-"We are here."-Those were the words that finally ended the silence.
I looked at the gloomy forest while feeling the stench of death all around.
-"Is your friend a necromancer?"-I asked Morgan as I helped her dismount.
-"No, quite the opposite. Let's go, I believe someone is already coming to greet us."
Morgan looked forward as a familiar man approached us.
-"Yo, my master told me to bring you to her."-Cú Chulainn waved to us.
-"Good to see you again."-I greeted him.
-"Yes, who thought we would have the chance to test our skills?"-He showed an excited smile.
-"True."-I also smiled.
-"Heh, men."-Morgan rolled her eyes.-"Lead the way."
The three of us walked a stone path under Cú Chulainn's lead. I talked with him the whole way while Morgan walked silently next to me. We spoke about the chaos after the Sword in the Stone debacle. He slapped me on the back repeatedly as he mentioned my actions there and said that even he almost believed in that 'church crap' after seeing me.
-"Man, you know how to make a show. But to think you have wings and that ring thing, how does it even work?"-He put his palm over my head, trying to feel how it is connected to my head.
-"I'm not entirely sure, Sankta are bizarre in many ways."-I shrugged my shoulders.
-"We can research them more in depth later."-Morgan smiled at me, looking at me like a subject on a dissection table.
-"I believe that life is more interesting if some strange things exist in it, so allow me to refuse."-I also responded to her with a smile.
-"Oh? Your girl?"-Cú Chulainn looked at us two.-"Great job."
Hearing his words, Morgan and I looked at each other, both surprised and afraid of misunderstanding.
-"Are you some kind of fool?"-Morgan looked at the blue lancer with disgust.
-"Please, don't tarnish the princess's reputation."
-"Hehe."-Cú Chulainn scratched the back of his head.-"No harm intended. But you should work on yourself, man. With your power, finding a princess to wed wouldn't be hard."
-"Thank you for your worry, but matters of the heart are not my focus."
-"Your loss."
Two of us talked for a while longer, while Morgan remained silent. Her eyes would look at me from time to time, contemplating something. After around ten minutes of walking, we arrived at a small castle standing near an elaborate gate made of cold black stone. My whole body felt sluggish when I looked at this stone sructure, and closer we walked, harder it was for me to breath.
But at the same time, the Originium Glintstone seemed more active. At a certain point, I even noticed that it would grow on its own. Worried by this anomaly, I quickly took off my gauntlet and looked at my arm, seeing that previously unblemished blue crystal now seemed slightly darker, slowly gaining a purple glint.
-"You all right?"-Morgan noticed my abnormality and asked worriedly.
-"Not exactly, but it shouldn't be anything major. I seem to absorb some power from that gate."
-"Will it harm you?"
-"I can't be sure, but what I'm worried about is why this is even possible."-I covered my hand with a gauntlet.-"Glintstone originates from Primeval Current, it's far greater power than simple magic, so the fact that the power of this gate can influence it..."
-"It would seem that Morgan didn't overestimate your possibilities."-A woman in tight black combat armor interrupted me as she approached.-"If you truly can absorb power from my Gate of Skye, then you almost definitely are a Foreigner."
-"Scáthach."-Morgan greeted.-"Do you know what's going on?"
-"No, but that doesn't matter. Gate of Skye leads outside this world, so the fact that he can mobilize power from outside is enough; no need to dwell on the details."-Scáthach turned to me.-"Is that power harming you?"
-"No, I can feel that it has a similar origin to the Primeval Current, most likely stars or the moon. I'll just need to be careful around this Gate as control over my magic might be slightly off."-I created some Glintstone pebbles as a test.-"I will research it later."
-"Feel free, you'll be staying here for a while. Sétanta, take him to the castle and pick a room next to me for him."
-"Sure, Master."
I looked at Morgan to seek her opinion. She nodded, and thus I followed Cú Chulainn to the castle. Meanwhile, Morgan and Scáthach remained alone.
-"What's your opinion?"-Morgan asked after Cú Chulainn and I left their view.
