Chương 88: New Arrivals

Eternal Spark Book 3 - First Chapter Synopsis: Almost a year has passed since the defeat of Pathfinder. Our hero, Joseph Caldwell, will soon find himself heading towards an uncertain fate. But before that, he must traverse the perilous task of understanding his ever-changing relationship with his new Bond. Corelliandra Relashra, The Seeker. How will their relationship grow as they struggle to survive in a world designed to stop them at every path?

Join Joe as he continues to gather enough points to ensure Integration into the Multiverse. That is… until he learns a shocking truth that will change everything he thought he knew.

Footsteps echoed through the small, dirt-laden room buried somewhere beneath the surface of Thropia. Twelve hooded figures entered one by one, each draped in torn, ragged clothing that hadn't seen sunlight in over six months. This was their self-imposed prison, the only place left that could mask their presence from her. Who was she? The Seeker. The one who hunted the last elders of the now-disbanded Clan Vor. She had been relentless in her pursuit. So now, they hid underground, awaiting death.

Gaben Chow Vor stepped into the centre of the gathering, pulling back his hood to reveal a grey, broken, horned old Voldura. His skeletal face remained half-lost in shadow as two flickering candles cast dim light into the chamber. Those surrounding him were the last Voldura who even remembered he existed. He had remained hidden in the shadows ever since the system arrived and Integration began, pulling strings from the dark, manipulating Pathfinder, guiding Clan Vor like puppets.

But now, all of that power was gone. Stripped from him by the Seeker. The thought of her made his jaw clench. He raised a hand, a small scroll materializing between his gnarled fingers. He handed it to Rise Go Vor and let out a chesty cough as a mote of dust drifted through the stale air. He cursed under his breath, glancing toward the entrance, but saw nothing. Just another gust of air. He really was getting old. Flinching at shadows.

"Our food supplies are gone, and we are out of options. We must choose who will venture to the surface to restock our coffers," he said, voice rough with age. His words were met with silence. Cowards, all of them. He pointed at random.

"You, Viska. You will go," he waved a hand before turning to face the wall. Shadows flickered across the stone as Viska's silhouette slowly slipped away. The last six who had ventured to the surface to… steal supplies… had all been reaped by the Seeker. He knew today would be no different. Soon, they would need to start digging, to relocate, yet again. How did it come to this? How had he failed so completely? He closed his eyes, saying nothing.

As he sank into quiet self-loathing, he didn't notice the two hooded figures shift behind him. didn't notice as a sword pierced his chest. Didn't notice the screams that followed as Corel and Varaiya revealed themselves, cutting down the final remnants of Clan Vor. He didn't even notice as his body crumpled to the dirt floor in silent death… __"That's the last of them, Cor," Varaiya said, wiping her blade on the filthy rags of the elder at her feet.

"Good. Let's get out of here. It smells like dead fish and bile in this place," Corel muttered as the two dashed through the narrow tunnels, deep beneath the earth. It had taken far too long to find the hidden base of Shadow, the last link to the Vor elders who had remained buried for nearly a year. They didn't look back. The pair emerged from the underground network soon after, stepping once more into the light and breathing in fresh, open air.

"Cor', I love you. But that's the last time I will follow you into a tunnel for at least a year," Varaiya said with a laugh. Corel slapped her cousin's shoulder with a wicked grin.

"There is one more hidden faction not far from here. A few bandits have been attacking travellers…" Varaiya threw up her hands.

"Not even if the system itself came down and demanded it!" Corel laughed and waved a hand. Her skyboat shimmered into view before them. They both leapt aboard and set course for home. __ Travis leapt off the carriage and landed with a groan as his sore knees protested the sudden movement. He rubbed at them furiously, trying to circulate the blood. A familiar scoff drew his attention. Shanna, his travel companion, stared at him as she swung her legs over the side of the carriage and dropped to the ground.

A puff of dust rose on impact, coating her bare legs in grit. She groaned in regret.

"Not so funny, when you're the one making mistakes, is it, Shanna?" he chided.

