Chapter Thirty-Six; Gates of the Empyrean City
The party stayed for another few days, getting supplies and preparing to move on through the gates of Empyrean. Saif was prepared, she had been stocking supplies and Sadé had done her best to give her tips and hints on what to do.
Baek had given her a small smooth rock and he explained that it was a hearth stone. Which when held in the hand of a Seeker, it will return them to the first floor they ever entered. This would allow Saif to begin her journey from the start but also allow her to level up as best as she could.
She had left the night before them and Sadé and Katie seemed the most upset, in the shortest amount of time, they both had become very protective of Saif. With a shy smile and a bow, she left them and headed for the first gate on her own.
After that, they all had rested in their inn and paid for their final night. Patton had tiered up, he was now a tier II Seeker, the second after Katie who was glad to let everyone know she was still the strongest in the party.
Patton had grown considerably; stronger and Jazmel could tell from the way his Mana flowed around his body. It had changed in density but also it had grown much deeper than he had before. He explained to Jazmel that as he used Mana for both combat spells and swords, he needed more than the usual amount. So, he had used a tier tribulation item to elevate this for himself.
Baek had interjected saying it was smart and this led to an important conversation between the group.
“The labyrinth allows you the opportunity to create, what you as a Seeker believes is the best creation to be able to get through the labyrinth’s many trials and quests.” Baek explained, he was sitting at the edge of the table and drinking tea, something he had grown to quite enjoy whilst they stayed in this inn.
“What do you mean by creation?” Sadé asked, quite curious.
“Well, you pick the skills and tools that best fit you and elevate your abilities, right? Imagine if you and Patton swapped bodies right now. Would you be able to use his skills like he uses his own?” Baek asked and Sadé conceded, with a shake of her head.
“When you tier up or learn anything, you have to think about how best you will make use of what you will gain.” Baek explained and they all sat and pondered.
“Do you know what a class is?” Baek asked them all and nobody knew, even Sadé; to Jazmel’s abject surprise.
“After you pass the tenth floor, you will gain the ability to pick a class. This will usually revolve around the skills you already have and its sort of an amalgamation of them in one class. But you can only pick one class.”
“So, I will be stuck with one class for the rest of my time in the labyrinth!?” Katie exclaimed.
“Your class can be promoted, but it will always be in the same frame. Take for example, if I use a sword. my class would be something surrounding swords but let us say I defeat a tier IV monster with the same skills and class that I have been using for a long time, you gain the option for promotion. A swordsman might become a sword master or a sword sage. Depends on all the diverse ways he or she lives in the labyrinth. All things flow into one.” He said with a smile and using the palm of his hand he let a small gust of wind become a little tornado.
“You also must remember that when you start out, any experience you gain, will go to your stats or to your levels. But the stronger you grow and the higher your stats are or skills, the more experience you will need. That is why there seems to be such a gap between Rankers and Masters, what could it take for a Ranker to cross the threshold and gain Mastery of themselves?” he asked them, and they all sat pondering.
“What class are you?” Jazmel asked and everyone looked at Baek who simply sipped his tea again, after speaking for so long.
“My class promoted a while ago. But I can tell you, it has everything to do with my martial art abilities.” Baek said, not looking up at any of them.
“The tenth floor.” Patton said and they all sighed, that seemed far away but they were still trying their best.
“Do not worry about the floors, keep going at the rate you are going. All things will make sense when they need to.” Baek said and Jazmel felt the group ease at this. They all went to bed, ready to begin their journey tomorrow.
It was barely the ninth hour in the morning when they had all reached the three gates of Empyrean city, and like Patton had mentioned before, they were the only way out of the city. Entering the city through the south, heading straight up and towards the north. You came upon three gates penned in with archway structures built around them.
There was nothing distinctly different about any of them, besides the fact that there were three. One after the other, groups in many lines were all standing waiting to walk in after others ahead were being let through. They entered the lane for the third one and began to wait as the line moved along.
“We definitely are going with the third one, right?” Katie asked again to which the group all groaned.
“We have already discussed this at length.” Bannerman said and huffed a small growl.
“So, what puppy! A girl can change her mind if she wants.” She said and Bannerman merely looked ahead of their place in the line.
Jazmel noticed that Katie and Bannerman had an understanding between them, he did not know what it was. But he knew that they seemed to enjoy being around each other, even if Katie were always poking at him.
The line was moving slowly, and Jazmel watched as others moved up faster and further. Since his eyes had changed, he could see the Mana flowing through people as easily as he saw hair colour or even eye colour. Even now his eyes were picking up telltale Mana from the variety of Seekers around him.
One Seeker was filled with Mana. Way more than Jazmel had seen before, more than even Patton and Katie and they were both heading towards Ranker. He looked at him intently and as if he felt his eyes, he looked at Jazmel too.
This young man was tall, as slender, and sharp as a spear. His hair was tied back neatly, and he wore a long sleeveless cloak, his arms were pale and almost porcelain like. He looked like he had never been beneath the sun in all his days, but the intensity of the Mana that rippled within him was quite great. Jazmel himself was quite shocked at being spotted but also at the strength of this young man. He was stronger than all his party, besides Baek and Jazmel knew it. Immediately.
“Not everyone walks the same path as others, some are destined to be born great. While others will grow to become great.” Baek said, from the side of Jazmel, he looked at him and noticed he was also studying the young man, who in turn. Noticed Baek and turned away immediately, suddenly worried.
“Young Master, keep going as you are. I do not doubt you will meet the heights you seek.” Baek said and again Jazmel was uncomfortable with being referred to as a Master, but he kept it to himself this time.
They finally reached the front of the queue and entered the great gaping archway was different to the other gates, Jazmel had entered before. This one was peaceful; it did not want to enter a storm. It was just a giant doorway that led to somewhere beyond this floor. They walked through without any problems and after a few steps, stepped out into a forest unlike any before.
The trees were magnificent in size, the leaves that sprouted from the branches were glossy and healthy like jewels. Birds sang songs unlike Jazmel had heard before, even the creatures of the forest seemed to be in eternal bliss, this looked like a paradise.
“We have entered an elven forest.” Baek told them all and Sadé groaned.