Chương 108: The Power of A Bloodline

Ryland dispelled everything rather quickly after that.

"Stay put," he said with a soft glare in the direction of Devas. The Turnalian bowed.

"Of course, master. Whatever you say." He offered one more glare before finally turning to Acrypha, who had finally broken down to tears. Ryland didn't pressure her about it. He just wished he could cast another Glyph of Banishment on Devas to give her some privacy, since the Turnalian was adamant about staring gormlessly regardless of the propriety of the act.

But he said nothing for the two Manifestations were standing over her protectively again, restored to their full condition despite Ryland's previous spell almost tearing them apart. That was one of the significant areas where the Living Mana came into play. Although, he was quite certain that there were far more significant ways it had affected Acrypha and her… guardians. He could have used the time to talk with Devas and figure out what was his deal.

The Turnalian had been on a mission to recover pieces of Ryland and return them to him. However, since he had decided to be an utter ass like he usually was, Ryland figured he'd make him wait. Except, Devas seemed utterly delighted to simply stand there and bask in the presence of Marionys Ryland, his long sought-after target. Ryland just ignored him for the entire ten to fifteen minutes it took for Acrypha to feel like she was ready to talk.

"Did you undergo an evolution?" he asked, trying to be gentle about it. Acrypha blinked, her eyes sharpening instantly. Well, that answered his question.

"I did. It…" She was still hesitating, still battling old doubts and insecurities.

"It was my Soul Glyph, sir. That's what evolved when the Living Mana got a hold of it."

"Explain more, please. What is your Soul Glyph? You never told us the truth before, did you?" She flushed a bit, which was hard to discern because her earlier tearful state had already left her face rather red.

"I had the Soul Glyph of Inheritance before." It was Ryland's turn to feel some shock.

"Incredible. A Bloodline Glyph."

"Yes, sir." Bloodline Glyphs were one of the most powerful ways predecessors could ensure their magic didn't die with them when they passed on. It essentially froze a simulacrum of the manasoul and passed it onto the chosen heir, whose manasoul would already be a smidge developed before it fully formed. Of course, that alone didn't explain why Acrypha was doing so well compared to her peers. Many noble families ensured that their progeny carried on their magic through Bloodline Glyphs, or through other means.

Yet, most of them weren't even close to Acrypha. She was on a whole different playing field at times compared to her peers. Which made it likely that she both had a powerful Bloodline Glyph—as was evidenced by those two Manifestations— and had made the best use of it that she could. Though, he figured she hadn't done it alone. There were absolutely pressures she was struggling under.

"When you cast your spells and made the Living Mana emerge from everything it had possessed," Acrypha said.

"It somehow got inside me and started interacting with my Soul Glyph of Inheritance."

"And it was that interaction which led to your Soul Glyph evolving?" Acrypha nodded.

"Right, sir. It turned into the Soul Glyph of Legacy."

"Have you been able to determine the difference?"

"Well…" She frowned at the two guardians on either side of her.

"Apart from them being far more powerful than I've ever seen them before, they're also both a lot more intelligent and a lot more proactive."

"Proactive too, is it?" Ryland considered for a moment, recalling just how they had behaved during that battle.

"Yes, you're correct." Acrypha looked a little like she was remembering things too. Just not very pleasant things. Ryland once again didn't want to push her, but she talked about it on her own.

"When my parents Inscribed the Glyph onto me," she said.

"They meant for the two you've seen to just be protective guardians in the case of emergencies. Which they have been. But not just guardians. They've been acting a lot more independently than before, almost like they're actual people."

"The Living Mana," Ryland said. Acrypha nodded.

"I think so too, sir. It messed with my Soul Glyph and placed its twisted replication into my guardians." That was starting to make a great deal of sense. Ryland had already seen the Living Mana twisting trees into volcanic beings and grass into seabed tentacles. Taking what already existed before wrapping it with its own version of the life it envisioned. And it was this same warping it had placed upon the guardians summoned by Acrypha's spell.

"The real question is whether you can control it, Acrypha," Ryland said.

"Sir, that wasn't a question." Ryland blinked. He was surprised she could find the levity in the situation with what she was going through at the moment.

"You're correct again." He cleared his throat.

"Can you control what's happened to your spell, Acrypha? Can you control your Soul Glyph?" Acrypha's face fell again as she took her time considering the issue. Deliberation, just like Ryland believed in. He waited patiently until she was ready to answer.

"I don't think so," she said quietly.

"I'm afraid of what it might do. I barely managed to make the guardians listen to my commands, but only when others weren't around and they didn't start making their own decisions. It was hard."

"You're worried they might hurt others in their efforts to do what is best for your wellbeing."

"Exactly, sir," she said morosely.

"I don't want to go back to the others. I don't want to put anyone in harm's way."

"Try dispelling them."

"It didn't work."

"Try casting the same spell again." She blinked. That seemed to confound her for a bit, but then she cleared her throat.