"Oh shut it, four-eyes. Having to travel with you is bad enough. I did not give you permission to talk to me," Shanna snapped, shooting him a glare before turning her gaze to the forest ahead. Travis groaned. He couldn't blame her attitude. It was entirely his fault. He had a gift, no, a curse, for making terrible first impressions. And when he'd first met Shanna, he had somehow outdone even himself.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"I will remain quiet henceforth," he declared, trying, but failing to add a touch of levity. Shanna ignored him and waved off the carriage driver as their escort rode away. At some point, their bags had been dropped beside them, fortunate, considering Travis had completely forgotten he even had one. He slung the large leather sack over his back, then glanced over at Shanna's. She now stood with arms crossed, foot tapping, staring at him in silent judgment.

"You said you'd carry my bag?" she asked, her voice holding a little less venom this time.

"I did," he admitted, stepping over to hoist her even larger leather sack onto one shoulder. He really wished they'd managed to get their hands on one of those fancy system rings, the kind people used to store supplies. But they were absurdly expensive. How was anyone supposed to afford that? He shook his head in dismay as Shanna turned and headed toward the imposing forest ahead.

"Hey, wait! Do you even know where you're going?" he called, jogging after her.

"What happened to not talking?" she replied with a sideways glance.

"You aren't serious, right? How are we supposed to find the Progenitor if we can't even talk? Do you even know where to go? What if there are monsters in there?" Shanna came to a stop, spun around, and planted her hands on her hips, giving him one of those glares only a young woman could.

"We were told what to do. Did you not listen to your mother? All we have to do is walk in a straight line from here," She pointed back toward the forest.

"Eventually we'll come across the main track leading to the village… erm, I forgot what it's called. Anyway, once we find the track, it's only a two-hour walk to the village, where we will be guided to the Progenitor, and finally, this stupid quest will be over. And I won't have to look at your stupid face again." With that, Shanna marched into the forest and didn't look back.

Naturally, Travis ran after her, wisely keeping his mouth shut, at least for now, as they pushed aside a leaf the size of a barn door and stepped into the jungle beyond. They both froze as a pair of gigantic eyes suddenly appeared in their minds. Shanna yelped in surprise, while Travis dropped to his knees, fully expecting death. But just as quickly as they appeared, the eyes vanished, and a strange wave of calm washed over them.

Travis's heart pounded in his chest like a war drum as he pulled himself shakily to his feet.

"What was…"

"Oh my god! Did you see those eyes? They were filled with stars! It was him! He looked at us!" Shanna clapped with delight, her voice rising with excitement.

"I told you this was the right way!" She pushed eagerly through the knee-high grass, disappearing deeper into the forest. Travis just stood there, dumbfounded, before slowly trailing after her. It took them nearly an hour to find the 'track' Shanna had mentioned. And that's exactly what it was, a winding trail carved through the dense forest, leading toward a hidden village somewhere ahead. There were no roads here. No signs of civilization. Just trees, vines, and the wild, sacred land of the Progenitor.

And it was definitely full of mystery. Travis jumped for what felt like the hundredth time as a giant grasshopper, nearly the size of his head, bounced past them, off to who knows where.

"Did you see that?" Shanna asked, brimming with excitement, just like she did every time another bizarre, oversized insect crossed their path.

"Yes," he replied flatly. He already hated this place. He hated nature. He hated insects. And he especially hated giant ones.

"This place is marvellous," Shanna breathed.

"Imagine living here… surrounded by nature. It's even more beautiful than Heliopolis." Travis didn't see what she saw. All he saw were trees, grass, and leaves. Too many leaves.

"I don't see the appeal," he muttered.

"You're no fun, four-eyes," Shanna complained, sticking her tongue out at him.

"You do realize we're on our way to see the Progenitor with a nature class, right? Who built everything around us? Are you stupid?"

