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95.93% The Adventurer's Academy Part 2 / Chapter 118: Blood Ties, Part Five

Capítulo 118: Blood Ties, Part Five

The girls hopped back onto Ysmor's back. Ysmor lifted off, soaring towards the heart of Cardana.

In the distance, a stone palace stood like a watchtower. Jany guided Ysmor toward it. 

As they flew over the village, Rin noticed the wary gazes of Cardana's reclusive residents as they looked up. They all had concerned faces, their eyes following the drake every step of the way.

It was clear that outsiders were not a common sight here.

"We're definitely not blending in," Rin muttered, more to herself than anyone else. 

Eve, perched comfortably on Rin's lap, chuckled softly.

"I imagine we'd be pretty hard to miss here." 

"Keep your eyes to yourselves once we're down there, same as before," Jany told them. 

Ysmor landed gently in the courtyard of the stone palace, the structure imposing and ancient, its walls etched with weird runes and symbols. To Rin, the air was thick with an unspoken reverence. 

[Somehow, this place looks older than half the Old World ruins I've seen.] 

Jany dismounted first, motioning for the others to follow.

"This way," she instructed, leading them through the grand entrance.

The halls were lined with statues and tapestries, each depicting scenes from Cardana's rich history.

Rin's heart raced as they approached a large, ornate door. A couple of guards saw them and tensed up but then they exchanged a look with Jany and stepped aside.

She exchanged a glance with Eve, who gave her an encouraging smile. Lisa, looking like she was trying to remain composed, adjusted her healer's bag. Even Jany didn't look particularly comfortable. 

Jany pushed open the door, revealing a circular chamber where the Elders sat in a semi-circle. Their expressions were solemn, their eyes sharp and knowing. The air in the room seemed to hum with anticipation.

Jany stepped forward, bowing respectfully.

"Elders, I bring Rin, Eve, and Lisa. Strangers from faraway lands. I brought them here so they might investigate the spreading sickness." 

The Elders nodded in acknowledgment, their gazes turning towards the newcomers. Rin felt a mixture of awe and anxiety under their scrutiny, but she stood tall, determined to make a good impression.

One of the Elders, an elderly woman with tanned skin and piercing blue eyes, spoke first.

"Welcome. Jany informed us of your recent actions against the shadows. Your bravery is commendable."

"Thank you," Rin said, figuring she may as well handle the talking. "We're here to help in any way we can."

Jany continued, her voice steady and clear.

"Elders, the illness spreading through Cardana is unlike anything we've seen before. It's not just a sickness of the body but of the spirit. These two," Jany gestured at Eve and Lisa, "are particularly attuned when it comes to matters of the spirit. I figured they could be of assistance if you'd share your knowledge with them." 

The Elders exchanged glances, their expressions grave. The same Elder who had spoken before nodded slowly.

"We have been studying the illness, but our knowledge is limited. It seems to be connected to the shadows, as their attacks have suddenly become so much more frequent. We fear this may only be the beginning." 

Another Elder, a man with a long white beard, added:

"The chances of there being a cure seem slim, but if there is a chance, and you three might help find it, we'd be happy to share what we know." 

Eve, hovering by Rin's side, flew up closer. 

"Well, we're here to help. Just tell us what you need."

The Elders began to discuss the details of the strange illness. Rin, Eve, and Lisa listened intently, absorbing every piece of information.

"It all began about three days ago," the elderly woman with the piercing blue eyes started. "At first, it was just a few isolated cases. Animals falling ill with strange symptoms."

"Strange how?" Lisa asked. 

The Elder continued:

"The afflicted seem to fall into a deep lethargy initially, almost like a trance. Then, within a small amount of time, their behavior becomes erratic and violent. They attack anyone and anything around them. Even tamed beasts would begin attacking handlers they've had for years." 

Lisa leaned in. Rin hadn't seen this side of her before. Gone was usual kindergarten teacher type of lady Rin knew her as and, instead, a scientist had taken her place. 

"Are there any physical signs? Markings, rashes, anything we could identify early on?"

The Elder with the long white beard answered:

"Yes, there are. The afflicted develop a faint blue aura around them. Their eyes also take on a bluish tint, and their veins become more prominent, glowing with the same eerie light."

Eve nodded along. 

"Yeah, that sounds like Essence. And, you really have no clue how the disease is contracted?" 

"We have our suspicions," the elderly woman replied. "But nothing concrete. We believe it's connected to the shadows, as their attacks have increased in frequency and intensity alongside the spread of the illness. Perhaps this happens to monsters who survive encounters with them." 

Lisa nodded thoughtfully.

"Have you noticed if this aura has any effect on any beasts around the afflicted? Could they be spreading the illness?"

The Elder with the beard shook his head.

"We haven't observed any direct transmission like that. However, the afflicted creatures' violence has resulted in many injuries and deaths. We're not particularly eager to stand next to them." 

The elderly woman spoke again, her tone grave.

"We have a few of the violent afflicted beasts locked up in a secure area. We would like you to examine them. Perhaps with your unique skills and knowledge, you might be able to discern something we have missed."

Rin glanced at her friends, each of them nodding in agreement.

"We'll take a look," she said resolutely. "Maybe there's something we can find that will help."

The Elders guided them through another set of heavy doors, leading to a dimly lit corridor.

The air grew cooler, and the faint sound of growls and snarls echoed through the stone halls.

"Here we are," the Elder with the white beard said, stopping in front of a reinforced door. "Be careful. These creatures are extremely dangerous."


Capítulo 119: Blood Ties, Part Six

Rin, Eve, and Lisa followed the Elders through the heavy doors, their footsteps echoing in the corridor.

