Over the next few days, I practiced using spirit magic while Kiki and Kaya supervised. This practice took on three forms.
First, I practiced in partial unity, meaning Aurora and I weren't one in body, mind, and soul. This took some getting used to, since we were sharing senses while still separated.
Rather, I borrowed her senses. I still perceived the world through my body, but added Aurora's perception on top of that. Ironically, I found this more difficult than in full unity, since I only had the one mind. I couldn't use two different trains of thought at the same time. This frustrated me, but I persevered.
Second, I practiced sharing senses with Aurora from a distance. She would go someplace out of sight and I would try to see through her eyes, hear through her ears, and so on. This ended up being easier than borrowing her senses. The downside was that I was completely helpless while doing this, since my mind was busy perceiving the world from Aurora's perspective.
Kiki and Kaya warned me never to use this without assuring my safety. Otherwise, an enemy could slit my throat and I wouldn't know until I was already dead.
Third, I practiced borrowing Aurora's senses while fighting, both in partial unity and full unity. Kiki and Kaya both acted as my sparring partners. This proved the most difficult of all, but it paid off in dividends.
Greater awareness of the world around me, including the ambient mana, gave me a greater ability to read my opponent's moves. I read the air currents, which helped me predict their movements, as well as the flow of mana, which helped me predict what kind of martial technique or spell they might use.
It turned out that whenever an Awakened used mana, it affected the environment around them in minute ways. I never noticed before because my ability to sense mana had been too dull. However, borrowing Aurora's senses now made this possible.
Of course, it helped that Kiki and Kaya deliberately made things easier for me. I imagined that things would be more difficult when fighting a real opponent.
Still, this ability could be a game changer. If I combined this with my mastery of martial arts, as well as my new affinity for Ice, I believed I could challenge far more powerful opponents now. While I wouldn't be able to defeat a Fourth Ranked Awakened, I could fight them to a draw.
And I hadn't even taken the spirit core yet. When that happened, I believed I'd be able to challenge Fifth Ranked Awakened. At least, I'd be able to ensure my own survival. Fighting one wasn't a guaranteed death anymore.
While this went on, my companions hadn't returned home and continued receiving Holy magic from the gods. When this first happened, I grew worried and wanted to visit Mt. Sol to check in on them. However, Kiki and Kaya warned me against this.
"Priests gain Holy magic through their faith in their chosen god," Kaya said while wearing a solemn expression. "That faith forms a connection. However, for your friends, it is different. They are forming a stronger connection with the gods. This will allow them to wield more power with a greater degree of control. It's similar to the contract you formed with Aurora."
Kiki snorted.
"Yes, but this is more dangerous and more difficult than forming a spirit contract," she said.
"What?!" I asked. "Why didn't you warn me?"
Kaya threw a glare Kiki's way.
"It wasn't necessary," she said. "Your friends will be fine."
"Anna and Cally might," I said. "But what about Leroy? Unlike the others, he isn't a regressor. They never chose him to save the world. He got involved in all this because of me."
"True, but the gods took that into account," Kaya said. "If Lady Terra found Leroy unworthy or unwilling, she wouldn't have accepted him as her chosen champion. That fact that he isn't here now proves that she had."
I looked at Kiki for confirmation. She nodded.
"As much as I hate to admit it, Lady-that goddess is the most cautious of the gods," she said. "She wouldn't do something to endanger Leroy."
As Kiki spoke, avoiding mentioning Terra's name, a gloomy air seemed to surround her. Right. I almost forgot. Kiki used to serve Terra, before she betrayed her somehow. I wasn't sure on the details.
So, while I remained worried, I put that aside and focused on my own training. The days passed like this, one after another, until I felt the world shake beneath my feet.
It happened while I was sparring with Kiki in the rear yard. Kaya stood off to the side, observing. Aurora laid on the ground next to her, letting me borrow her senses.
Kiki made for an interesting opponent, since she focused on defense while I focused on offense. No matter what I tried, or how fast I moved, she always managed to block my attacks.
However, since this was part of my training, she always left an opening for me to exploit. I just needed to find this opening. This made our match more of a puzzle than a sparring bout.
It was about noon. The sky was clear, rather than cloudy and overcast. The temperature continued to grow colder and colder. A breeze blew through the rear yard, bringing with it the scents of autumn.
I was in the middle of figuring out how to break through Kiki's defenses, when the ground quaked beneath my feet. I staggered, almost falling over, but regained my footing.
"What the hell was that?" I asked.
I had never heard of an earthquake happening near Mt. Sol. Something major must've happened. I didn't know if this was a good omen or not.
I looked over at Kiki and Kaya. Instead of worried, the latter wore a smile on her face. Meanwhile, the air around Kiki seemed gloomy. I wasn't sure how to interpret this.
"You're in luck, Lord Gabriel," Kiki said. "It appears that the gods have finished bestowing their blessings upon your friends."
"Indeed!" Kaya said, her voice full of laughter. "Let us go to the roof. You won't want to miss this."
With that, she grabbed Aurora and leapt to the roof of the residence. I followed after her. A moment later, Kiki joined us.
