He knew that simply cycling the Essence shouldn’t have drained his core so much, but since he had been using it to enhance himself, and in an extreme environment, it made sense that it would draw significantly more essence than he would normally have to use. Roy was determined to test his limitations further once the trials were over. It wouldn’t do to get into a fight, only run out of Essence halfway through.
The hill finally leveled out, opening up into a wide-open area. This stage, as Roy was now thinking of them, was made of blasted red stone. Cracks riddled the area, and he could see flames flickering up from between them. A circular pit sat in the center of this one as well, with a roaring fire reaching a good ten feet into the air.
Roy could clearly see a green Torii gate on the other side, as well as a large barrel of something sitting next to it. He wasn’t sure if it was water, but if it was, he was eager to get to it. Breaking into a light jog, Roy headed over to the barrel. He’d only made it halfway across when the flames billowing from the bonfire suddenly flared up. Groaning inwardly, Roy realized that there would be no water until he finished his fight with the next golem.
9
Roy stumbled and fell as the silver golem faded from view, leaving him shaking on the ground. He had just failed his latest trial and the seventh one overall. The Trial of Weakness hadn’t sounded like much to him at first, but once he’d begun, he’d quickly changed his mind. The trial had leached his strength away until he was crawling along the ground and had only relented once he realized that all Advancement Paths, no matter which, had merit.
He’d then fought the golem, made entirely of Weakness Essence. The fight hadn’t been physically painful, rather the golem’s blows had stolen his Essence, and somehow, his stamina. After only a minute of fighting, he’d been too tired to go on, and the golem had faded. The trials had all been challenging in their own right, each one imparting an important lesson about either himself or the Martial Arts.
As he went on, he began growing more and more fearful. With each trial he failed, and each Path he didn’t connect with, his fears grew. He hadn’t connected to Earth or Wind, nor to Light or Darkness. He’d failed to connect with Weakness as well, and now he only had one trial left - The Trial of Power.
A golden Torii gate stood just feet away, and even though Roy had recovered his stamina, he didn’t move from his spot on the ground. He was too afraid to do so. This trial represented his last hope. His core hadn’t reacted to a single other Essence type, which was completely unheard of. Everyone had at least two affinities, if not more. Then again, no one else had merged with a Dungeon core and was now using that to empower themselves.
Many valuable lessons had been imparted to him during these trials, but if Roy’s core didn’t react to a single Essence type, then he would be effectively crippled once again. He didn’t know of anyone who could cultivate Pure Essence and didn’t know of a single place in the entire Buryoku where one could even do so.
He couldn’t lie there forever, though, and Roy knew it. The golden gate was waiting for him, and the longer he pushed it off, the more difficult it would be for him to continue. Roy wasn’t even sure what the Trial of Power would be about. But, if Power Essence was the opposite of Weakness Essence, would it empower him instead?
Very much doubting that that was the case, Roy pushed himself to his feet with a groan. He wasn’t exactly sure how long he’d been in there but was surprised that he didn’t feel at all tired or hungry. The only thing he’d felt was thirst, and he didn’t even have the urge to relieve himself, which he found to be quite strange.
If he had to take a guess though, he’d say that he’d been in there for several days, perhaps three or even four. It must have been some quirk of the trial, as he’d never heard of anyone being stuck in there for so long. Perhaps time just ran differently there, as it was a different dimension.
Shaking his head to clear away his wandering thoughts, Roy stared at the golden gate looming over him. He could feel his heart beginning to race as he forced himself to take a single step forward, then another, and another, until he was running for the trial entrance. He didn’t stop running until he was well through the gate, only then slowing to a walk.
The air in this trial felt heavy and electric, as though charged with static. A heavy pressure seemed to settle over his entire body, pressing against his very soul.
Roy gasped as he fell to his knees on the cobbled path, trying to get in a lungful of air. He wasn’t sure what this trial was trying to teach him, but it had never been this immediate before. Normally, his discomfort would be a gradual thing, but here it pressed in on him from all sides. The gravity seemed to intensify, and he felt as though his bones were about to start breaking.
His lungs were starved for air as they compressed tighter and tighter as if invisible bands were constricting their movement. He fell to his stomach, writhing there in agony as his body was continually battered into the ground. A loud snap sounded, but he couldn’t even cry out in pain as his ribs began to buckle.
Sweat beaded on his brow as Roy fought against the overwhelming force of the Power Essence assaulting him on all sides. Gritting his teeth, Roy finally managed to force a single breath into his starving lungs. It was as though his body were struck by lightning. He felt it then, at that moment- a certain sense of rightness. A resonance!
Essence flooded into him in a torrent, instantly relieving the stress his surroundings had been putting on him. He exhaled the air that he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in and breathed in again, feeling the Essence flooding his core. In his mind’s eyes, he could see it all. Golden light was entering through his lungs and flowing up to his core where it was being filtered and refined. The more he took in, the more was pumped throughout his body.
Quickly arranging himself into one of the meditative positions he’d seen others in the Shah clan do, Roy began breathing deeply and evenly. He kept his senses open to the world around him, feeling the golden Essence practically pressing down on him from all sides. This place was rich with it and the more he breathed, the more entered his body.
It didn’t take long for the white core to begin taking on a golden hue. All his channels were being washed in golden light, knitting his broken bones and re-energizing him. It felt distinctly different than when he’d cycled Pure Essence. While that had merely enhanced him a bit, the Power essence was actively making him stronger.
It cycled through his body, sinking into his bones, muscles, and skin. It felt as though every nerve and every fiber in his entire body was thrumming with energy.
Roy wasn’t sure how long he sat there for, but he continued pulling in the Power Essence until the area was completely devoid of so much as a scrap. His core was now shining a brilliant gold, and he knew that it had been fully converted. He was now a Martial Artist on the Advancement Path of Power.
Opening his eyes, Roy drew in a deep breath, feeling his core responding immediately. He was still sitting in a meditative position, with his legs folded before him and his palms resting on his knees. Looking down, Roy turned his hand over, so his palm was facing upward. Concentrating on his core, he cycled the Power Essence to his hand.
A moment later, a flash of golden light erupted from his palm, forcing Roy to lean back to avoid his own attack. It wasn’t a proper Projected technique, merely a discharge of Essence, but Roy grinned all the same.
He’d done it.
Rising to his feet, Roy felt different somehow. The Power Essence flowing through him gave him a feeling of strength and, well… power. Clenching his hand into a fist, he threw a punch into the air, cycling his Essence clumsily into his right hand as he did so, and attempted to use a Physical technique. A burst of force displaced the air around his fist as it glowed gold for a second, sending a sonic boom echoing in the silent surroundings.