Chapter 21 - Desolate Star Technique

The words glowed within Skyle’s mind as his True Sight continued to circulate before his eyes, rapidly absorbing an overwhelming amount of detail in the shape of elemental currents. Incredibly, this in turn became a deluge of information that flooded his brain until his ears were filled with a vast roar and his heartbeat was thumping madly within his chest.

“Desolate Star Technique!”

Skyle was shocked speechless as he finally realized that Fierro, an ultimate expert from an unknown realm, had passed down his final legacy in the shape of this journal. As to what sort of technique it would be, Skyle didn’t know. Still, he couldn’t help but feel thrilled at his fortune.

Even as a young boy growing up in the mountains, well away from any major cities, Skyle had still heard of the countless experts roaming the lands. These experts relied on diverse methods to cultivate their elemental energy and turn it into a peerless tool or weapon. Of course, just as there were different degrees of talent and ability, there were countless different techniques that sought to guide the elemental energy as it nurtured the expert’s body. With truly excellent techniques, it was even possible to push the human body’s limits beyond a certain threshold. They were marker lines that separated the different elemental experts from one another.

For instance, Skyle knew that the lowest level for any elemental expert, be that a warrior, mage or summoner, was the Initiate level. Practically every person on Aeria was innately able to reach this level, and in fact did so without much difficulty.

Beyond this level, was the Adept level. This was the next level, separated from the initiate level by ten whole ranks. Only half of those who assiduously practiced and cultivated their elemental energy could reach this level. The rest would forever wallow within the initiate rank, regarded as simply trash.

It seemed Leon himself was an adept of the third level, which had astounded Skyle as he had a slight idea of just how difficult it was to reach the adept level at such a young age.

Above the adept level was the Master level. These masters were respectfully referred to by others as master warriors, master mages, or master summoners. Even if they dedicated their lives to the pursuit of elemental power, only one in ten people might be able to reach such a high level of achievement in the elemental arts. The requirements in regards to the discipline of their minds as well as the power of their elemental gift were very steep. Because of this, masters were individuals to be both feared and respected.

For instance, Captain Beltrand of the Crimson Guard was a famous master warrior, well respected and held in high regard throughout the territories guarded by Redemption Keep.

As for the next level, it was the first line clearly demarking the line between a strong person, and an inhumanly strong individual. It was called the Mortal level. The name of this level made an allusion to the fact that any expert who reached this level at last had the qualifications to look down upon the entire mortal realm, as from that point forward they would have taken their first real step towards the barrier of the mortal world.

The might of mortal experts was without question, of course. Any mortal level expert could easily defeat a handful of masters, they were that strong. In truth, finding an expert of the mortal realm was truly difficult, especially in a small place like Redemption Keep. Still, Skyle knew that to reach such a level of power, special techniques were essential.

As a peerless expert, how could Fierro’s final legacy be an ordinary one? Even the method of passing down the technique was incredible, as Skyle’s eyes couldn’t see any words on the pages themselves. Instead, a complex array of elemental energy seemed to be interacting with his True Sight, directly transmitting the information into his brain.

Skyle’s entire body shook as his eyes lost focus, a sign of his consciousness focusing on the seemingly endless torrent of information being absorbed by his brain. It was just too much to process all at once, and after a few breathless moments, Skyle felt as though his head was about to burst. Still, Skyle was no stranger to pain and he had endured far worse every day as he tried to enter the spirit sight and commune with the elements. Even that daily failure had failed to stop him, how could this little pain now pose any serious obstacle?

In the end, the ordeal ended of its own volition. The light shining from the book in Skyle’s hands gradually dimmed down, then died off altogether. With loud gasp and a desperate intake of breath, Skyle’s consciousness returned to normal and he found himself staring straight into the trembling hands that held Fierro’s journal. Who could have imagined that such a small object could be so important?

As for the importance of the object, how could anyone be any clearer about it other than Skyle himself? As he narrowed his eyes and focused on the new clump of information within his consciousness, Skyle found that he could access a new set of memories that were completely unfamiliar to him. As he concentrated on this new branch within his brain, Skyle let out a gasp of surprise and pleasure.

It was the first level of the “Desolate Star Technique”!

As Skyle began to mentally organize the new memories he had been granted and slowly delved into the information, his brows began to draw together in a deep frown and beads of sweat rolled down his face. After all, it was a vast amount of information. It was akin to being given the building blocks for the grandest and most ambitious construction project of a lifetime, yet having to lift each individual block by hand.

Still, a smile crept into Skyle’s lips as unfamiliar memories were processed into knowledge, then finally they bloomed in understanding.

