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”I was told you were already familiar with my mountain?” The being known as Dee asked conversationally. Dee, or Haydee as her full name went, was the other Nakshatra they had been waiting for. She had returned just a few hours earlier and was now conversing with the group of reincarnators.

Dee herself was an odd mix of races. At first glance, she looked a lot like an angel with two differently colored halos and wings, along with foxtails that no doubt numbered nine and were also all different colors. The fact that she also had four hands threw the picture off even more. Unlike her companion Selendil, Dee was much better at concealing her strength, though Karna’s sharp senses could sense the eccentric mix of powers that had lifted the being to such heights. There was a definite feeling of the power of gods mixed with her other abilities, though those gods were likely not from this universe.

“Familiar is perhaps a strong word. We’ve met before though. Am I correct in assuming you acquired the mountain on a world called Pantheon? Right. As one might assume, a mountain can be very old. I was among the people that created that world, though before you ask, I had very little hand in the process. I was merely present and lent my expertise with some of the more complicated concepts. I met the mountain then, although I can’t say how much the mountain’s consciousness has changed since then. It was already developing a level of intelligence back then thanks to the master of the mountain. Something you should be aware of though, is that time flows differently between universes, and the speed sometimes ebbs and flows. That particular universe hit a very slow patch soon after I died. So, for me, that was dozens of lifetimes ago while for the mountain and its old master the acquaintance was much more recent.” Karna gave a curt explanation.

“Yet you still remember.” The angelic being pointed out.

“I have a good memory, and living mountains aren’t common enough that you easily forget. And the mountain has only become more reality-defying since then. If you were to ask me about the mountain’s master, I’d probably have very few details I could share. Anyway, the mountain sees things a little differently, so it was able to recognize my soul, despite the vessel being different.” Karna just shrugged.

Dee suddenly leaned towards Karna and sniffed a couple of times. “You smell…like me. Like a chimera. Like someone who has been made of many different creatures. Were you made like that against your will as well?”

“No. I’m a mix of bloodlines because I choose to be. That’s due to my Aura cultivation method combining the bloodlines of many beings.” Karna responded a little surprised by the sudden forwardness. “I gather from your question that you did not have a choice in the matter.”

“Indeed, I did not. I was created to be a weapon, and to do that…well. I suppose at least in that they succeeded. I…can’t entirely fathom someone choosing to become like me, though I suppose if you look at it from the perspective of gaining the advantages of multiple races, then…” The being shook her head a bit. “Still an odd concept. From what I smell, you do not take the power of your enemies either. The power of Sengir, I believe it’s called.”

“Ah, that one. No, you’re correct, I do not. There’s nothing wrong with doing it, but I’m a bit of an…artisan when it comes to my cultivation. I take pride in building every brick that goes into the house that is my cultivation. Unlike most, I don’t really use the help of herbs, pills, potions, or other supplements either. I believe it makes me stronger. And considering how many lifetimes I've lived, I'd say I have some proof to that effect." Karna took care not to sound judgmental.

“I can confirm that.” Envy added. “Her cultivation is bloody brilliant.” There was a reason she usually stole it after all, even when there were more powerful options available. She knew from experience though that her ability to steal cultivation wouldn’t work on Nakshatra that were somewhat designed to fight reincarnators. Aside from that, trying to steal the cultivation of a psion wouldn’t work either, as psions could not use magic or Qi.

“I suppose living all those lives has given you perspective we can’t really argue with. I didn’t have much choice personally as I was constantly struggling to become as powerful as quickly as possible.” Dee admitted.

"And certainly, I would never begrudge that. Someone whose power has been forged in the fires of war and struggle will always be stronger than someone who has grown powerful in a gilded palace or peaceful mountain retreat. There are many ways to grow strong. Your way has left you with a powerful element of death, which can be a good thing as well. It can be a powerful element, even if some look down on it. I personally use the power of True Dark quite often, which is another despised element.” Karna made sure to reinforce that she wasn’t judging.

“It’s not the power, but how you use it.” Dee quoted the old saying. “Moving on, I was informed that you might be able to help us with giving an intelligent item of mine a body to inhabit. Or to be more precise, make it so that the spirit inside actually has a living feeling body, instead of just piloting a mechanical one.”

“That depends on the item, but the chances are good. I can confidently say that if I can’t manage it, it can’t be done. You brought the item in the original state?” Karna accepted the slightly forceful shift in topic.

"As instructed." Dee handed over a relatively simple-looking amulet.

