Beyond The System
Chapter 191: The Frosty Orb

I was honestly elated by the news. My theory had actually held. Sure, maybe Griffith’s element was earth, but still, decades of experience or not, he hadn’t needed a sacred chamber or ultra-rare catalyst to form an essence. Just immersion. A true exploration of the element, physically and spiritually.

In his case, it was mostly physical, but still. Did that mean something similar could work for the others? Would sinking into the ocean be enough to trigger a Water Essence?

ARGH!

“Peter, what’s with the face?” Griffith asked, settling into the ground, still radiating that strange, satisfied calm. A moment earlier, he’d explained his next step of forming a core from all the Natural Force he’d stored up.

“I’m struggling with this whole thing,” I admitted. “The serpent was supposed to be our opportunity since it has multiple degrees of Heat Force, but you just up and buried yourself. In, I’m guessing, a literal ton of soil.”

He blinked at me. Once. Then again. His brow lifted slowly, concern creeping beneath the reaction. “What makes you think I can’t create multiple degrees of exposure to earth?”

He crossed his arms. “You do understand what experience means, right?”

“Of course I do,” I grumbled. “Just trying to get a grasp on this totally… I didn’t consider you a literal force of nature.”

He chuckled low, brushing a hand through his beard like it was model-tier hair. That made the whole thing worse. “That’s your mistake. I’ve always been a force of nature.”

Great. He had jokes now. Maybe the tropical humidity was finally getting to him.

“Haaaaah,” Thea yawned, arms stretching high as she rubbed her eyes and turned toward us. “Man. That took forever. What’d I miss?”

I cleared my throat. Time to deliver the shocking truth. “Thea, Griffith beat you.”

She stared at him. Then at me. Then back at him. “What, did you get married?”

What is up with everyone today? Luna asked, glowing bright yellow as her veins pulsed with amusement.

I shrugged. “Sorry. It just happened.”

Thea rolled her stormy grey eyes and stood. She walked over, slid behind me, crouched low, and wrapped her arms around my neck, resting over my shoulder.

“Sorry, sir. He’s mine now. Not even Elric—”

“FOR THE LOVE OF—ahhh…” Elric groaned in full-volume agony, apparently just waking up in time to catch exactly the part he didn’t want to hear.

Griffith, meanwhile, was shaking his head like a man who regretted all his life choices. His eyes were down, jaw tight, the embodiment of hollow resolve. “I’m with him on this one. You two are getting way too comfortable—”

He didn’t finish.

Because the raven-haired Sleeping Beauty over there, now very much awake, cut in smoothly, eyes dark and gleaming. “No one can resist my charms, Thea.”

Griffith let out a sound that wasn’t quite a sigh or a growl then stood. “I’m going to start training. Keep me out of whatever game you’re all playing.” His eyes sealed shut, and I had a feeling we could poke him with sticks at this point and he wouldn’t react. Though, the idea sounded tempting.

You should be happy, Wyrem said from within. Two creatures fighting for your affection.

I paused. Hard to tell if he meant it sarcastically, but… he had been getting better at tone. You’re back? How’d the memory search go?

Poorly, he answered, no hesitation. Need something to eat. We’ll talk later. Luna, how’s—

I let them have their space. Probably just going to talk training anyway.

Instead, I gently took Thea’s arm and gave it a small squeeze. “You doing alright?”

She smiled then kissed me on the cheek. “We’re alive. Spiritual Refinement didn’t turn out to be a waste, and unless my first guess was right… you’re telling me Mister Ironscribe has done something?”

I turned and kissed her back on the lips. Her ‘competitor’ made a pained noise off to the side. Probably jealousy. “I’m glad,” I said. Then I glanced at Elric, gesturing him over. I knew he’d want to hear too.

Elric shook his head. “Let’s give the commander some space. You really want to have this conversation sitting right next to him?”

Right... Thea and I stood. A few paces later, all three of us sat back down in a new spot, out of Griffith’s training radius.

“Griffith has formed an elemental essence,” I said flatly.

Absolute silence. Eyes wide and mouths hanging open like I’d just confessed to rewriting the laws of nature.

“W—what?” Thea finally managed to stutter. “You mean like a real—Like what you did?”

I nodded, keeping my face as serious as I could. “We’re not one hundred percent sure, but he seems convinced. Once he forms a core, we’ll know for certain.”

Elric leaned in, voice low but sharp. “How?”

A rush of thoughts passed through me, all the steps that led here, scrambled into a blur. “I put the idea in his head. Got distracted by the Dragon Vein. Next thing I know, he punched me in the face.”

