Chapter 41: Fruit of the World Tree (2)

A splash of water and a gasp of breath resounded as Luna cast a ball of water over the [Fae Enchanter]. He instantly shot up and gripped against his rope. Before he could even cast a spell, he realized his Mana Pool lacked anything.

He looked out in front of him and saw Liliana tied in a chair, sitting across from him. She too lacked any Mana as Rainer just finished draining her. Rainer’s draining abilities had quite a bit of waste involved, making it quite easy just to let the drained resources dissipate, given his were quite full. His [Mana Drain] and [Stamina Drain] had just reached level 2, but he noted they gave no experience.

“What do…” But Janya was interrupted by a loud scream coming from Liliana.

Rainer’s hand gripped the [Rune Knight]'s head.

Feeding Luna mana and healing her was a deliberate action that required him to level up [Fae Anatomy]. To do the reverse? A far simpler task. And with Rainer’s new attributes and manipulation abilities he could do so while doing as little damage as possible.

Hearing her scream, Rainer grimaced. They were the servants of his enemy, but it didn’t make it any easier. But he focused at the distressed Janya, who had been unable to hide his feelings.

“Don’t speak without my permission,” Rainer took a quick glance at the [Rune Knight] under his hand before staring back at the [Fae Enchanter],” Let’s start simple, your first name, and then her.”

“Janya. And she is Liliana,” Janya responded after calming himself down.

“Good. Well, then Janya this’ll be very simple. I have a few questions to ask you. You answer them. Failure to respond...well you’ve seen what I’ll do. And I can assure you, I’ll do far worse if needed.”

Janya nodded his head, though gave no indication how well, or poorly, Rainer's threat had worked.

“Let’s see. The Fae Queen’s full name, class, and the general structure of your government would be a good start.” Rainer tapped his fingers on Liliana’s head as he spoke. He infused his voice with Arcane causing Janya’s thoughts to stutter before he could finally talk a few seconds later.

“Her Highness, Yulia Emralira-Igna, the current Fae Queen and True Chosen of the World Tree,” Janya paused for a moment. The man in front of him seemed too laid back for an interrogation. The [Archon] wasn’t paying careful attention nor trying to read anything about him. Janya discerned he must have a way to verify the truth or perhaps already knew the answers to his question. So instead of trying to lie Janya merely organized his thoughts into what truths would be least harmless to tell.

What he viewed as disinterest was actually Rainer sensing Janya's mana pool.

“And who serves under her? Other Lords and Ladies? A Council?”

“Before my Queen’s ascension, there were only 4 Fae Courts. We decide our Queen based on a trial given to us by the World Tree on who will receive its Fruit for the next 50 years. A Queen may rule for only 200 years. My Queen became the first Fae outside of a court to rise to the throne 41 years ago. So long as she holds the supply of the Fruit, all other courts listen to her will.”

Rainer frowned at the last sentence. From [Mana Reading] he could tell it wasn’t an outright lie, but it also wasn’t the truth. He internally grinned with understanding. The Fae Queen did not have the complete support of the courts.

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Janya thought to himself about his own Queen’s troubles and why the Experiment was so important. Yulia had taken the courts by surprise, with her powerful Mana, but during the next trial, they’d prepare against a mage capable of exclusively using Wind Magic. The Trial allowed for the candidate and 2 helpers to join them. Compared to the ancient Fae Courts, Yulia was lacking. And now, with her weakness apparent, not only would the throne be taken back, she’d likely perish without the World Tree’s protection. Even now she can’t leave her palace.

Which was precisely why they had expended so much dust and fruit in creating the Experiment and reviving the true ancient Faerie Fire so that Yulia could take it for herself.

Yet...this Archon thinks he can steal from us! He’s only level 4, even without my warning the reinforcements should be enough! The formation should be powerful enough…

Janya thought with anger to himself. But the moment he saw the Experiment across the room, flying around the Wolfkin, in her full 10-inch size, he changed thoughts.

The Queen’s mana imprint...and her size. How has she grown so much?! It was rumored that perhaps the Archon was a dragon taken human form...Why! How! How did the experiment escape to such a being!

“Now. Who exactly is going to be bringing the Fruit? And how exactly does the Fruit work?”

Janya was still lost in thought as he heard Liliana’s scream once more.

“I’ll….tear out…your throat…” Liliana said under her breath garnering another dose of Mana.

“Wait. 1 2nd Class Fae will be bringing the Fruit.”

Seeing the obvious lie Rainer continued forcing mana into Liliana causing her screams to ring out through the mansion. Thanks for reading on ManaNovel!

“It's 3, I lied I’m sorry it's 3.”

But Rainer continued.

Janya grew panicked. Understanding that either this Archon knew who was coming or he could truly discern his lies. He looked at the resolute expression on Liliana’s face who now gritted her teeth shoving down her screams, but, in the end, he chose her over his Queen. He was different from Liliana who had been saved as a loose Fairy. He was little more than an opportunistic man who picked a side.

“It's 4. 4 2nd class Fae will arrive,” He paused as he checked the system’s clock, ”in 10 hours. I don’t know who exactly is coming. Most likely Grand Rune Knights.”

[Mana Reading has reached level 2]

Rainer frowned slightly. Either [Mana Reading] wasn’t close enough to his class to grant him experience, or the Archon’s bonus prevented experience gain from the second level of a skill.