"You only care because apparently, he's the most handsome man on the planet. If he was ugly, you'd be just like me," he shot back, sticking his tongue out in retaliation. It took him a moment to realize what he'd done, and his face flushed with embarrassment. She was rubbing off on him. They'd been travelling together for far too long. Thankfully, his comment went mostly ignored as Shanna launched into a breathless monologue, gushing about the Progenitor.

"I saw him once, you know. He was dancing in the sky with one of those Voldura. She was so beautiful. I hope we get to meet her. But oh, he was so handsome. In fact, handsome isn't even a good enough word to describe him; he was…" And she kept going. Talking non-stop. Travis tuned her out and silently regretted ever accepting this damn quest. __"Do you see what I see?" Corel asked. Varaiya nodded in dismay.

"How long have they been walking? Do you think they even realize that path is a giant circle?" Corel raised an eyebrow as she watched the two young humans trudge along the same loop for what had to be the hundredth time. She let out an exasperated breath. This was Joe's doing. One of his traps, designed to keep unwelcome guests out. Poor things would probably be stuck in that loop all day if she hadn't happened to pass by on her return.

"Let's go pick them up," Corel said, letting out a sharp whistle. From the brush around them, two huge, fanged sabretooth tigers emerged. Corel and Varaiya leapt onto their backs. Corel gave the muscular Beast a firm pat on the shoulder.

"We have visitors, Bravo. Let's try not to scare them to death." The Beast huffed, a short burst of air that Corel recognized as a chuckle, before padding forward with heavy, graceful steps.

"What's this one's name?" Varaiya asked.

"Her name is Xian," Corel replied.

"She loves it when you rub behind her ears." Varaiya wasted no time, furiously scratching at the beast's ears. Xian purred in delight.

"Its fur is beautiful. Can I have one?"

"One of the mothers just gave birth to a litter of six. You can pick one out when we get back." The smile that split across Varaiya's face could have rivalled the sun. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. It took only a few minutes before they emerged from the forest and stepped onto the path, right into the loop the two young humans had unknowingly trapped themselves in. Corel and Varaiya brought their mounts to a stop.

The humans froze, staring in awe as the two sat proudly atop their enormous Beasts.

"Welcome to Landradad," Corel greeted.

"Aaaaahhhhhh!" the girl screamed in delight.

"Look, Travis! It's her! The beautiful Voldura!" Corel blinked, caught off guard. Beautiful? She cast Identify on the pair before continuing. Identify: Shanna Vale, Human (Grade F), Explorer level 35 Travis Frost, Human (Grade F), Explorer level 36 She blinked in surprise. They were very low-level. What could have possibly led them out here, travelling alone? Were they insane?

"Who are you? And why are you here?" Corel asked, sensing something odd about the pair.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry. Where are my manners? I'm Shanna, and this is four-eyes," she gestured toward her companion.

"We've come to request an audience with the Progenitor, the strongest man on Thropia," she finished with a bow.

"Strongest? Everyone knows the Divine Sword is the strongest," Travis countered.

"Are you insane?" Shanna all but exploded.

"The Divine Sword? That moron couldn't fight the Progenitor if he had a million years to level first!" Corel stared at the bickering pair, unsure what to make of them. They were arguing like children. Behind her, Varaiya chuckled, clearly enjoying every second of the unexpected exchange. It took Corel a few moments to realize the argument wasn't going to stop, and she was now being completely ignored. She couldn't help but laugh. With a casual flex of her Aura, she brought the bickering to an abrupt halt.

The pair froze, eyes wide. Then, an idea struck her.

"Okay, children, hop on. Instead of wasting time here, you can explain who you are as we head home."

"Home? Is that where the Progenitor is? Oh my god, I'm not ready to meet him yet. Can I change first? Travis, my bag…" Shanna didn't get to finish. Corel scooped her up effortlessly and dropped her onto her lap as Bravo lunged forward, leaping through the forest, homeward bound. __ Joe blinked as Corel's dot vanished from his mini-map. Dammit. He really needed to figure out what skill she was using to hide herself like that. It wasn't fair at all.