When I reached the roof, I looked over to Mt. Sol and my jaw dropped. A massive pillar of fire emerged from the side of the mountain, stretching up into the sky above. It looked like it came from the Temple of Brand, the God of Fire. The pillar burned a deep crimson with flecks of gold.
On the other side of the mountain raged a massive blizzard, a maelstrom of white and silver. It seemed to freeze the very air and I felt a chill just looking at it. Like the pillar of fire, it looked like it emerged from the Temple of Khione, the Goddess of Ice.
However, since I was still borrowing Aurora's senses, what I saw using Spirit Sight left me speechless. The mana around the pillar of fire and the ice blizzard looked pure and powerful.
Not only that, but both were imbued with some kind of formless, colorless energy. It felt sacred and holy. The mere sight of it made me want to kneel in supplication. I wasn't the only one. It felt as if the world itself bowed to this energy.
"Behold divinity made manifest," Kaya said, reverence in her voice. "The very power which separates gods from mortals."
"This divinity is diluted," Kiki said. "Weakened. Otherwise, it would've destroyed the surrounding area."
I swallowed as I realized just how small and insignificant I was compared to the gods. This was the difference between the heavens and the earth. Witnessing this made me realize just how ignorant and limited I had been, like a frog in a well.
After a while, I realized something odd. I witnessed manifestations of Brand and Khione's divinity. However, I saw nothing of Terra's. This worried me.
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"What about Leroy?" I asked. "What happened to him?"
Kiki snorted.
"Don't worry," she said. "He succeeded as well."
I glanced at her.
"Then why can't I see Lady Terra's divinity?"
Kiki looked at me and pointed down.
"Unless you can see through dirt and stone, you won't. Goddess of the Earth, remember?"
Oh! That explained everything. In fact, I think the earthquake from earlier must've been Terra's doing.
The four of us stayed like this for the next half hour, until the pillar of fire and the ice blizzard disappeared.
"Looks like we'll have to end practice early today," I said. "I need to go shopping."
Kiki and Kaya looked at me, puzzled. Aurora, on the other hand, nodded in understanding.
"What do you mean?" Kaya asked.
"For tonight's feast, of course!" I said. "This is a momentous occasion. We need to celebrate it."
With that, Aurora entered my body before I leapt off the roof and headed out to procure provisions for a feast.
After procuring enough food and drink for a sizable feast, I headed back to Grand Priest Darius' residence. When I arrived, I found the junior priests and priestesses in the midst of preparing for said feast. Someone must've instructed them after I left. Good.
Honestly, I decided to throw a feast on impulse, not considering the amount of work required to host a feast. At least someone had thought ahead, because I clearly hadn't. I felt a little embarrassed about my impulsive decision, but it was too late to back out now.
I headed to the kitchen, and over the next few hours, I worked with the junior priests and priestesses to prepare all the food and drink for the feast. At first they tried to stop me, saying that I was a guest and shouldn't work in the kitchen. However, I kept insisting and they eventually relented.
I knew I was imposing and inconveniencing them, but this was a momentous occasion. I wanted to make this feast special, even if some of the junior priests and priestesses resented me for it. We didn't have enough time to make anything too fancy or elaborate, but I doubted my companions would care too much.
It was late afternoon by the time we finished cooking most of the dishes. The junior priests and priestesses working in the kitchen shooed me out, saying they could handle the rest. I didn't want to push my luck, so I went along with it.
After I left the kitchen, I thought about helping with the other preparations for the feast. However, the remaining junior priests and priestesses must've learned from their comrades' mistakes. They refused to let me get involved at all, no matter how much I insisted.
With nothing left to do, I decided to get ready for the feast itself. I headed to my room and put on a black, silver, and blue outfit. Afterwards, I found myself with nothing to do. Instead of twiddling my thumbs, I decided to see if my companions had returned yet.
When I arrived at the front hall, I found Kiki, Kaya, and Lord Dominic already waiting there. It looked like the others hadn't arrived yet.
Like me, Kaya and Lord Dominic had dressed up. The former wore an outfit similar to mine, though hers was just black and blue. Meanwhile, Lord Dominic wore an outfit in muted yellows and browns. It should've made him look dull, but he made it work. Kiki, on the other hand, wore her usual attire.
When I arrived, Kaya eyed me up and down with an annoyed expression on her face.
"You look good for someone who decided to throw a feast in someone else's home," she said in a sardonic tone. "You're lucky I decided to play along with your idea."
Now I knew who ordered the junior priests and priestesses to start preparing earlier.
"Grand Priest Darius is like a grandfather to me," I said without an ounce of shame. "I doubt he'd mind."
Kaya snorted.
"He wouldn't," she admitted. "However, think of the poor souls who had to work extra hard because of your last minute decision."
Okay, maybe I felt a little ashamed.
"I'll make sure to compensate them for the trouble," I said.
Kaya nodded.
"Good," she said. "This was your idea, so the cost should come out of your coffers."
Thank goodness my family gave me a generous allowance.
"Oh lighten up," Kiki said in an acerbic tone. "While Lord Gabriel's decision was a little thoughtless, his heart was in the right place. Your precious gods have chosen three champions. That is worth celebrating."
