Chapter 658: I Never Wanted to Defy the Heavens - 658
Time seemed to pass by quickly in the Imperial Scholar Camp. Skymender spent almost all of his time within the library, and what he didn't spend inside of it was either spent sleeping or learning from the Imperial Scholar. Even his meals would be eaten within the library.
Naturally, Skymender's progress was astonishing. As more time passed, he felt as if he was finally able to realize his full potential. What he had seen as fast growth before seemed like nothing now.
His memory and comprehension seemed to have improved, though he understood it was because of his focused and dedicated state of mind.
He began to use the poison room for his own creations as well, adding another location to the few places he ventured.
He had created a few poisons, though all of them were relatively useless and weak. It would take a lot of luck to create a poison as good as his first ones.
These poisons were not necessarily intended to ever be used, but to help further his understanding. He met with the Imperial Scholar a few times, and eventually, another test came around. In total, there would be four tests. The first had already happened, and the second was tomorrow.
Skymender naturally studied as hard as he could, but he had been doing so every single day. No matter how much harder he wanted to study, it was impossible.
Skymender made sure to get plenty of rest and arrived at the Imperial Scholar's office door at 11:45.
He waited until exactly 12, when the last person came out. He had a frown on his face.
The Imperial Scholar walked out behind him and gestured for Skymender to come inside.
"There is no need to waste time. Let's begin." The Imperial Scholar said. Skymender nodded and began to fill out the paper.
It was the same format of test, but the questions were even more difficult to answer than last time. He would have struggled much more a week ago, but after having studied for the past week, and at speeds he himself found hard to believe, he was doing well.
Skymender took around 25 minutes to do the paper test. After which, the Imperial Scholar began to ask him questions. Most of the questions were opinion based, or more open questions, and Skymender had to think harder than before.
However, as the hour finished, Skymender left the office with confidence. If he didn't do the best, he couldn't imagine who would be able to.
The Imperial Scholar let out a smile as he did so. "He is finally releasing his true potential. If he continues like this, Charles won't have a chance of victory. If you can't win with such an incredible ability, then you don't deserve to win at all."
Skymender entered the library, not very concerned about the results. He studied as usual, moving at an incredible speed.
The next day, he continued on. Occasionally, he would get a few hours of sleep. At the end of the day, around 10 PM, he made his way to the teaching room of the Education building. He looked at the leaderboard and read the rankings.
"Fourth place. Miria, 44 points. Third place. Luke, 46 points. First place… a tie between me and Charles." Skymender mumbled.
He had completely caught up. Both of them were sitting at exactly 60 points.
Skymender nodded, satisfied. He imagined that 10 points was the maximum. Although he absolutely didn't get everything correct, the judgement was made by the Imperial Scholar. In addition, it was not based on correctness but by learning ability.
Skymender returned to his room, which had been upgraded ever since he reached 50 points, and slept soundly. The next day, he returned to the library as always.
However, as he studied, an unhappy visitor made an appearance. Charles walked up to him, his hair disheveled and his eyes tired. He had clearly been staying up as much as possible. He looked at Skymender with hatred.
"What is it?" Charles said simply. It was a simple question, but it was filled with failed efforts and unwillingness.
"Are you related to the Imperial Scholar? Are you cheating? What is happening? I have a photographic memory, a memory in which I remember anything and everything. How can I possibly be losing out to you? I can't understand it."
Skymender shook his head. "It's actually pretty simple."
Charles looked surprised. "You actually have an answer? Fine, help me understand."
Skymender spoke simply. "You have failed to consider the fact that I am simply better than you."
Charles snorted. He hadn't expected an honest answer.
"Do you know the side effects of a photographic memory?" Charles asked.
Skymender nodded.
Charles explained regardless. "Of those who have had photographic memories, the oldest in history reached 40 years of age and died of natural causes. This alone proves the existence of something akin to a soul or limited memory. Because the common trend is early death. There is no other explanation. Our minds, or whatever, keep all the information without releasing it, forming an unnatural cycle that resists the very essence of the Universe."
Skymender nodded. All things exist in a cycle. Memories were eventually lost, only keeping a portion of important ones. Remembering every speck of dust ever seen was unnatural, as all things return to the Universe. The Universe, not receiving enough throughout the life of someone with a photographic memory, ensures that they pay the price early.
"This can be considered defying the Heavens and facing the consequences." Charles said, his voice repressing emotions.
For the first time in his life, he spoke his truest feelings, releasing everything inside. All of the unwillingness and indignance was released in a simple sentence that accurately pinpointed the deepest thoughts of countless throughout time and space.
"I never wanted to defy the Heavens."
He felt released. There was no knowledge on this world about Heaven's existence, but the word Heaven simply referred to that which was above, an almighty existence. That which was untouchable and unimaginable.