With a shrug, he waded into his private pond, ready to wash off a full day's worth of sweat and grime. His sore body practically sighed in relief as he floated in the hot spring, staring up into the sky at the giant tree that towered above. It had taken a very long time to complete his haven, and now he felt like a proud father basking in a job well done. Landradad, his new home, was finally complete. After five gruelling months of spamming Nature's Paradise every chance he got, he'd achieved his goal.

At its heart stood the centrepiece to end all centrepieces: a tree so massive it blocked out the sun, a living monolith that reached past the clouds, crested the atmosphere, and stretched into the stars beyond. It was a true marvel, a testament to his perseverance. Eventually, Joe decided he'd soaked long enough in both mana and ego. It was probably close to the time Corel and Varaiya would return. He assumed their mission had gone well, and the final thorn in their side was now dealt with. Time to celebrate.

He swam the short distance to shore and pulled himself out into the clearing, shaking off the loose water from his body. It wasn't until he heard a cough that he realized he wasn't alone. He turned with a grin, completely naked, arms spread wide.

"Rel! You've returned. Welcome back." Silence. Four sets of eyes stared at him. Goddammit, Corel, he cursed internally. He managed to keep his face straight and free of emotion.

"Varaiya," he greeted with a respectful bow.

"And… some guests. Great. Excuse me a moment." He vanished, Space-Jumping away to fetch his clothes. When he reappeared, now dressed, he stared daggers at Corel. This was the second time she'd done this to him. Last time, there were two young Voldura. He rubbed his temples.

"One of these days I'm going to figure out that skill of yours," he complained. Corel simply smiled back at him, entirely unbothered.

"Progenitor, we have guests. This is Shanna, and this is Travis," she said in a formal tone. Ah. So she wanted to play games, did she? Well, two could play at that.

"Thank you, Seeker," he replied with a nod, before turning to the guests.

"It is a pleasure to meet you both. Now, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company today?" Shanna fainted. She dropped without warning, and Travis scrambled to catch her, only to miss completely and nearly fall on top of her. Joe shook his head. Great. Just fantastic.

"I'm so sorry, I really am. I can't believe I did that," Shanna said once she stirred, cheeks flushed.

"I am so embarrassed." She didn't look embarrassed to Joe, but she kept talking anyway.

"I don't know what I can do to make up for my terrible display of decorum…" Decorum? Joe thought he could be long-winded, but this girl was something else. She was still rambling, so he finally cut her off.

"Shanna, it's okay. Don't worry about it. Now, please, take a deep breath." He gave a small wave of his hand, and she finally paused to inhale, relaxing a little.

"Great. Now. Shall we start from the beginning? What brings you here today?"

"Oh, my god. Sorry. I… is it hot in here?" she asked, fanning herself with both hands, face bright red. Joe realized he wasn't going to get far with her, so he changed his approach.

"You, boy. How old are you?" he asked, turning to Travis.

"Erm, twenty-one, Sir," Travis said, stumbling slightly over his words. Christ, they were babies. No wonder neither could form a coherent sentence. Joe sighed.

"I assume Shanna is the same?" Travis nodded.

"Great. Let me guess, both of you received a quest instructing you to come here and request help from me?" Shanna and Travis both nodded enthusiastically.

"You're actually the second pair to show up like this," Joe said.

"So it's not a complete surprise. Corel almost killed the last two when they tried sneaking in. At least they made it past the circular path that you both got stuck on."

"Oh my god! I told you we were walking in circles!" Shanna cried out.

"How was I supposed to know? Everything looks the same!" Travis shot back, exasperated. Joe quickly raised a hand to silence them before the argument could spiral out of control. Corel had warned him that they wouldn't stop if left unchecked.

"Okay, children. Let's get back on track. Boy, show me the quest screen." Travis blinked at him, uncomprehending. Joe sighed. Of course. They were level 35. They probably had no idea how to use their status properly. What followed was several awkward minutes of Joe walking Travis through how to bring up and share his quest screen. All the while, Shanna stared at him like a deer in headlights, practically drooling.

