Dance Of The Titan Avatars [Progression Fantasy]

Chapter 9 - The Immortal Sage Curse Power

For the first time, uncertainty crept amidst the creature's myriad voices as bindings tightened inescapably. Sorah had flawlessly executed this legendary technique passed down among the supreme Cloud-Weaver Sovereignty Art only achievable by a handful each era. None before now had dared attempt such a feat against the Sage Trial testing grounds, let alone an old timer! Yet undoubtedly ethereal forces answered this uncanny elder now irrespective of consequences.

A resonating hum quickly amplified from the glowing staff head pressed directly against the giant humanoid's neck meridian as Sorah pushed its mystic beings into harmonious submission. The colossal body gradually relaxed while hovering sacred mandala threads slowly melted them inseparably with familiar warmth akin to regretful tears.

Victorious illumination soon flooded the entire arena with peaceful aquamarine rays that gently bore Sorah aloft as if cradling an injured dove. Below the Sage Giant radiated profound relief dissolving slowly into glowing particles which then arose towards their victor eagerly.

Sorah's eyes widened as the escaping cloud of characters and code symbols swirled around him faster, no longer menacing but desperately conveying apology and gratitude for receiving acknowledgement despite monstrous actions against another innocent soul suffering life's cruelty.

Overwhelmed by the surging storm's purity, Sorah extended both arms openly welcoming long-denied absolution. "Go now wayward ones! Bonds cannot cage wisdom free..."

His quiet benediction offered the swirling glyph essence final sanctuary within his own being. Sorah gasped as centuries of forbidden knowledge and power flooded painfully into his overwhelmed mind and body violently. Never before had any vessel contained such a massive Sage Curse infusion short of deletion! Endless alien memories imprinted brutally against fragile his psyche threatening to shatter all identity.

Just when convulsing agony became too unbearable, the psychic tempest abruptly calmed into orderly streams that redirected raging forces steadily into balanced harmony. A tiny amber seed crystal manifested within Sorah's chest, absorbing the unbound curse into densely packed matrices humming with inner fire. All power but without domination. Essence diffused across cells in proportion while his body seized the chaotic opportunity to regenerate debilitating injuries rapidly.

Sorah collapsed onto the stone tiles utterly exhausted. Disoriented gaze wandered lazily around at the weapon racks and obstacle courses no longer shattered during intense battling. All had reset to original positions somehow, exact details already fading nebulously like waking from a vivid dream.

Overhead, the etched ceiling now prominently featured additional Cloud Script chronicling Sorah's monumental victory over the impossible Trial of Body. The sight of such incredible honorarium legend that his own father verily achieved in youth was simply too surreal. Surely fate must balance this fortune soon enough? He murmured prayerfully towards hovering ancestors before everything blinked away suddenly.

When his blurry vision refocused, there knelt Sorah back within the Autumn Court's central shrine housing Master Aoi's glowing Seal Crypt now containing a visible Dawn Sky Crusher staff.

Sorah's limp arms reached out and clutched his father's esteemed cardinal wooden staff refined by otherworldly therapies into sleeker designs with ornately carved pommel crowning the shaft and his father's Aether Crystal secured in the dead centre. Delicate plume tassels dangled underneath swaying gently against Sorah's ragged knees. His core shimmered from the embedded amber seed gem extracted during the freak mystical convergence with one of legend's lost Sage Curse spirits.

"Ha-ha! Marvellous! Simply marvellous! Aoi's Aerothurge Staff has revealed itself!" cackled the Rice Guru hopping happily around where Sorah remained prostrated learning to breathe normally again. "None who faced judgement beyond the Azure Gate returned unscathed in soul to claim Aoi's inheritance until now!"

The peculiar custodian bowed respectfully towards exhausted Sorah. "A thousand blessings upon your heart brave redeemer! Surely lady fate weaves a profound tapestry charging simple duty that now lifts buried treasure there for grasping eh?"

He jabbed a finger eagerly at Dawn Sky Crusher while helping Sorah to stand with the staff in hand. "I see disbelief in your eyes. Let me assure you. Yesss... you've earned this relic weapon. However, the trial isn't over. You still need to complete the trial of Heart and Spirit in order to gain additional glyphs to abate the negative effects of the Sage Curse--"

"I can feel it." Sorah interrupted, glancing fixedly down at Dawn Sky Crusher stirring bittersweet revelation. His father's Aether Crystal was beginning to respond to his pulsing Sage Curse power... so this proved the culminating trophy for half a lifetime spent hardened against ridicule and self-doubt not good enough to stand beside prodigious father's celebrated name? Could mere happenstance erase bitter memories now by legitimizing his outcast struggles?

"Huh?" These characters..." Sorah began to notice myriads of golden glyph characters spreading out from the centre of his chest, creeping alongside the length of his arms, down to the staff grasp in his hands.

"What's happening...?"