Defying this Heaven was simply asking for the end of existence.
Chapter 659: Cold Heart - 659
Along with his feeling of release, he felt anger. This anger was directed at Skymender. Even after paying the price of such a short life, most likely to die before thirty, he still couldn't be the best.
Charles had a lot he wanted to say, but didn't say anything. Rather than wasting further time here, it was better to prepare for the next test. Skymender didn't bother to say goodbye as Charles turned around and left.
Skymender continued to focus on the book in his hands. As he read, he felt enlightenment. He instantly left for the herb shop. Gathering what had popped into his mind after weeks of research, he headed to the poison room, herbs in hand.
He barely greeted Master Chef Garb as he walked down the stairs, ignoring the person eating.
Skymender started the heat and began to mix things together. He chopped some things, slightly burnt others, and simply threw most inside of the pot whole.
He began to stir the pot and control the heat. Having experience, he did it well.
After a while, an undetectable smell wafted up. Skymender could not sense it at all, but suddenly, the hair on his arms stood on end. He backed away, but he had already been affected by the poison.
He felt as if his heart had begun to slow down. Skymender put his hand on his chest, and felt as if the area around his heart was turning cold. He knocked the pot over and stepped out of the room. He could only climb up a few of the stairs as he fell, coughing. He took off his mask and took out a vial from his waist. He broke the vial and inhaled some of the poison from it.
He found that this sometimes had magical effects. However, all it did was calm his coughing. Nothing stopped the coldness in his heart from spreading.
He couldn't move. He could only stare at the upward stairs as his vision faded and his heart slowly stopped. Suddenly, his arm jerked. Using the last of his strength and will, he pulled out another vial.
This one was double sided. He smashed it onto himself.
Immense pain flooded into his body, but he could now somewhat move due to the adrenaline flowing through him. He stayed still as the corrosive poison, which he had smashed onto his chest, worked its way through his body. He had positioned it perfectly, at an area with no vital organs that would kill him to lose. It was extremely close to his heart, however, and a single inch of miscalculation could lead to his death.
He was still in extreme pain every second, even worse than when he put his hand into the corrosive poison. This was despite the resistance he had built up after so much time.
The corrosive poison burnt a hole through his chest, leaking out of the other side. It was a pain that could not be described in words. Simply unimaginable.
Despite everything happening, his heart had not for a second stopped turning cold. Therefore, the second part of the plan took action.
He moved his arm and reached his hand into the hole in his chest. Bearing the inhuman pain of reaching inside his own body, and found his heart. Carefully, he began to squeeze it. The coldness did not disperse, but lessened and stopped growing.
Major damage had been done to his heart, but if he could survive it would not matter.
Everytime he squeezed his own heart, he felt a pain worse than anything else he had ever felt before.
Yet somehow, he willed himself on. The only other option was death.
Skymender struggled to live, alone, at the bottom of a stairwell.
His intelligence, his growth, his strength, his family, the Imperial Scholar Camp, the study of poison, all of it went away as a single thought filled his mind. It was a thought filled with pure selfishness. If his family, or the most innocent, cute animal was in front of him right now, he would kill any of them to survive at this moment.
He was not scared of death, but what use was their lives if he was dead. All past emotions seemed to become a mere joke in front of this feeling.
What Eldest Sister? What mother? What father? None of it mattered in the slightest compared to his life.
As he laid there, pumping his own heart, enduring unimaginable pain, his mind slowly began to change. His heart, which had literally turned cold, began to metaphorically turn cold.
Time passed by quickly in this situation. He did not know how much time had passed, when he heard steps up above. At this point, there wasn't much pain. Well, he was actually feeling a more horrifying pain than that which most would ever experience in their lives, but to him, it was negligible compared to before.
Skymender, still pumping his own heart, stared above coldly. A familiar face looked at Skymender.
For just a split second, as if curious as to what it would see, the gaze was filled with interest. However, in just a single half of a second, it transformed into horror.
Master Chef Garb stared at Skymender, unable to think for a moment. The scene in front of him was beyond horrifying.
Below, Skymender's skin was entirely white, as if drained of blood. Dried blood covered his chest and formed a puddle beneath him. His hand was shoved into his chest, which had a hole in it. Dried blood made the scene only slightly less horrifying.
As if he didn't know what to do, Master Chef Garb rushed out, leaving the stairs.
A few minutes later, another familiar face came walking down the stairs.
"So, Skymender. You're facing death, it seems." The Imperial Scholar said.
Although his voice was calm, as he looked at Skymender, his eyes were unable to hide the shock. It had been described to him, but this... He had seen such a horrifying scene only a few other times in his life, but all of those had involved the dead, not the living.
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