Excellent explanation, Peter, Wyrem offered dryly. Truly. Let them untangle the sacred riddle of your words. Even I could learn from such a technique. I’m genuinely impressed.

“Thank you,” I said aloud. That earned me a few strange looks.

Hey, since you're talking, Luna chimed in. I’m hungry. Ask the serpent for blood. I want to try it.

I ignored both of them and returned my attention to the two very confused humans staring me down. From beside me, Thea gently rubbed my back.

“Peter,” she said sweetly. “You have to know that explains absolutely nothing.”

I shrugged. Of course she was right. I just didn’t want to explain it to Elric. “He buried himself in dirt, and let the element hit both body and spirit, in different layers. At least, that’s what I assume. Then he had a vision. Like mine, when I first connected with water.”

“That’s it?” Elric pressed again.

I shook my head. “Griffith said it came down to his experience and knowledge. Might’ve been the techniques he’s built up over the years, but I think there’s something else. A kind of… elemental familiarity.”

Thea sighed. I could hear both the frustration and the awe in it, equal parts wonder and dissatisfaction. “So in the end, we’ve got something, but not the full picture.”

I chuckled and let myself drop backward. Thea followed, laying to my right. Elric took the other side.

“I ended up thinking the same thing,” I said. “But it’s still a big deal. For the first time in a while, we all have a solid lead, something on elements we can build on. But here’s the weird part. Griffith didn’t even open his Nexus.”

Elric rubbed his eyes and groaned quietly. “Neither did you when you formed your second element. We never really believed it was the key. All we knew is that it helped me see something else other than Natural Force. Doesn’t mean it’s useless though.”

I think I mentioned it too, Luna added. I can see all forms of elemental energy, but I can’t absorb fire. Maybe humans are capped at two? It’s a guess, but still...

I nodded. “Makes as much sense as anything, but we got two paths to move forward. Not a lot of complaints from me.”

I paused. "Oh! Actually, I do have a question.”

Thea tilted her head toward me. “What’s that?”

“Did you guys get a mission? One telling you to touch the pillars?”

Elric groaned again from my side. “If you’re asking that, then Griffith must’ve gotten one too. Can’t tell if that’s good or bad.”

Thea nodded. From the look on her face, she’d gotten one herself. Her next words made the collective concern they had even clearer. They felt the same as Griffith. “How does it know how many Dragon Veins there are?”

I bounded up, pulling Thea with me. “Let’s just take advantage of it for now. But first, I need to train. I want to unlock my Nexus too. Can you both wait until I absorb a little more energy?”

Thea nodded without hesitation. “Of course. You’ve waited plenty for us.”

Elric gave a brief nod of his own.

So, without another word, I moved beside the pillar and dropped into position. Started cultivating.

After that… time lost its meaning.

I cycled energy, converted it, woke occasionally to work alongside the others, spent hours fine-tuning my instincts between rounds. It wasn’t perfect practice, not by a long shot, but it was steady and focused enough to call progress.

Energy flowed in, then down, then deeper. Absorbed, converted, then forced into the center of my being. Again and again. I think the sky darkened once. Maybe twice, but I didn't pay much attention.

We were rotating in shifts, and honestly, no one could say for sure how many days had passed.

I wish I could say at one point there was a big deal made about Griffith, but that was already done and over with. But judging by the smell around him, he had succeeded, already starting Earth Force Body Refinement.

I'd have to remind myself to ask him what exactly was getting refined. And of course, when he completed it, if a transformation would come. I assume Elric and Thea helped him with the Precursor Energy. Just because Serith claimed the Great Ancestor couldn't interfere with us through visions, that stuff seemed to be within us, or at least around, hidden.

Luna had mentioned something too. She’d been able to push a thread of energy forward. Just a thread, but the block was gone.

We were all glad. Her, Wyrem, and I. We welcomed that shift, even if it was small.

But the biggest help was the Voidseed. Until this moment, my first real long-term cultivation stint, I really realized how much effect it had.

Where it would usually take an hour or so to fill my center, it took minutes with the power activated. On top of that, the Voidseed had grown, now just slightly larger than a cherry, still buried inside me like a quiet star.

The snake had moved somewhere else. Probably slithered off to feed or sun itself, but it hadn’t caused trouble. No one had mentioned it, so I figured it was fine. But, when I used the void’s power, it always came back, hovering nearby as if drawn to the pull.

Then, eventually… Everything turned black.

I couldn’t move.

Lifeless, dull-grey energy floated around me.

In front of me, an egg-like object.

And above it…

The item I received from that cosmic beast.

A familiar orb. A blue crystal glowing softly.