-"An unpolished gem. He has the steadiness of a mage and the courage of a warrior. While I don't see knightly virtues as all that beneficial, he isn't blinded by them, so I can let this go. If I were to pick his biggest weakness, then I would choose his character. While not meek nor naïve, he subconsciously takes a position of subordinate and will follow orders of others without much thought."
-"You seem to know him quite well."
-"Heh, you are not the only one observing him from the shadows. After you mentioned him that time, most of us watch him regularly."-Scáthach shot Morgan a side eye.-"So, are we going through with it?"
-"Will there be a better candidate?"
-"I don't think so. So be it. Leave him to me for that year, I'll train him into a true hero."
-"Just don't break him."
-"Don't worry, at most I'll make him fall head over heels for me so that he is motivated, like my other pupil. Pity he gave up later."-Scáthach sighed, feigning sadness.
-"Make sure you don't end up as a prize."-Morgan rolled her eyes, annoyed at her 'friend'.
After coming to my assigned room, I started to take tests and check the influence of that power on myself. Three hours later, I had a basic understanding of my state and about nature of that power. My Originium Glintstone was being supplemented by that power, becoming more 'pure' in its principles.
From my Mentor, I learned that Glintstone carries Fate inscribed in the Stars; thus, its principles lie in Fate, Stars, and Magic. But that this was only part of the true power contained in the celestial origin of the gods. An example of that was the fallen star that became the Elden Ring, signaling that miracles of the Golden Order are also connected to the Stars.
The Moon was another example, a celestial being that carried power different from Stars, yet similar enough that they could mix. Even I, despite not possessing a moon of my own, was able to use moonlight sorceries by relying on the power of stars, showing this connection.
From the power I was slowly absorbing, I felt principles of Death and Life interconnected into Stars and Moon, which is why they could be so easily absorbed that I couldn't even stop it. I even felt a slight yearning from this connection, as if something important for me was on the other side. Deciding to get a better feeling, I left my room and approached the Gate.
When I walked before it, I could feel the strangeness and power contained in this towering stone building. This Gate seemed not to belong to this world, yet it was also a core part of it. As I was in deep thought, I didn't notice when Scáthach walked to my side.
-"Interested in what's on the other side?"-She asked suddenly.
-"Yes."-I admitted directly.-"But I feel that it's not that easy to go there, am I right?"
-"Indeed. I was granted right of passage to the other side once, from where I received both gift and curse. Now I'm a guard who stands before all those who wish to cross, be it from outside or inside. This is the price I have to pay for my passage back then."
-"So, if I want to cross, I need to defeat you?"
-"Exactly. But now you are too weak."
-"Why do you assume that I will want to cross this Gate?"-I looked at her.
-"Because I was like you. I learned that this power can help me, later slowly utilized it, and finally went there to claim it for myself."-She showed a bitter smile.-"Now I'm no longer human of this world, but something in between, in and out, so I seek one that will defeat me, allowing me to fully leave this world. I see that you desire power, power far beyond mortal capabilities. As such, you will enter this Gate."
-"Where does it lead anyway?"
-"Outside. For me, it was an abyss filled with death and decay. I called it Land of Shadows, but honestly, I don't fully know what's there. You might find something entirely else, for all I know. I'm just a gatekeeper."
-"Sigh."-I sighed and decided not to care about that Gate for now and focus on matters at hand.-"So, what's your plan?"
-"I will train you. Morgan will prepare to make a contract with Counterforce. She will need at least a month, but we agreed that you'll train under me for two months before you go there."
-"What will you teach me?
-"What do you want to learn? I can teach you everything I know: spear, runes..."
-"Then I wish to learn what you gained from the Gate."-I decided instantly.
This silenced Scáthach for a moment; she took a second look at me. I thought she would disagree, but she smiled and nodded. Her eyes changed when she looked at me. Before, her eyes were always cloudy and exhausted, even though she showed emotions normally; her eyes were always unfocused. But now, her eyes for the first time reflected something.
-"You are quite greedy, huh? To think you would pick my Wisdom, so be it. Be sure not to surrender in the middle."-She started to leave.-"Find me in the morning at the main training ground. Be ready for hell."
I stayed behind for a while longer before returning to rest.