"Corel, can you do something about her, please?" Joe pleaded. Corel's eyes sparkled in amusement as she and Varaiya led the dazed girl away for a… talk. Joe exhaled in relief and turned his attention to the quest screen, only to groan as he read the annoyingly specific wording: Dear Diary: Today I was greeted by a premonition of utmost importance. I, Travis Frost had inadvertently been given a broken class. Explorer.

Therefore, I must now travel to the foot of the great tree of true greatness and request an audience with the Progenitor Joseph Caldwell. I must never call him by his name and only refer to him as Progenitor, or else I will be struck by heavenly lightning and die. I must accept one task of the Progenitors' choosing. Fulfil that task to the best of my ability, at which point the Progenitor will know how to fix my class. Or I will die. Die. Die.

Joe was now thoroughly convinced that the system seed governing their world was completely insane. And right on cue, it appeared. A small leprechaun burst into existence, bouncing between Joe and Travis while cackling like a madman.

"Well done, well done. Feormere! It is time, you know what to do!" the projection of the system seed cried, flourishing its tiny hands as rainbows exploded into the air around them.

"Your reward will be… dum dum dum…" Joe resisted the urge to facepalm.

"A… a… nothing!" With a flash of fireworks, the leprechaun vanished. It took every shred of Joe's dignity not to start swearing.

"What was that? Was that the system? Oh my god…," Travis stammered, his words tumbling out like dominoes.

"Just ignore that, that was… for me," Joe said, his eyes flicking to the party chat. [Did you just see a dancing green tiny human?] - Corel. [Yes, the little leprechaun is gone. Ignore it. Is the girl able to talk normally yet?] - Joe [Apparently, your handsome face is too much for her. She is currently smelling your clothes. I thought if she got it out of her system first, she should be able to talk to you in a bit.] - Corel. [Shit. Forget I asked, please, for the love of all that is holy, don't tell me what else of mine she is smelling,] - Joe. [She is now smelling our bed…] - Corel. Joe threw up his hands in dismay.

"How long did it take you guys to get here?" he asked, closing the chat and vowing never to open it again.

"Over two weeks," Travis replied, shaking his head.

"And Shanna didn't stop talking the whole time." For a moment… Joe considered just sending them away. But he shook his head. As mad as the system seed was, it never lied. If it said they would die, then they would, and it would be his fault. With a sigh, he grabbed the boy and slung him over his shoulder.

"Let's get this over with," he muttered, switching back to party chat, ignoring Corel's last two messages. [Incoming,] - Joe. That was the only warning they got before he Space-Jumped into his house. In a flash, he grabbed Shanna and slung her over his other shoulder. With both of his guests hauled up like sacks of grain, he Space-Jumped again, landing in a cleared area where the dirt had been worn down from frequent use. He unceremoniously dumped them both to the ground.

Shanna and Travis immediately doubled over, emptying the contents of their stomachs onto the dirt.

"Locke! Meris! To me!" Joe bellowed, amplifying his voice with mana. A moment later, two young Voldura clad in leather blurred into view and dropped to one knee before him, practice swords sheathed at their hips.

"Progenitor," they said in unison. Joe gestured for them to rise. Damn these stupid quests, forcing people to refer to him as Progenitor all the time. Locke and Meris rose and stood silently while Shanna and Travis recovered from their first-ever Space-Jumps.

"Oh my god, that was horrible. Please don't do that again," Travis groaned, clutching his stomach. Joe chuckled.

"Just a light hazing. Shanna, Travis, please stand beside Locke and Meris." Locke and Meris exchanged a brief glance as the two pale, still-reeling humans stumbled over to join them.

"I've decided to do this all together," Joe continued.

"Let's start with some introductions. This is Locke." Locke stepped forward with a nod, raising a fist to his heart. He was average height for a Voldura, just over six feet three, with a muscular build, curled horns, and sun-darkened green skin. He wore leather trousers and a sleeveless top, revealing tattooed arms marked with swirling patterns.

"I am Locke. Greetings," he said simply, then stepped back.