Karna placed the amulet on a table between them and started casting a diagnostic spell after another while allowing her magical senses to sink inside the item to figure out the secrets hidden within. The item was a support item with a mind and personality of its own. Instead of instantly bringing great power, the item evolved alongside with the owner, either covering the weaknesses of the wearer or supporting their strengths even further. The personality would also develop according to the owner, taking on many of the same traits before eventually diverging into a completely new and separate personality. The item was a masterwork of spellcraft and magical engineering.

The potentially tragic part of the item was that the personality within would be reset when the item passed to a new owner, along with any powers it held. The reason was obvious. The most common way for an item like this to switch owners was for the previous owner to die. it was too much to expect a developed personality within the item to just merrily serve the new master that might have murdered the old one. An intelligent item like this could just as well sabotage the holder as it could enhance their abilities. It was a bit cruel to the spirit within the item, but it was kind of ingenious and necessary.

Moving the spirit to a new body could theoretically be done, but it hinged on a few things and did come with some problems. The most obvious problem was whether there was anything to move. “Does this unit have a soul?” Karna muttered quietly.

“What?” Dee asked, not having heard properly.

“What?” Karna repeated.

“You said something about a soul. I didn’t quite hear what.” Dee clarified.

“Ah, that was just something I heard from someone else a long time ago.” She turned back to the amulet on the table. “Croestia, was it? Do you believe you have a soul?”

Dee was about to angrily respond in the amulet’s stead, but Karna quieted her with a raised hand. This question was important. The amulet considered the question for a moment before a feminine voice responded. “I believe I do. I can’t be sure, but…”

“Good.” Karna smiled. “The reason why I asked, is because when we’re dealing with artificial intelligences, either magical or mechanical, the moment the intelligence believes they have a soul is the moment when one is born. And for this transfer to truly be successful, you needed to have a soul. It was important that you answered yourself without anyone else doing it for you.”

"Of course you have a soul Croestia," Dee claimed without hesitation.

"That's the first hurdle. Transferring a soul from one vessel to another is difficult, but feasible. There are some potential issues with the process though. The first one you need to be aware of is that I don't know how much of the amulet's supportive abilities will remain after the transfer. The odds are about 50/50 whether she can keep them as the magic of the item will likely not transfer over completely. There's also a chance that some of them will just apply to her new body instead of you Dee. This is something you need to be aware of. On the upside, if you prepare a good body for her, she'll be capable of cultivating on her own. Because her soul is so new and weak, her cultivation will likely be slow and weak at least in the beginning, so I recommend preparing a vessel that isn't prone to dying of old age.” She explained.

“That’s alright. I’d happily lose any support she provides for a friend of mine to have a life of her own.” Dee didn’t seem too bothered. “What kind of body do you recommend.”

"One that isn't already occupied," Karna stated perhaps the obvious. "Don't grow a clone or anything, as they can develop a soul of their own, and Croestia here isn't likely to win any battle for the control of a body. Aside from that, the choice is entirely yours. Something else though. When the transfer happens, you need to be far away. I can sense that you draw the souls of the dead to yourself and channel them to the River of Souls. Her soul will be for all intents and purposes identical to a dead person's soul during the transfer, and the process is delicate enough without you accidentally pulling her along."

“I’d rather be there, but I understand. Selendil can stay, yes? It’s not that I don’t trust you, but this is important.” Dee seemed likely to insist.

“Not a problem for me. We can start as soon as you have a vessel prepared. Oh, since the amulet is a magical one, I’d recommend something that can hold magical power, so something from a universe that isn’t Selendil’s. Psions and magic don’t really mix well.”

"Hmm, we'll have to prepare something," Selendil said thoughtfully. "It might take time since we'll want the best that can be arranged of course."

"I believe we can wait. Now that we know it can be done, we're no longer in a rush, though of course, I'd prefer a faster resolution." Dee nodded in agreement.

“Unfortunately, we’ll have to go back soon. We enrolled in the Host for our political goals, and we have to attend the training program they have prepared for us. We’re not in a rush yet, but if you’re only starting the process of finding a suitable body, then we won’t be able to stick around long enough.” Valor noted. “We gave our word, so we can’t go back on it.”

“That’s fine. Did I understand correctly that the process itself wouldn’t be a long one once all the preparations are done?” Dee asked.

“Well the transfer itself won't take more than an hour, but I'd recommend you to stay away from the new body for at least a week to allow the soul time to attach properly. I'd say more than a week would be better, but a week would be the minimum." Karna made sure to emphasize.

“Alright. If this goes well then we’ll certainly owe you one. You have our support for now.” Dee nodded, echoing Selendil’s earlier words.

