Chapter 85: Spirit Trial
The building’s exterior had collapsed, but the interior stretched out with enough space for people to walk through. The wind continued to flow inward, guiding my party as if leading the way.
“Wow… what a strange place.”
“Didn’t they say these were the ruins of mages? These markings… they almost look like Astinian script…”
Parna and Vigat wandered through the ruins, endlessly letting out gasps of awe. They weren’t novices in their studies.
The drawings on the walls and the occasional symbols they encountered allowed them to easily guess their origins.
“Now that you mention it, Senior, you’re an Astinian too…”
“What…?”
Parna trailed off cautiously, glancing at me, while Vigat looked surprised. He genuinely hadn’t known.
That his senior was an Astinian. In truth, at Azure Wings, one’s past origins didn’t matter.
Noble, commoner, Astinian—all united under one purpose and moved as a single entity.
“You’re right. I came from beyond the mountains.”
“Then what do you think of these symbols we keep finding? Are they, as I suspected, Astinian script?”
“I can’t be certain. They differ from the script my tribe used. Adding a few strokes might let me guess the meaning of some, but even that’s just a fraction.”
I continued my answer while brushing my hand over the weathered wall. Regardless, these ruins seemed tied to my bloodline from ages past. Perhaps this island was once a place where ancient Astinians had taken root.
I pressed onward along the path.
We arrived at a vast chamber. It seemed carved from the mountain itself, surrounded by rock on all sides, with a strange formation sprawling wide from the center.
This was where the wind led.
Sniff sniff—
My small nose picked up a faint scent lingering in the air. A familiar one. How could I forget? It was the scent of the opponent I’d faced last evening—my past body.
“He was here.”
“Huh? Who…?”
“The reincarnator. He hasn’t been gone long.”
Parna and Vigat tilted their heads at my words. I’d spoken of the reincarnator’s whereabouts the moment we arrived.
It seemed I’d found some distinct trace they couldn’t sense, but without explanation, they had no way of knowing.
Finally, it was Parna who spoke up to resolve her curiosity.
“Uh, Senior. Is there a reason you’re so sure?”
“Scent. His scent lingers in this place.”
Sniff sniff—
At my words, the two mimicked me, sniffing the air. But they couldn’t detect anything unusual.
‘Is there some technique in the Azure Wings library to enhance your sense of smell…?’
‘There wasn’t. It must be an innate physical ability…’
Ignoring their whispers, I continued my investigation. The massive formation itself felt oddly familiar. I moved along, following the strange symbols surrounding it.
The sharp smell of recently spilled blood hit me. The symbols on the formation were written in blood. With no one here but Azure Wings members and the reincarnator, it had to be his doing.
I touched my chin.
Unlike before, there was no rough stubble. Just smooth skin under my fingers.
This place seemed designed for shamans to commune with spirits. Back in my tribe, shamans had built similar ritual sites. Though this one dwarfed them in scale, its purpose likely wasn’t much different.
Just who had taken residence in that body to prepare a ritual here?
My eyes grew cold.
“Parna, Vigat. Prepare for an ambush. The reincarnator will return here soon.”
They didn’t ask why I thought so. If their small senior said it, it was so. Every prediction from my lips had been like prophecy.
This time would be no different. They nodded and began searching for places to hide.
Fortunately, the wide chamber offered plenty of cover. Collapsed walls, protruding floors, and scattered, unidentifiable stone fragments provided ample hiding spots.
The three of us spread out and concealed ourselves.
“How long do we wait…?”
About two hours into waiting, Vigat cautiously spoke. I turned my head silently, fixing him with a cold stare. The small girl’s icy gaze made him shut his mouth.
A true hunter could wait in one spot for two days without sleep. Of course, I had no intention of pushing these two that far.
Time passed. The wind carried a chill again, and the faint chirping of insects grew louder. Then, a subtle presence stirred not far off.
He wasn’t even trying to hide. That’s why we all felt it. Vigat and Parna placed their hands on their weapons.
Step—
The presence drew closer, footsteps echoing through the chamber. Slowly, steadily, from a distance.
I regulated my breathing and stayed hidden. Vigat and Parna tried to mask their presence too. It wasn’t perfect, but unless someone looked closely, they’d go unnoticed.
At the chamber’s entrance appeared a man with flowing white hair. Well-defined muscles twitched beneath his clothes.
A wild, wolf-like aura emanated from him as he strode confidently, wrapped in transparent wind.
Parna and Vigat faltered simultaneously. The reincarnator’s appearance bore an uncanny resemblance to their small senior. It was hard to pinpoint, but his aura, his hair color—there were striking similarities.
Even his face, depending on the angle, faintly recalled mine.
In that moment—
I signaled the two. A gesture no Azure Wings member could mistake. I’d strike first; they were to wait for an opening.
My small form glided through the shadows.
Not even my breath made a sound. I mimicked the movements of a snowfield wolf. Wind coiled around my body—the same phenomenon as yesterday. Whenever I used the White Frost Tribe’s martial arts in this forest, the spirits reacted.
The reincarnator was about to set down the items he’d brought. My form shot out from the darkness.
It happened in a single breath. As the Black Dragon Sword was drawn, icy coldness wrapped around it, and he reacted.
But it was too late. I’d already stolen the initiative. His response would come only after my strike. I infused my will into the blade’s tip.
Sssss—
The Tai Baek Snow Dragon Sword followed in succession. The blade’s speed was unparalleled.
A wide slash carved through the air, following the path of the spirit’s wind. Then it happened—I stared at my hand, which had suddenly halted.
The same experience as yesterday. It wasn’t my will. It was as if this body itself refused. Could it be that, as my sister, it couldn’t harm my brother’s flesh?
‘It’s fine.’
Even telling myself that didn’t help. The reaction was slow. The advantage of my surprise attack slipped away. Just before my sword reached him, he turned and slid away.
Shwaaak—
Dust rose in the darkness, trailing his sliding form. The only light in the chamber was the faint moonlight filtering through the collapsed gaps. His figure flickered hazily between shadow and light.
A strange silence settled as we faced each other. I steadied my breath and spoke.
“That body… it’s a corpse that should be resting in the cold snowfields. Stop defiling the dead.”
“T-This body…?”
“…?”
Unlike yesterday, there was a response. He even spoke. I swallowed a gasp.
The darkness obscured his expression, but the faint glimpse I caught showed confusion.
I spoke again.
“Who are you?”
“I-I am…”
Woooong—!
Just as he opened his mouth, a brilliant light erupted beneath our feet. I snapped my head around. My gaze followed the light to the object he’d placed on the ground.
A wooden cylinder, carved and toppled, spilled fresh, un-clotted blood. The blood flowed along the circle etched into the floor, emitting a blinding glow.
“S-Saeorin!”
“Senior!”
My juniors’ worried cries faded into the distance. I registered the light enveloping my body. But I couldn’t move. Faster than that, my consciousness was sucked somewhere else.
I couldn’t resist. My small vision flickered slowly.
Paaaat—!
The next moment—
I stood alone on a vast prairie.