Kaya gave Kiki a dirty look.
"They're your gods too," she said. "You may have renounced them, but that matters little."
Kiki snorted, before looking away.
"Please, can you two refrain from fighting until the feast is over?" I asked, rubbing my temples. "I know you have a history with one another, but can you put it aside for now?"
Kiki and Kaya glanced at one another.
"Fine," Kaya said. "But only because I'm in a good mood."
"Very well," Kiki said. "I don't wish to ruin Master Dominic's enjoyment."
I looked over at Lord Dominic. He fidgeted in place and tugged at his clothing.
"Are you doing alright?" I asked him.
Lord Dominic nodded.
"Yes," he said. "I'm just a little nervous. It's been a long time since I last attended a feast."
From his expression, it was clear that he hadn't enjoyed the previous feasts he attended.
"Well, we're limiting this to people within our group, so that should make things easier for you."
Lord Dominic gave me a grateful smile.
"It does, Lord Gabriel. Thank you."
I nodded, before I looked towards the front door.
"Where are they?" I asked, frowning. "It's been hours."
"Those old goats at Mt. Sol must've delayed them," Kaya said. "I bet they tried to convince your friends to stay the night instead of returning here."
"It's also possible that accepting the gods' blessings exhausted the others," Kiki pointed out. "Maybe they needed to rest before returning."
I hadn't considered that. Damn it. Maybe I acted prematurely after all. In that case, all these preparations would've been a waste of time, effort, and money.
Oh well. In that case, I would just stuff all the food and drink in my inventory ring. That would keep them fresh until it was actually time to throw a feast.
To my relief, a few minutes later, the front door opened and my friends walked through with Grand Priest Darius in the lead. Two strangers accompanied them.
One was a young man with sharp features and a lean build, wearing a sky blue outfit. He had fair skin, short tawny hair, and amber eyes. The way he carried himself made me think of a hawk, or some other kind of bird of prey.
The similarities between him and Grand Priestess Quinn were so obvious, that I would be surprised if they weren't related.
The other was a short and curvaceous young woman with dusky skin, curly dark hair, and green eyes. Needless to say, she was also quite beautiful. She wore a purple silk dress that covered her body, but was designed to emphasize her curves. A warm smile adorned face and she looked around with a bright expression.
At a first glance, this young woman seemed to be from the south. However, her green eyes said otherwise. I guessed her parents must've come from different parts of the continent.
Given the circumstances, it wasn't difficult to figure out who these two were. Both were Third Ranked Awakened, or the Holy magic equivalent. However, from what I sensed, they were close to reaching Fourth Rank.
After everyone walked through the front door, Grand Priest Darius looked around with a frown on his face. A moment later, his gaze landed on me.
"What is going on?" he asked in a flat tone.
I felt a little nervous at this.
"When I saw what happened earlier at Mt. Sol," I said. "I decided it would be a good idea to throw a celebratory feast." I glanced at the two strangers. "Given your company, it looks like this shall also be a welcoming feast."
Grand Priest Darius narrowed his eyes at me.
"So you decided to throw a feast in someone else's home using someone else's supplies?"
"I'm paying for everything."
Grand Priest Darius' attitude changed so fast that it caught me off guard.
"Well, why didn't you say so?" he asked, a bright smile on his face. He turned to the others. "Come on in, everyone! Let us enjoy Lord Gabriel's hospitality."
When I heard this, I felt both relieved and a little annoyed by Grand Priest Darius' shamelessness. Then again, I wasn't one to speak.
I glanced at my companions. On the surface, they seemed the same. However, there was a different air about them. They seemed more, though I couldn't quite quantify how. Maybe if I looked at them using Spirit Sight, I'd be able to tell. However, that could wait until later.
Grand Priest Darius spoke up, catching my attention once more.
"Before we begin, let us start with some introductions," he said, gesturing to the two strangers. "This is Priest Jaime, Grand Priestess Quinn's son. Standing next to him is Priestess Natille, Grand Priest Marcella's student. They will be your companions from now on."
Priest Jaime and Priestess Natille greeted us. The former seemed a bit stiff, while the latter kept glancing around with those bright eyes of hers.
"We ran into them on our way out," Anna said, sounding annoyed. "They insisted on accompanying us back here."
"But of course, Lady Annabelle," Priestess Natille said in a warm voice. "The sooner we get to know each other, the better."
Anna clicked her tongue and turned away from her. I raised an eyebrow at that.
"Make no mistake," Priest Jaime said in a cool voice. "We did not plan this together. I simply did not want to waste anymore time. Meeting Priestess Natille was a coincidence."
I resisted the urge to sigh. My intuition told me that we would have to deal with a bit of friction in the near future.
"Either way, welcome to the team," I said. "Let us use this feast as an opportunity to get to know each other and strengthen our bonds."
"I looked forward to it, Lord Gabriel!" Priestess Natille said, her eyes gleaming.
This earned her a murderous look from Anna.
Meanwhile, Priest Jaime made a noncommittal noise.
I resisted the urge to sigh again. It appeared that I was going to be doing that a lot.