The next morning, I met with Scáthach. She gave me a set of armor like the one Cú Chulainn wears, the difference being that mine was black like hers and left my crystalline arm fully exposed. After I changed into it, I walked into the training room where Scáthach stood with her spear.
This was where I understood the true meaning of struggle. I thought that the days back then, when every move cut my innards with Originium were hard, but only now do I understand the true meaning of pain. It's not the sharp or gnawing feeling, nor the sense of burning. If you can feel it, you can comprehend it. The greatest pain is when you know you should feel something, your body and spirit react like you feel something, and yet, you feel nothing, only emptiness.
This is what I felt when that red spear chipped my arm for the first time. That crystal is almost equal to my soul, so when I saw that small shard flying away from me, I knew I had lost something, but I couldn't remember what. Before I noticed I was on the ground, my body contorted and my mind muddled, but I felt nothing. I couldn't comprehend what was going on.
The next days passed like a mirage. I never knew what hour it was, I couldn't recognize people in front of me, and even forming simple thoughts was challenging. Scáthach would make me fight constantly, randomly changing her weapons and techniques. Using magic and other powers I had no knowledge about, but every time, I would adapt, learn, and slowly use those against her.
Only after a month had passed, I slowly regained control over myself. At first, nothing more than brief moments of clarity in the middle of combat, later the whole fights where I was able to utilize things I didn't understand, just felt that I could use them like that. Glintstone shards inscribed with runes, a Crystal Spear that slowly showed power to reverse casualty, and Ashes that seemed more alive, cooperating and acting with intelligence.
I could now freely change my weapons, utilize everything with almost inhuman mastery. My every action slowly approached the realm of perfection, yet I felt it was never enough. My every attack was blocked by Scáthach, and my defense would always be pierced. Even now, when I felt that my attacks carried principles beyond mortal power, I was far behind her.
During the last week, I was even able to speak; as such, Scáthach and I would talk almost nonstop. We spoke about our pasts, what we loved and hated. Her warrior days and my student nights, people we passed and met in our lives. Even future plans and wishes. We threw everything out, what was supposed to be simple training turned into a Catharsis for both of us. When we finally stopped, I wasn't exhausted; on the contrary, I felt more alive than ever before.
-"It would seem that you achieved what you asked for."-Scáthach looked me up and down.-"I will wait for the day you challenge me again."
-"I will do so for sure."-I nodded and also took a look at myself.
Despite my arm being chipped nonstop, the crystal would grow quickly, so there were no signs left. But one couldn't say it didn't change, as due to increased absorption of power from the Gate, the previously deep blue crystal was now much darker with dots of white light inside, glimmering like stars. My halo also changed, but it didn't become similar to my arm. It was now light blue, almost white, looking like a wreath made of streaks of moonlight. My wings expanded to be almost the same size as when I 'played' an angel, and while the shards closely resembled my crystalline arm, from every side one would look like, their counters were the same light that was now my halo, making them stand out from the surrounding as if they were accented.
The rest of my body didn't change much, only becoming visibly healthier. The only last element that showed any change was my eyes. Before, my eyes never stood out much; being blue, they blended with the rest. Now they held the same light as my halo, glowing slightly with the magic and power I absorbed.
After checking myself over, I changed from the rags that remained from the training armor and returned to my room for rest. Tomorrow was a free day, but the day after, I had to meet Morgan as such I directly went to sleep, as even despite my feelings, my body was at the edge of collapse. When my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep instantly.
Unbeknownst to me, Scáthach returned to the Gate directly after leaving the training room, her spear pointing at the closed doorway.
-"Leave. This world does not welcome you."
-"No, but you do."-The voice from the other side spoke.-"That person is someone connected to me, let him pass."
-"I have my responsibilities."
-"I see, your hands are also tied. So be it, I won't make it hard for you, doorkeeper, but let me teach him how to use the power he gained, or he will lose himself in it, just like you."
Scáthach was silent for a moment, finally lowering her spear. As she did that, a speck of light passed through the doors, flying toward where my room was. When it disappeared, the voice from the other side also left. Only Scáthach remained, blood slowly sweeping from the corner of her mouth, punishment for duties she didn't uphold.