“Now, while I hold this, look near the squirrel for its soul. When you see it, use nature magic and aim that power at the soul. Once the rope of energy tethers itself to the spirit, drag it back to the body. A final surge of nature magic will heal the body and spirit enough for the soul to reattach and restore life.”
Atlas struggled to think straight with the pain. He remembered the man’s words about this sucking and had to agree with the assessment. Instead of trying to fight it, he grit his teeth and looked toward the dead animal. A small ghostly figure of the squirrel lay curled in a ball above the corpse. It looked lost and frightened, as it huddled and shivered in place.
He lifted his hands and pushed magic toward the creature. With his focus directed at the animal, the beam of green magical power shot forth and connected. He followed the instructions as he pulled the soul to the corpse and sent one last burst of power. Master Proth withdrew the blade and pushed a vast sum of energy into him. His body tingled from the experience and all the pain faded. His health returned to max, and he breathed a calming breath.
“Sorry about that. I told you it wasn’t fun,” Proth said with sorrow in his voice.
“Yeah, I’m not sure whether I should be mad you didn’t tell me what you would do or relived you didn’t. I’m not sure I could’ve made myself do that if I knew exactly what it required.”
“It can be a tough concept to understand. That’s why only a master druid can teach this spell. The balance between life and death is precarious, and we must strive to hold you there. Now that you finished the ritual, I could alter your soul. When you are near a corpse, you can push power into a Focus Crystal to shift into the Remembrance so you can revive them.”
“At least I don’t have to be on the edge of death every time to resurrect. That would suck.”
“It would indeed. I assume you plan on moving on to Ixala now?”
“Sure do. I think I’ve done most everything I can here. Before I go, can I buy more of those crystals from you?”
“Of course. I warn you, they’re not cheap. On the plus side, they are soulbound to you so they can’t be stolen or looted.”
“That’s fine, I have plenty of money right now.”
The menu appeared, and Atlas saw the new listing for Focus Crystal. The listed price on them was 10 silver a piece. He wasn’t lying when he said they weren’t cheap, but they had to be pricey. For a Reborn, that price meant a quick return to a dungeon or fight. For an NPC, it was literally life or death permanently.
Deciding to invest up front, he bought five of them for 50 silver. The druid handed him a letter of introduction and told him to find Master Greenfoot in Ixala. With a final handshake, Atlas bid him farewell and left the building.
Chapter 15
Ixala
The trip to Ixala took him northeast of Lairthyn. The path was a well-worn road and clear the entire way. People cluttered the road in a few places. The steady thump of his staff on the dirt kept him moving at a leisurely pace.
The city eventually came into view, and it was even larger than Lairthyn. A full-sized wall of solid stone surrounded the entire city. Towers dotted the outer ring, and tiny figures stood along the battlements. From this distance, he couldn’t get an exact size on the wall.
As he drew nearer, the sheer scope of the structure finally became apparent. The wall itself stood twenty feet tall. The towers attached to it stretched another ten feet higher than that. A large wooden gate framed in iron with riveted bands of metal crisscrossed along the front.
People lined up near the gate as guards checked those that entered and ushered them through. Atlas stepped forward and one guard waved to him.
“State your business in Ixala.”
“Here to continue my druid training.”
The guard nodded at the explanation, “New to the city then? What’s your name?”
“Atlas, sir.”
The man quirked an eyebrow at the title but scribbled on his paper and handed it to him.
“Take this to your druid master and then, when he signs it, take it to the magistrate to register for the city. They’ll give you a token that lets you freely pass without the questions and delays.”
“Thanks,” Atlas told him as the guard shooed him on his way and turned to the next in line.
Unsure of where to go, he looked around the streets. The outer part of the city held most of the stables to protect the animals while also keeping their stench farthest away. Inns were popular because of travelers. A patrol of three guards walked through the streets near him and he flagged them down.
“Hey guys, sorry to bother you. Do you know where I can find the druid, Master Greenfoot?”
The three looked at each other for a moment before shaking their heads. The eldest of the group spoke up.
“Don’t know him personally. Most of the magical class masters keep residence in the Ring of Mages,” he said as he turned and pointed farther into the city, “This city is divided into rings. This outer ring is the Ring of Trades. The next ring is the Merchant Ring. Following that is the Ring of Mages. A small stone wall denotes each ring, separating them.”
“Thank you for the help!” Atlas said as he took off in the direction the man indicated.
The principal thoroughfare he walked stretched all the way into the city, and it looked like it went to the city center itself. Instead of testing out his theory, he followed the guard’s directions until he entered the breakpoint for the Ring of Magic.
The buildings in that section of town all