“The exact time.”

“I don’t know exactly! Seven and a half in the morning is as close as I can guess.”

Rainer immediately stopped and Liliana, lacking the breath to speak, sent a glare toward Janya that told him all he needed to know about her feelings on the matter.

“Now the Fruit. How’s it work?”

“It’s simple. It automatically advances you to the 2nd Tier Class, given you are already level 25.“

Hearing talk about the 2nd Tier Class Rainer gained a strange itching feeling. One that had earlier, when Gunthar asked him whether he was truly an Archon, nagged at the back of his mind. As if he absolutely had to enter his Aware [Sleep Learning] state.

“Though the whole Fruit must be eaten.”

Seeing no disagreement, Janya saw no reason to mention how it automatically chose the default, and often weakest of one’s 2nd Class choices.

Rainer, however, felt this was too good to be true.

“What are the disadvantages of the Fruit?”

“You automatically get chosen the default class,” Janya answered reluctantly. He didn't wish to see Liliana harmed again.

Rainer grew stunned. [Grand Arcanist] compared to [Archon] was a difference of night and day. Had he received the Fruit before his advancement and didn’t have the chance to properly verify it, his future could have taken a far different turn.

Janya felt a transfer of mana occurring between the Archon and Liliana, but only saw what it was that kept them out of mana.

Rainer walked over to Janya and drained his mana as well. Liliana was too weak to resist, and Janya intentionally didn’t try.

“Can this be tracked within a spatial ring?” Rainer said holding up the ring he had taken off Janya’s formerly removed hand.

[Faerie Ring of Communication: Uses the Faerie Rings as relays to send messages between linked rings.]

Janya grew stunned for a moment at the mention of a spatial ring, but responded, “No.”

“And did you get a message out before I stopped you?”

“No,” He answered a bit sadly.

“Where were the Fae, delivering the Fruit, to meet you?”

“Just outside of town, about a mile to the south at a tree marked with an enchantment.”

“A living enchantment?”

“That is...correct.” Janya jumped up in his restraints as he saw Rainer tear open Liliana’s shirt though his next words calmed him.

“Explain to me, how this Rune works.”

Janya and Rainer spoke for nearly an hour; Janya was forthcoming as he believed even with this knowledge no one other than the Fae could use such information, Archon or not. And the Experiment would certainly require a proper teacher.

He, of course, understood little on the true nature of the Archon class. Janya too began noticing the hesitation when the Archon inflicted pain on Liliana. He knew such kindness could be used, and that the longer he was kept alive, the more chance he had at escaping. And so, he made himself useful. He recalled too that his hand had been cut off and yet clearly it still existed.

--

“What do we do with them?” Rainer asked. Both Janya and Liliana were unconscious after he had drained their stamina and Luna cast a sleeping spell. He understood enough from Janya that he himself would be incapable of such enchantments and that teaching Luna wasn’t possible in any short period. But, modifying his own [Arcane Awakening] may very well be possible.

Luna yawning on Rainer’s head replied,” Luna doesn’t care,” She was more interested in sleeping than anything else.

Rainer still felt slightly ill at having to torture the Fae. His talk with Janya had made him realize that the Queen, was less of a Queen than he initially thought. That the Fae themselves, may not actually be his enemy. And if these two did not have anything to do with Luna, there was little animosity in him. He, of course, had no intention of leaving an enemy at his back.

“I didn’t ask this before. But if we killed them right now, how’s the experience?”

“Little. It has been too long since their capture. Killing them now cannot even compare to in a combat situation or shortly after restraining them. Experience is a combination of how it was gained and what you are gaining it from.”

“Then I’ll take care of it,” Rainer spoke, though just before he left Kara stopped him.

“Rainer, it’s alright I’ll take care of it.” Kara saw how he struggled with his earlier choices.

Rainer paused. When he had killed the Winter’s Guardians, it had been a decision he believed at the moment was necessary for his and Luna’s safety, and Kara’s as well.

When he had killed Fira, the terror on Luna’s face had ignited a wave of anger within him.

Yet now, he saw these two Fae as nothing more than two soldiers. But, he couldn’t just let them live and give away information about them, especially given that they may have seen Kara’s Demonic Aura come out when she killed the other [Rune Knight].

Rainer shook his head at Kara’s offer. He didn’t wish to rely on her for such a thing, even if it wasn’t a problem for her. In that, he wasn’t even sure. He knew Kara had little issue with killing in battle, but beyond that, he only knew what she had been forced to do as a little girl.

In the first place, unless he periodically drained them, they were dangerous as captives.

He would do what it took to survive. No, for him it was about more than survival. He desired to thrive, to pursue magic freely, to live openly with those close to him.

He would act as needed.

He walked off, the quiet thrum of Arcane extended from his Hilt. And with such, two lives ended.

Rainer stared down at his hilt as he returned to the rest. Whatever this gnawing represented he needed to see just why he felt the need to use [Sleep Learning] so urgently.

“Luna. I need you to use a sleeping spell on me.”

In truth, Rainer was quite exhausted. While only a few minutes had passed for Kara and Gunthar, he had many hours pass for him. He had been nearly killed twice.

He headed upstairs, and much to Kara's disappointment, sought to sleep immediately.