36: The Song of Shi-an Non

Liran's party gathered in the dining hall to feast on a hearty breakfast.

"Now you're talking!" Bosnia raced for the plates of sausages and eggs steaming up a spot.

Clover chuckled as she dumped herself down on the bench spot next to her sister, who was already stuffing her face.

The wizards chuckled as they joined everyone.

"Is Liran-sai okay?" Aiden asked Grayman when he eased onto the bench before him.

"She's recovering."

"Recovery done." Liran strutted into the hall and posed before her friends, flicking tufts of blond hair off her shoulder.

The wizards nodded with approval.

Annoying Imp and Clover went to greet her and lead her to a spot next to Aiden.

"Thanks guys." Liran stared at the table, gathering her thoughts. Then face them all with a heartfelt bow. "I owe you all my life."

"Eek." Rat fretted, feeling awkward. He couldn't use the sovereign joke after what he had learned. "Ah, well, we got to eat good food so let's call it even."

She laughed and flashed him a wink, sitting down next to Aiden. "It's good to see you."

"Thanks to you." Aiden's mind recapped his near death experience. His expression lapsed into a sober thought. "That blood code you used..."

"New, but I'm glad I had one in my lineage magic to save you." She nodded and grabbed a mug of frothing warm mead to fire up her bones.

Everyone ate, sharing pleasant conversation until Graylight rose at the head of the table to discuss a matter.

"As you all know, the Morningstar is an ancient entity that has taken hold of Liran's soul. We can't have it running amok in our world and time." 

Graylight gave an overview of how the Morningstar connected to The Alchemist. It was a piece of the heijin necromancer's soul, which was embedded in the soul gem to act as the controller.

"This gave his greatest weapon over life complete control."

"If Liran-sai is only carrying a piece, what was the full soul gem's capability like?" Rat gulped.

Graylight's eyes narrowed. "World threatening control. In waves, souls were captured and Soulless were forged. Right now, with the fragment, it has the ability to create small numbers of soulless from the dead."

"We've fought those." Clover confirmed.

"But this soul fragment has awakened." Liran sighed. "I'll do my best to contain its urges, but we may face deadly soulless threats."

"The ones we faced weren't deadly enough?" Annoying Imp frowned.

Graysky nodded. "They probably were akin to mindless rabble. But now that the fragment's consciousness is actualized, the next ones you fight will be at his command and whim."

Graylight had everyone finish eating then gather at the outside courtyard.

Liran strolled down the wide stone stairs next to him.

"Grayman told me there's a one rule countdown to your soul."

"Wonderful." She let out a sarcastic moan.

"There is a way to slow his hold over you." He patted her shoulder.

Liran followed his instructions to stand at the center with her lute ready for playing. A zither materialized before Graylight. He strum a note to test the strings tuning.

Liran's friends and the other wizards watched the two perform a song.

"This song is called Shi-an Non. Light of the Soul."

"A Blessed Mother's song!" Liran gasped, feeling honored. Old songs from her race before humans were almost unheard of and extremely rare.

"One of the two we were privileged to record. This one grants the power to push back the black magic from your soul. Listen."

Graylight's zither cast a soothing and dreamy melody, which caused the snowfall to pause the courtyard to glow with silver light.

Annoying Imp closed his eyes as he felt a warmth flow through him to uplift his spirits. Soft touches stroked everyone's skin like energy was wrapping them in a warm blanket.

The zither stopped playing.

"Amazing." Liran gasped with awe. She raised her lute before her and closed her eyes, remembering the feeling of the song. When she had all the notes sorted in her mind, she began to replay the song.

Gold light bathed the courtyard to melt the snow and cause small flowers to bloom.

"Holy Mother of Light!" Aiden was wonderstruck at nature's beauty surrounding him.

Bosnia's hand allowed streams of gold light flow through her fingers, feeling her vitality uplifted and her spirit clearer.

As Liran continued to play the song, gold light wrapped around them to reinforce their spirit, keeping their body's channels clear for smooth lingxi flow. For Liran, she felt a sleek warmth cast over her that solidified her soul to make it stronger.

Graylight nodded when she stopped playing at the song's natural end. "I've taught you three verses, which is all we have here. There are seven and a chorus in total. But this is enough to refortify your soul energy should you face another soul attack."

Liran bowed with her respects. "Thank you."

"I also placed a divine bind on all the Blood Leech runes except the one connected to your soul. It will drain your life in a year, but if you absorb the Soul Flower, you have the chance to extend this."

Liran and her party received further advice and instructions. They then gathered what they needed for a long and perilous journey. Aiden was given a new sword, which had a lightning rune embedded. The girls' daggers were upgraded with a lingxi absorption ability to keep their stamina refilled with their fight.

Annoying Imp felt honored to hold a two-hand dark iron hammer, which once belonged to a dwarven prince.

"For me? This belonged to royalty!" He felt too small to receive such a gift.

Graybeard brushed off his concerns. "Your fighting prowess more than makes up for it. This hammer called Slamhead is itching for good fights. It's wasted here. It'll serve you well."

The hammer shimmered with silver light as if giving confirmation.

Annoying Imp nodded and slapped the hammer to his back. He bowed with his thanks.

"Here." Graysky handed Rat scrolls, which the mouse stored in his diamond spatial compartment.

"Thank you." Rat felt awkward and humbled. He turned and raced up Annoying Imp's side to perch on his shoulder.

Grayman didn't hide his worry when he gave Liran sparse directions to the Soul Flower.

"I'll be fine." She patted his shoulder.

"Cheeky brats." He sighed and added that they would meet them at the White Tower of Irelon.

"Why there?" Aiden asked. As Irelon was where the Alfaren Royal Army southern knights were stationed. He recalled Darien saying that he was headed there.

"Because that's where the Immortal Hammer is, and the only thing that can destroy the Morningstar fragment."

"Got it." Liran nodded and patted Aiden's shoulder. "That's our next destination. I mean, if you want it to be."

"You still owe me 50 sovereigns," Aiden nonchalantly replied.

"Still! Doesn't saving your life clear the debt?"

"That was just part of the duty."

"Your life is so cheap, it's not even an option?!!"

Aiden burst with laughter, which stirred it out of others.

"Fine. Let's go!" She turned, flashed a wink to the wizards and boldly made her way out of the Library of Andor Sakratu: Andor Scholar Wizards, with her friends.