"He's the silent type. Next to him is Meris." Meris stepped forward and offered her deepest bow, dipping her head so low that her horns nearly scraped the ground. She stood a head shorter than Locke, with bright eyes and smooth, uncurled horns. Unlike Locke's bald head, Meris had short, shoulder-length purple hair, each horn wrapped with a delicate braid. She beamed as she flexed a surprisingly large bicep, proudly showing it off.

Her leathers reached just past her knees, and her sleeveless top left her arms and midriff bare, the sharp lines of her six-pack glinting in the sunlight.

"I am Meris. We arrived just over a month ago and have been training avidly. I like eating the Progenitor's food, and I enjoy bathing with the Seeker," she said bluntly, then returned to Locke's side. She shot Shanna a playful wink, which earned an immediate blush in return. Joe ignored the last part of her statement and gestured toward Shanna.

"Shanna, please keep your introduction brief, for all our sakes." Shanna, still blushing, brushed herself off and stepped forward with an awkward smile. She was a short girl with mousy brown hair tied into a ponytail, a slim frame, and comically large eyebrows. Her white shirt was slightly stained, and she wore black leggings scuffed from travel.

"Hi, I'm Shanna, and that is Four Eyes." Travis sighed audibly in response.

"We have been travelling for about sixteen days. You see, we were both visited by the most peculiar…" Joe coughed loudly. Shanna jumped.

"Brief," he said flatly.

"Sorry," she said, somehow blushing even harder.

"It is my pleasure to meet you both. We've never met any Voldura before. Apart from the Seeker. Can I touch your muscles?" She pointed at Meris, who grinned with clear amusement.

"Shanna, you will have plenty of time for petting later. For now, please return to your spot. Travis, if you will," Joe said, waving his hand in weary surrender. Travis stepped forward as Shanna hurried back to her place. He was, quite possibly, the plainest human who had ever existed. A freckly young man with glasses, short in height, and completely unremarkable in every way. He gave a small, respectful bow.

"I am Travis. I have an IQ of 150, and I hate insects." He returned to his place beside Shanna, who laughed and gave him a slap on the shoulder.

"Okay," Joe said, clapping his hands.

"Well, now that introductions are done. It is time for your group quest!" That got everyone's attention. Backs straightened, expressions sobered, and the air seemed to still.

"Now. As you all know, you received a quest that brought you here, interrupting my quiet, peaceful life. Naturally, this affront to nature cannot go unpunished. Two days ago, I discovered a gate." He waved his hand, and a projection formed in the air before him, crafted from glowing mana. It showed a swirling gate, teeming with ants and what looked suspiciously like overgrown grasshoppers.

"This is a very special gate. It's locked from entry. Only myself, Corel, and four others may enter. It also has an oddly specific set of clear requirements. Something about team building, forging cohesion, blah blah. You'll figure it out." He opened his palm to reveal four storage rings, then stepped forward and handed one to each of them.

"Oh my god, is this a real storing ring? How big is it? Is there anything inside?" Shanna gasped, eyes flashing with excitement.

"Meris, please make sure Shanna knows how to use that. Treat her as you would a child. I fear her and the boy are terribly unprepared for any of this." Travis raised a hand.

"We aren't in school, boy, ask away," Joe said with a chuckle.

"Erm, a gate? Are we going into a gate?" Joe nodded.

"And how long do we have to prepare? I am dying to wash, and I'm very hungry," Travis said, only to jump in surprise as Meris and Locke both burst into loud, booming laughter.

"The day we arrived, the Progenitor made us train non-stop for a week, with no bathing," Meris said, grinning widely.

"The quest is simple," Joe cut in, ignoring everything.

"Clear the gate before the time limit… and return alive. Now, hold your breaths." In a blur of motion so fast none of the four could follow, Joe scooped them all into his arms and Space-Jumped to the gate, which, conveniently, was only half a mile away. Without any further warning, he threw all four of them straight into the swirling vortex. Then, without missing a beat, he turned on his heel and jumped away, his mask finally cracking as he burst into uncontrollable laughter.