Savage Awakening 207. Red Moon Pagoda (II) (Patreon)

A/N: 

Revised Emperor Red Moon to Level 522! 

//

The door was set deep into an archway. A mural ran over its surface in bare gold lines. It was simple yet vivid—it almost seemed to move as Zane looked at it, like an optical illusion.

It was the Red Moon Emperor, sketched out. A bright-red disc flared behind him, a big halo. Before him stood a field of enemies. They were casting thick gold lines at him—lines that bounced right off his red shield thing.

The mural depicts the First Layer’s Skill—Shield of the Blood Moon—in action.

boomed a smooth deep voice.

Zane looked around. He didn’t see anyone.

Greetings. I am the Spirit of the Red Moon Pagoda. 

Oh. 

I was given life aeons ago deep in the bowels of Steelheart Mountain, alongside this sacred treasure. I have seen the ages come and go. I have seen the Pagoda changed hands between hundreds of owners… now I am yours to command. While you are bonded with this treasure, I am your guide, your servant, and your instructor. 

Zane blinked. 

“Cool,” he said.

Carrying the Red Moon Pagoda is an honor and a burden. Of thousands of masters, all greatly talented, vanishingly few mastered its powers in full. Those that did became Hegemons of the Dragonspire Galaxy. 

Neat. 

I await you behind the first door! To enter, you must will it open. Prove your command of Emperor’s Soul.

It went quiet again.

Only then did Zane notice that the door didn't have a handle. But when he looked at it in the Astral Plane he saw one—big fat gold thing, right in the middle of it. He gave it a twist and a shove. And the whole thing rumbled. Slid aside. 

Beyond lay a simple redwood staircase. It went off into the gloom, seemingly into nowhere.

Zane went on through. 

It was like he'd gone into some alternate dimension. The only things that stayed were the thick red mists billowing about, snaking around his shins, hazing the distance. He thought there was a night sky overhead at first—it was all dusky grays and purples. But instead of stars golden runes blanketed the sky, twinkling softly. Wrapping around him in some vast bowl. 

Then he saw someone striding toward him. A figure coming through the mists, growing clearer.

It was an old man. The Pagoda Spirit? It was ghostly, wispy at the edges. Its faint body was colored a faint red. It was bushy-browed and long-bearded. It was very small. Then a bank of mist passed, and Zane saw it in full.

It stood there, hands clasped behind its back. Looking all stern, like a drill sergeant. Its eyes were leveled at Zane’s waist. It looked like it meant business.

Then it looked up. 

Its eyes popped. It went quite still. 

“Hello,” said Zane.

Its mouth slowly dropped open.

“…” 

The Spirit blinked. Blinked again. Looked Zane up and down, toe to shin to knee to belly to head.

Hmm, said the Spirit at last. Hmmmm.

A pause. You are… you seem to be…

It seemed at a bit of a loss. Zane knew that look. He got it a lot. He scratched his head. 

“…I know,” said Zane.

You… are merely Level 221.

“Yes.”

The Pagoda Spirit swallowed. It gave him another once-over. You are… not a Great Ancestor of the Nine Great Factions. Nor a Patriarch, I assume.

“No.” 

A prince of the Celestial Imperium?

“Don’t think so.” 

…What are you, exactly?

Zane wasn’t sure what to say to that. “I’m Zane.” 

…Hmm said the Spirit again. It didn’t say anything after that. Just stared at him. It started walking around him, giving him a bit of a 360, getting a good look at him from a bunch of angles, frowning all the while.

Hmm.

“Uh,” said Zane. It was getting a bit awkward. “So. What now?”

Ah. Yes. Err said the Spirit. It sounded a little strangled. As I said—I am the Spirit of the Pagoda. Think of me as your servant. Assistant. I am here to help you, the Pagoda’s owner, make full use of this most venerable treasure. Here I’ll teach you the first Skill of the Red Moon Inheritance.

“Nice,” said Zane.

This Skill is called the Shield of the Blood Moon, it said absently. It is an immensely powerful technique when mastered—among the premier soul defense Skills in the galaxy… it trailed off.

Say—are you certain you are not some sort of… a reincarnation of a Primordial Spirit, perhaps? This…

It was doing another lap around him again. Like a horse breeder admiring an award-winning stallion.

This is… this is very… A pause. Hmm. Err—right. The shield.

It shook its head, frowning, like it was trying to remember its script. Err. How well you take to this Skill will depend on your… individual talent…

“…”

…

In any case said the Spirit, coughing. Err. Here is how this will go. I will instruct you on how to invoke the Blood Moon Shield at a basic Level. To progress in Level, you will temper it through a series of ‘Trials.’ You will do this until your the Shield’s powers reach its maximum. 

“Okay,” said Zane.

There are five Trials in total—each an exact recreation of a soul attack from a powerful monster. Each is of a varying type and increasing intensity. They are meant to be rather… err… It cleared its throat. It is meant to be challenging. 