"Alright, I'll try and see if this makes a difference. [Afterlife Guardians]." Recasting the spell just had both guardians manifesting at her sides once more. They were still the same. Still blistering with frightening magic while glowing harshly. Acrypha just glared up at them, her eyes brimming with tears again. Oh, dear. Ryland stared at the two Manifestations. They really had taken on the very defined form of a real man and a woman.

In fact, if Ryland observed closely, he could see a faint resemblance to Acrypha too. It was there in the woman's eyes, there again in the way the man held himself. Proof of lineage.

"Your parents were strong, weren't they?" Ryland said. She nodded stiffly.

"They were Restorers." Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation." Ah." That would explain a great deal. Especially with everything that was going on, with how Acrypha had acted since the moment Ryland had met her. Restorers were an official society formed right after the signing of the Accords. Their duty was to fix and reverse all the ills that the Realmbreaker Wars had left upon Vyrd.

While it was highly unlikely that Acrypha's parents had been one of the founding members just due to how long the organization had existed, they didn't need to be. Nearly everyone who joined the Restorers were dedicated, determined individuals. Even as time went on and their influence and importance dwindled, those who became members were held to an incredibly high standard in society. Of course, they were lauded and celebrated too.

Ryland recalled how Acrypha had mentioned her noble line was "newer", which meant her family's nobility had been established only recently. Perhaps only a generation or two ago. Maybe it had even been established with her parents. It was difficult to say. Nevertheless, if they were Restorers, then it made sense they'd have trained Acrypha to be one like them as well. And the training required for that was brutal.

"They fell on one of their missions," Acrypha said. Her voice was quiet. Ryland hadn't asked, so he appreciated the fact that she was offering that information on her own.

"Against a Primordial-ranked Living Mana Incursion. They did manage to stop it, though, before…" Before they had died. That was quite impressive. Ryland just nodded solemnly. He recalled well how it had taken an entire city to stem the tide of the last Primordial-ranked Incursion. Even then, they still needed Ryland to step in and end the Incursion for good. Which Acrypha's parents had done themselves. That said quite a lot about the heights they had managed to reach.

"They sound valiant," Ryland said. Acrypha's face twisted a little.

"They were. Too much so." The guardians, almost like they had heard and could feel the effect of her words, flickered in and out of reality for a moment.

"No!" Acrypha said, staring hard at both Manifestations.

"You don't get to act hurt after what you did! You don't have the right. You pushed and pushed and pushed, even when I couldn't take it anymore. You made me into this. And then you had the Calamity-cursed gall to go off and die —" She stopped herself, breathing heavy, ruddy face splotched with the tears she couldn't hold back anymore. Her whole body was shaking. Ryland gave her some space, watched in silence and allowed her to simply feel whatever she needed to at the moment.

He could have tried comforting her, but no, that wouldn't be right. What Acrypha needed was an outlet. All throughout their semester, she had bottled everything up. All the time he had known her, she had never expressed herself. And it had to have been like that for her for years. She was a volcano that had been building up to an eruption for far too long. Was it any wonder that she had blown up now? That said, it was a rather tame tantrum in the end. Her training and upbringing reinstated themselves quite quickly.

It was almost disappointing how rapidly she had regained her composure. Ryland had seen far worse rage before, and honestly, he wouldn't have minded if Acrypha had completely lost it for a while. She deserved to feel free enough to let her emotions loose, no matter what it was she felt.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"I shouldn't have… gone crazy." Her face burned with shame.

"No, no," Ryland said quickly.

"There's nothing to be ashamed about. You've gone through a great deal, Acrypha. It's alright to not keep everything bottled up." She had already started taking in deep breaths to steady herself.

"Thank you, sir. But… things haven't changed. Nothing about them feels different. I still can't control them."

"I see. Then perhaps, I can suppress them." Acrypha didn't reply. The thought was difficult, after all, so was worth taking the time to deliberate. Because suppressing the two guardians would likely require suppressing her Soul Glyph, and that might have awful consequences. Ryland didn't know how much of her capabilities she was deriving from her Bloodline Soul Glyph, but if it turned her into an average student overnight, that wasn't good.

"I want to go through with it, sir," Acrypha said.

"It's better to be safe than sorry. Until I find a way to remove the Living Mana, I want to ensure that nothing bad happens. Ever."

"Are you certain?" Ryland asked.

"How will this affect the rest of your magic?" Acrypha shook her head.

"It'll take a toll. But I can handle it. I'll have to." Ryland wasn't certain it was the best option, but it could be their only option for the time being. It was odd but he realized that a sensation akin to disappointment was warring against a feeling of wonder too. He was long past selfish sensations, so he could ward off the disappointment easily. But the wonder… It was always a little relieving, a little exciting as well, to discover there was always more to magic than even he could fathom.