The air was cool and damp, and the sounds of growls and snarls grew louder with each step. They arrived at a large chamber, lined with reinforced cages. Inside each one, a different monster paced restlessly, their eyes glowing an eerie blue.

In one enclosure, a creature that looked like a cross between a wolf and a lizard paced back and forth, its scaly skin glistening under the dim light. Its eyes darted around the room, never settling on any one thing for more than a second. 

In another cage, a beast that resembled a massive, mutated bear lumbered around, its fur matted and tangled. The bear's claws, each one as long as a human finger, scraped against the metal bars of its prison. 

A third monster, a hybrid of a snake and a bird, coiled itself around the branches of a dead tree that had been placed inside its enclosure. Its feathers were a sickly, mottled gray, and its eyes burned with the same eerie blue light that seemed to be a common thread among all the creatures.

"Whoa," Rin whispered, taking in the sight. "I've never seen creatures like these before."

Lisa stepped closer to one of the cages, her healer's instincts kicking in. The monster inside was a strange amalgamation of a lion and a serpent, its body covered in shimmering scales and a mane of golden fur. But what caught Lisa's attention were the glowing blue veins that pulsed beneath its skin.

"Look at these markings," she said, pointing to the veins. "They're not natural. It's like they're being infused with some kind of energy."

As Lisa approached the cage, the creature suddenly lunged forward, slamming against the bars with a ferocious roar. Lisa jumped back, startled by the violent outburst.

"Careful!" one of the Elders warned. "They're extremely aggressive."

Eve flew closer, her eyes narrowing as she examined the monster's skin patterns.

"You know," she said thoughtfully, "I've seen markings like these before. In Essence class, back at the academy."

Rin turned to her. 

"I... must have slept through that class, heh. What do you mean?" 

"Well, it's hard to say for sure," Eve replied, "but it almost looks like these monsters are being possessed by something. Like their bodies are being controlled by an outside force."

As they moved further into the chamber, Rin's gaze was drawn to one creature in particular. It was a yariko, a bird-like creature with the head and body of a lizard. She'd seen it before with Xhez. 

The yariko's feathers were a deep, iridescent blue, and its eyes shone with an intelligence that set it apart from the other monsters.

[Right... Xhez had said these things were harmless.]

Rin walked towards the yariko's cage. One of the Elders rushed forward, trying to stop her.

"Wait!" he called out. "That one is among the most dangerous. It's already killed three of our best handlers."

"Huh?" Rin raised a brow at him, before turning back toward the yariko. "I... don't think so."

So, she kept going. 

To everyone's surprise, the beast remained calm, its gaze locked with Rin's. Slowly, cautiously, Rin reached out and placed her hand on the yariko's head, right between its glowing blue eyes.

The yariko let out a soft cry, leaning into Rin's touch.

Rin let out a sigh of relief.

[Well, I didn't get my hand bitten off. Nice.] 

"This is a boy," Rin stated. 

"How do you know?" Eve asked, eyes wide and curious. 

"Xhez told me. She said male yarikos' bodies are all one color, while females are two." 

"Oh, wow." 

The Elders and Rin's companions watched in stunned silence, hardly daring to breathe.

"How...how is this possible?" one of the Elders whispered, his voice trembling with awe.

Rin stroked the yariko's feathers gently with a little smile.

Then, she felt something. 

Her Essence. 

For the first time, she could actually feel the "transaction" happening. The one she'd discovered was always automatically occurring. 

She could feel her own Essence slipping into the yariko. And, perhaps more surprisingly, it didn't feel that bad. 

"It's okay," she murmured softly to the yariko. "We're here to help."

As Rin continued to comfort the beast, it gradually lowered itself until it was resting on the floor. Rin's hand followed it the whole way. 

"Wait, look!" Lisa said, jogging up to the cage. 

Rin's eyes widened. 

The yariko's blue veins were beginning to dim, the glow lessening in intensity. 

Lisa, eyes shimmering with curiosity, declared:

"I-I think you're purifying it!" 

"I..." Rin kept petting it. "I think you might be right." 

---

About ten minutes passed, with Rin's hand still resting on the yariko's head. The group watched in awe as the glowing blue veins gradually faded, until they had completely disappeared. 

The yariko's eyes, once filled with that eerie blue light, now shone with a calm, natural intelligence. It let out a soft, contented chirp, nuzzling into Rin's palm.

"Incredible," one of the Elders breathed, stepping closer to the cage. "How did you manage to do that?"

Rin looked up, meeting the Elder's gaze with a thoughtful expression.

"It's... something I discovered recently," she began, trying to find the right words. "Apparently, I have this ability to passively exchange Essence with those around me. It's like a constant give and take, happening without me even realizing it."

The Elder's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and intrigue flashing across his face.

"Fascinating," he murmured, stroking his beard. "There must be more to this. Your gift, it could be the key to understanding what's happening here."

He paused, considering his next words carefully.

"Rin, I would like to invite you to speak with one of our shamans. They are well-versed in matters of Essence. Perhaps they could shed some light on your unique ability."

Rin nodded. 

"I appreciate the offer, and I'll definitely take you up on that. But first, we need to find out how these creatures got like this in the first place."

She gestured to the yariko, now resting peacefully in its cage.

"You see, yarikos aren't native to this area. They're usually found in the east, at least as far as I know, far from here."

The Elder's brow furrowed, a look of confusion crossing his face.

"What are you suggesting?"

Rin took a deep breath, her mind racing with possibilities.

"I'm saying that this yariko was probably brought here. It didn't just wander into Cardana on its own."

She looked around at the other cages, taking in the strange, twisted forms of the monsters within.

"Whatever's happening, it may not be completely natural. Someone, or something, could be behind this."


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