did not care. It was a sobering thought that in a short period he was now someone new, two minds fused. The price of transmigration! Rowan looked at the Moonlight, it was forlorn, "So the both of us died, and I am what was left." The Moonlight spoke of change..... It comforted two lost souls. Rowan was going to be activating the Ouroboros Record next. It had the most dominant influence in his body, and Rowan could guess it was because it was an Omnipotent bloodline that controlled the flesh. It was easy to imagine how powerful it was, If Soul Seizer could give him the ability to harvest Souls of any bring in the material universe, what insane ability Ouroboros give him, his regeneration was already broken as a mortal if he became a Legend what could kill him? He called up the Ouroboros Record and activated it, and for a while, he thought nothing had happened, he suddenly had the feeling of weightlessness, and looking down he saw himself hovering over the ground, and an unknown instinct made him pull his knees to his chest, he slowly floated off the ground, and hovered five feet above the floor. "I believe I can fly... I believe I can touch the sky..." "What was that? Master." Maeve queried an amused look on her face she tried to hide by coughing. "Nothing. Please just read some clothes for me." Rowan tried to hide the blush coloring his face. He suddenly felt his heart squeeze inside his chest and goosebumps covered his hands. Maeve shivered and backed away till her back touched the walls. A low groan sounded like the chanting of a forgotten dirge, and the air split apart, a gray serpentine creature came from the Crack, it had no eyes or mouth, and it did not have any scales, but runes and mystic text that seemed to have a will of their own, ran down its frame. It kept drawing more coils of itself through the Crack. Rowan's eyes went closed, and he seemed to be falling asleep. Maeve was locked in place, her young lord was doing things that should be impossible, for anyone else would be afraid, but Maeve was excited. She wanted to look at the creature but her eyes began to bleed, she turned back and heaved, puking out blood and pieces of viscera. Unconsciously her attitude to Rowan had begun to change, it began when she saw the ring of bone floating behind him, something about the nature of what she witnessed demanded devotion, and that feeling was rising again in her heart. But her duty was also to protect her lord, so she forced her body to move, noticing that the effect on her lessened when she stopped looking at Rowan. She turned her back to him, and placed her focus on the surroundings, every of her senses honed for danger. At the edge of her hearing, Maeve began to hear the distant tolling of the bell. Behind her, the serpentine creature drew itself to the floating Rowan and began to coil around him, it slowly formed the rough shape of an egg, before it solidified into a single mass. Inside the egg. the head of the creature assessed Rowan, slowly A crack appeared on its face and a cavernous maw opened, filled with needle-sharp teeth. It suddenly struck! © An old priest dispersed the last of the worshippers, it was getting late. Purdue was a priest of Malakith, a dark god. He walked down the cloister, checking the windows, and making sure the doors were locked fast, he recently began this series of actions, and the nights were no longer safe. when Purdue came to this small town at the edge of nowhere, he found it to be very much to his liking. Rowan the nobleman who governed the town of Calcutta was gentle and discerning, the people here had no bias against dark priests, as they were grateful for the healing he brought, and for the knowledge he taught. He found peace in this quiet town and knew this was where he wanted to stay till he died. Recently he had been gathering good seeds he intended to bring to the decennial selection of knights and priests for the church. That was before residents started going missing, fear and hysteria were beginning to sweep the town, and strange sicknesses had befallen many women in the town. Something had been coming to the church every night, only the ward at the door was holding it back, nevertheless every night he could hear it breathing outside the door. The great bell in the central square began to toll, and Purdue looked up, there was one last open window, and through it, the sight of the bright moon poured. It brought a chilly light. © Regolf and Steisa slept far from their mother's bed, they slept by the fireside, with the yellow glow of the flames seeming to be the only light in an enclave of darkness. Rose had not left the bed for weeks and the smell that came from her was stomach-churning, the sounds she made were worse. Cooing and shushing sounds came from the bed, as the low voice of Rose sang a lullaby to a wrapped bundle she held at her breast, sometimes she laughed, sometimes she cried, but that wrapped bundle never left her embrace. Steisa slept fitfully, she squeezed her brother's hand tight, Regolf had always tried to stay awake to the best of his capabilities, his eyes locked at their mother's bed, he kept logs of wood beside him, ready to stoke the fire and to feed the flames. He slapped himself to keep him awake, he recently began to sleep during the early hours of daylight. However tonight, he was very tired, the long trek carrying firewood and the hearty meal drew the last of his wariness away from him, and he fell into the arms of sleep. The last thought on Regolf's mind was "What does Mother eat?" The tolling of the bell sounded over the horizon. The noises from the bed of Rose stopped, and two pairs of glowing eyes turned to the children