Nevertheless, suppressing Acrypha's Soul Glyph was not ideal at all. Even if he resorted to it for the time being, he'd need to find a proper solution before long. Hmm, maybe it was finally time to pay a visit to Xyke. It had been a while.

"Are you prepared?" Ryland asked.

"The sensation will make you feel as though you're fainting and losing access to your magic." Acrypha nodded resolutely anyway.

"I'm ready, sir."

"Alright, then." He stretched out a hand pointed at her." [Soul Suppression]." Ryland wasn't resorting to just his Glyph of Suppression because it would start suppressing everything. Therefore, he needed a more precise spell circle to direct his magic at the exact location it needed to act. Which was Acrypha's Soul Glyph, something that was also Inscribed on her shoulder. Acrypha trembled as several thick blankets of warping light settled upon her.

She shivered, her teeth almost chattering like she had been thrown outside during winter. Ryland grimaced faintly.

The sensation was never pleasant. He was using the spell circle to keep his power contained, but even then, everything else nearby felt at least some of the effect too. Cracks threaded all over the ground between the stalks of revitalized grass. Said grass itself flattened as though a heavy weight was pressing down on them. The air was also turning still and stagnant, suppressed just like Acrypha's Soul Glyph. And just like before, the guardians got very upset.

Thankfully, Ryland had foreseen their misguided attempt to "protect" Acrypha. He had cast the same kind of [Dimensional Lock] that he had cast on the smaller Manifestation during the battle. Then there was the modified [Eternal Bastion] he had cast on Acrypha, so they couldn't just warp in and out of her soul as they wished. [Achievement Recognized: Manifestation Suppression You have successfully suppressed two Primordial-ranked Manifestations despite being only Mithril-ranked. Rank up from Mithril [23] to Mithril [35]. Reward: 10 Conversion Prints.] Ryland was glad to see the achievement from the Grand Frame. Just more proof that he had succeeded, as it pointed out. Acrypha slowly stood straighter now that it was done.

"It doesn't feel awful." Ryland smiled.

"I appreciate your strength, Acrypha." She appeared too distracted to actually notice what he had said. The more important matter was that both guardians had vanished, dissipating to nothing as the Soul Glyph that was powering the spell that had summoned them now faded. His attempt had worked. Now, he just needed to find an actual solution instead of a stop-gap that stoppered Acrypha's Soul Glyph. Since Acrypha appeared stable for the time being, Ryland decided to shift attention to their onlooker.

"Devas," he said. The Turnalian perked up at being addressed before warping space to appear right before Ryland.

"Yes, master?"

"You have been incorrigibly idiotic as the last time."

"I am willing to suffer any punishment for my misdemeanours!"

"Just as you were the time before that," Ryland continued.

"And the time before. And the one before that as well."

"Compound interest on my punishments! But surely, you can excuse me once or twice, master. The last time, an elvhenan was masquerading as you."

"That was me, just in another body." Devas went on undeterred.

"And then the time before that, it was an Ascended Dragonkin daring to claim your identity!"

"Me again."

"And then, a Turnalian had the gall to tell me—""Me, once more." Ryland sighed.

"Let's get on with your punishment, shall we?"

"Right away, master!"" [Translocate]." Ryland didn't just cast the spell. He changed around some Subglyphs to achieve a very specific effect, which resulted in just what he was hoping for. A rift severed Devas's neck from his body, leaving the disembodied head floating while the rest of him collapsed to the ground. Devas cried out in shock.

"What in the blasted Realms? I wasn't ready for this."

"Don't worry, your body is fine. I've cut off your ability to control it by creating cellular rifts around your nerves and muscles, but I've left a Subglyph of Preservation to ensure it doesn't get decomposed by the forest." Devas looked like that was a terrible consolation for his current state before he martialled his expression.

"How considerate of you, master!"

"Acrypha!" She perked up at Ryland's call.

"Catch, please. [Translocate]." A rift swallowed the disembodied head, only to deposit it on Acrypha. She caught it instinctively. Then she stifled her shocked shriek and dropped the head to the ground. Ryland had taken away the floating capability of the rift at Devas's neck.

"Oof!" he cried.

"How dare you— argh!" That last bit had come out due to Acrypha kicking the head away on instinct.

"Sorry, my bad." She didn't sound sorry at all.

"Just instinct." Devas's voice snapped around as he bounced between the trunks of the trees that hadn't been destroyed in the last battle. Then it faded as he bounced away.

"How—could—this—happen—to—me…"

"I hope you didn't mind me dropping it on you without warning, Acrypha," Ryland said.

"But I thought the situation deserved a little bit of… ignominy." She somehow managed a grin for him.

"No, that was great, sir. Just what I needed, really." Ryland nodded with a smile. Going by the strength of that kick, suppressing her Soul Glyph hadn't affected any other Inscriptions that were boosting her physical attributes. Although admittedly, he didn't know the ceiling of her strength.

"Come on, then. I believe we've left quite a few people rather concerned."