The Desolate Star Technique’s first stage was named Heart of the Blade. Unlike what the name suggested, it was a peerless method to flawlessly master all manner of weapons, not just a sword. Fierro’s logic-defying ability to master any weapon within a day of wielding it, even if he had never seen its like before, was finally explained to Skyle. It also infused Skyle with joy and trepidation. If only the first stage of the Desolate Star Technique could allow one to master any weapon, then what would be the second stage?

Unfortunately, it seemed as though Skyle’s current power was simply not enough to unlock the second level. The boy’s eyes slowly drifted back towards the open pages of the book held within his hands. They were still as empty as before, without a single word upon them. However, Skyle’s True Sight still saw the myriad complex patterns of elemental energy painstakingly arranged within.

What would have happened if Skyle didn’t have the True Sight? Could the requirement to unlock the second level have something to do with a higher level of the True Sight ability? Was it some other sense he would have to further develop? At least, Skyle was fairly certain the barrier was not elemental power.

After all, Skyle did find an oddity within the first level of the Desolate Star manual. Heart of the Blade’s main focus were not fighting drills or skill moves. Instead, it devoted most of its instructions on developing the senses. There were five main movements detailed within, and they targeted the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste.

Furthermore, Skyle was taken aback by the fact that there seemed to be no onerous requirements in terms of elemental power in order to train in the first level of the Desolate Star technique. In fact, it seemed to focus on the physical senses to an excessive degree. It was to the point where it made Skyle wonder if this was truly an elemental technique or simply a martial skill manual. Though a martial skill manual passed down by a peerless expert like Fierro would still be a priceless legacy, how could it compare the value of an elemental technique? The two simply couldn’t be compared!

At this thought, Skyle couldn’t help but feel uneasy and just a little disappointed. After all, Skyle had been hoping to find some secret legendary elemental technique which could cure him of his crippled elemental veins. He knew it was simply wishing for the stars, but he still couldn’t help himself. Seeing first hand the incredible might of an elemental summoner like Leon who did not back down even when facing a vicious monster like the troll, Skyle had deeply felt his own lack in elemental power.

He wouldn’t even ask to be one of the legendary elemental summoners. Just a lowly mage. If he was a mage, he could have reinforced his arrowhead with an explosive charge. Then the arrow he’d used to pierce the troll’s eye might have inflicted critical damage after exploding near its brain.

Even if he was nothing but an ordinary elemental warrior, the power of his element enhanced bow might have been able to drive the arrows faster and deeper, perhaps even reaching the troll’s brain. Then again, they might have been able to avoid the unpleasant encounter altogether if Skyle had been able to make use of the elements.

“If only. Heh, the world is truly filled with if onlys,” Skyle abruptly thought to himself.

Shaking his head, Skyle rapped himself on the head with his knuckles and smiled ruefully. Here he had received the priceless heritage of an exalted hero from another world, and he was still complaining about that which he could not change.

No wonder his father insisted on calling him a knucklehead.

“So what if its just a martial skill instead of an elemental technique? It is still another step. Just one more step, but it’s still farther than I’ve ever been. This is my journey, my story, my life.”

Here, Skyle’s exceptional discipline and focus showed its value. Most adults, let alone children, would easily be distracted or discouraged, at least for a while, and find themselves unable to properly focus. However, Skyle was able to instantly return his attention to the newly acquired information, and followed what he considered to be the most practical step he could take at this time. This involves far more than simply deciding what to do. After all, logical decisions are not very hard to reason out for most intelligent individuals.

Instead, this was a matter of the heart.

It was about whether one has the will and strength of character to rein in one’s own weaknesses and negative traits. It involves the inner person, and this is a quality that can only be grown and nurtured, not given or taken. This was, perhaps, one of the greatest gifts that his parents had bestowed upon this young man, although he didn’t quite understand it as of yet.

Of course, not understanding doesn’t mean he didn’t make full use of it. Although Skyle was wounded, exhausted, lost and on the run, uncertain of whether he would live to see another day or not, Skyle still decided the most productive course of action in his present circumstances would be to carefully study the instructions for the first technique he had just received in order to train in the first level of the Desolate Star technique, Heart of the Blade.

First, Skyle patiently reviewed all the information regarding this first exercise, making sure he had not overlooked anything and ensuring that he had rightly understood each part before moving forward. This slow and methodical way of approaching a peerless secret manual was uncharacteristic of most people, let alone children. Most would not be able to restrain themselves from gobbling it at once! Still, Skyle was not impatient and preferred to do things in the right order, in as calm and efficient a manner as possible.

A full hour had passed until Skyle felt he had grasped the basics for the first method. It was only then that he felt ready to begin to practice the first movement of Heart of the Blade - The Infinite Eye.

“Wait a second, what is this?”

Skyle sat there frozen upon the branch, feeling as though he had been smacked silly on the head with a club. A big club.

“It can’t be..”