It gave Zane a dubious look. 

Though… these trials were not equipped to fit… that is to say… it has never handled a host quite so… 

Another long pause. 

Hold on. You must be from an Ur-Planet. 

“Yes.” 

Ah. 

The Pagoda Spirit looked suddenly relieved. Like things were finally starting to make sense. 

You are… an exceptional specimen… even by the standards of your planet, I assume. Surely. 

“I guess?” He wasn’t sure how he felt about being called a specimen, though.

You must be the largest of your species. By some margin, I imagine? 

Zane shrugged. “I think so.” 

I see. I see. Yes—that… I can see how this… extremely improbable mutation… could have occurred now.

Another pause. 

Right—the training, said the Spirit. Err. Here—let me show you what is to follow. 

***

The mists before him shifted. Splashing with colors, painting a new scene, a projection. It seemed to be a very similar situation to the one Zane found himself in. Same setting, same background. Same spirit, even.

It was speaking to a different person though. The guy looked very much like the statue outside, just less wrinkly and more muscular. It had to be the young Red Moon Emperor.

The young Emperor was cringing before the Pagoda Spirit, who drew up to its full height. It was actually taller than the Emperor here.

Disciple! It boomed. Have you steeled yourself for what is to come?

Zane was surprised. Here it sounded much more imposing. And its voice sounded much deeper too. Maybe because it was all scaled up. 

“Yes!” growled the young Emperor.

This Trial will test your will to its very limits. Fail here… and you risk permanently crippling your spirit. Perhaps death! Do you accept this challenge?

“Yes!” roared the young Emperor again. This time with gritted teeth, eyes shining. He balled his hands into fists. “Constellation Order,” he breathed. “You bastards—once I become the true master of the Red Moon Pagoda, you’ll all pay!” 

You have learned the Shield well said the Spirit. It nodded. It has been a long and arduous journey… to reach the starting line. That was merely level one. Here comes the true test. Are you ready? 

The Emperor nodded.

Then let us proceed.

The Emperor gritted his teeth.

All around him, though, mists began to swirl. Began to heat up, glow with an otherworldly crimson light.

And right above him, the air began to tremble. A terrible ghost blossomed there—a phantom creature, the flickering head of a dragon, tendrils of ectoplasm smoke trickling from its snarling lips. 

It opened its massive mouth. There, lodged in its throat, was a ghastly gray-white storm. Gathering fast, shining bone-white...

It didn’t feel like any normal Skill to Zane—there was very little essence in it. In the physical world. But in the Astral Plane it flared quite bright. If it struck you, your body would be untouched. But your soul would immolate instantly. 

The First Trial, intoned the Pagoda Spirit. Breath of the Ghost Dragon!

The attack roared out of its throat, a translucent white tornado making landfall. Right on the young Emperor’s head. He screamed, threw up his hands—and a pale red moon flared out of him. So dark you could hardly tell it was there. But it was.

Zane sensed the barest trace of a certain aura—the aura of the Pagoda. Mysterious, fathomless. Trickling out from him.

The red shield caught the raging white. And for a good few seconds, it held.

Then it cracked. Straight down the middle. Just as the dragon breath sputtered out. And the Emperor dropped to his knees, face deathly pale—he hacked out a mouthful of blood. Then another.

But the shield had taken the brunt of the blow. He'd lived.

Now heal, said the Pagoda Spirit. Reflect. For in that attack lies the insights you need to reach the next Level. When you are ready, come to me once more—and take the Trial again—take it, until you can withstand it fully! For only through tempering can the Shield progress…

The Spirit paused. Softened a little. You did well to survive that attack. Few do. There is great potential in you, Gretsis. Take a rest. Return when you are fully healed. Work hard. Master these Techniques. With some luck… you will realize all the power you wish for. And all who once scorned you will tremble. 

The young Emperor nodded. There was a fierceness in his dark eyes. “Yes!”

The scene faded.

***

Then it was just the Spirit and Zane blinking at each other again. It was a bit strange to see the Spirit at gnome-size again. 

The Spirit coughed awkwardly. …Right. That was the Red Moon Emperor. He had learned the Skill I am about to impart to you—and that was his first test of it. That is what you are in for.

“Cool,” said Zane. 

The Spirit hesitated. You may have, ah, noticed. I was much more… intense… with Getsis. I acted as his trainer. That was what he needed to survive. Most who attempt the Trials do not survive—they need that push. As for you… again—I am rather… I don’t know if… that is to say, again, this place was not designed to handle… what I mean to say is. I don’t quite know what to do with you, I suppose. This is... something of a first. 

“…” 

The Spirit let out a strange noise. Well—let us run it and see what happens! I bequeath to you the signature Soul Defense Skill of the Red Moon Pagoda. The very Skill which Getsis there would one day use to rebuff the ultimate Soul attacks of even Great Faction Patriarchs—Shield of the Blood Moon!