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The four, having reached their goal of gaining the favor of two such powerful beings, turned their focus back to the rest of the Divine Planes and made their way to the neutral city of Golconda, and more specifically the training center of the Host. They were all wearing the bronze-colored trainee armor that Karna had created in her free time while they had been waiting for Dee’s return. The armor marked them all as new trainees as every trainee had to wear the at least outwardly same armor, even if the performance of theirs was much better than usual.

Thanks to their armor, they were quickly picked up and directed to the trainee barracks dedicated to those that hadn’t yet been assigned to a training group. They were not the last to arrive as there were still a few days before the beginning of training, but they were far from first. Somehow the barracks were already filled to brimming and the Host’s mages were already adding extension spells. “Is it just me or does the place seem quite busy?” Envy asked no one in particular.

“This does seem unusual.” Valor added his agreement.

“Sharp eyes.” The more experienced trainee leading them seemed happy to explain. “From what I’ve heard, the last few years since the draft was instituted has swelled the ranks of recruits, but this is unusual even by those standards. There have already been thousands of arrivals and we’re expecting it to only get worse the closer we get to the deadline. You can thank the rumors for that.”

“Rumors?” Valor asked disinterestedly. All armies were hives of rumors and gossip, and most of those rumors were bogus.

“Word is there’s a princess from the Royal House starting this year. The long-lost Princess Ynnead if I recall correctly. Aside from curiosity, everyone sees it as an opportunity to forge connections. If you're going to get drafted anyway, why not do it the same year as the princess? At least you have the chance to get something good out of the situation. Doesn't hurt that the rumors say her mother has a claim on being the Goddess of Beauty, and well…everyone's assuming." The man cheerily explained.

“Uh-huh. A beauty, huh?” Envy looked meaningfully at Karna, who had elected to make her own helmet the type that hid her face. She knew her identity would get out soon enough, as that was sort of the whole point of this endeavor, but she was hoping to forestall it a bit to avoid anyone approaching her until the training began. She assumed from experience that they’d all be too busy to socialize too much once the training got into full swing.

“That’s the rumor. Of course, rumors always take on a life of their own, so who can say. Still, most of the newbies, oh sorry that’s you as well, won’t have time for such things soon. You girls don’t need to worry too much. The Host takes a dim view on anyone thinking the Host is a dating service.” The guy seemed to genuinely want to reassure them, and he was obviously proud of being part of the Host, even if still just a trainee himself. “Right, here we are. Since we’re already having to expand our living quarters as fast as we can, we can’t give you more than one room, but once you get sorted into training units, you’ll be staying in shared barracks anyway. Better get used to it. Not much chance for comfortable lodgings while deployed on the battlefield either.”

As the trainee rushed off to receive the next batch of newbies, Valor turned to the rest of them. “The rumor mill works fast as usual. Sometimes I think soldiers are worse gossips than old ladies. Still, I’m surprised Marius let the news slip. He didn’t seem the type.”

“I’m not sure he had much choice. Once our names were listed on the rolls, they became public knowledge. It would’ve drawn more attention if he’d tried to suppress the information. Anyone with enough clout would’ve found out anyway. This way we at least have some buffer between us and the annoying gnats.” Karna argued.

“Well, we expected this. Hence the helmets.” Hope knocked on her own closed helmet. “Well, that and protection.”

“Have you given thought to what the instructions said about choosing a specialty?” Valor decided to shift topics.

The Host divided all the trainees according to their specialties to focus on training them to act as part of the Host by using the unified methods of their chosen specialty. Naturally, people were often multi-talented and could be trained in multiple specialties, but the Host trained them in a single specialty at a time, so that they'd know what exactly was expected of them in large army situations. They had to be able to respond to orders in very particular ways and very quickly. Small group situations were often different and required a wider range of skills, but the Host was an army first and foremost. While they operated in small squads most of the time while on the field, being able to act as a unified army often took precedence. The more advanced stages of training would deal with squad tactics and related issues.

“Well, if we want to be placed in a single squad, then it would be beneficial if we chose a wider range of specialties. We don’t want to have three people enrolled as mages, as that wouldn’t make for a very balanced squad.” Envy pointed out. Since she’d snatched Karna’s magic cultivation, she now qualified as a mage as well.

"On the other hand, if we prove ourselves as a power squad of mages able to deal with any situation together, that would give Marius an excuse to keep us together as well." Hope brought up another option. They had been assured that the titans would help them stay together, but it would be easier if they gave a plausible reason for it.

“We’ll see when the training starts. They might not even give us a choice and just divide us based on test results.” Karna decided with a shrug.