Temporal Pearls

Chapter 246: History Of Paperlace

"Seeking to obtain Paper Creation…!" A sheer disdain echoed from the ancient being and Seth felt his spirit almost jump out of him, "how absurd, to think you cross thousands of miles under the blessings of the Moon, Living Roots, some weak dragons of this era, Feather and Skylight, to seek Paper Creation Ability."

Seth's spirit was trembling, he could feel the anger and rage of the being but he was shielded from the raw emotion, if not he would have died long ago.

"This is surely a Lost era. Know this little boy, you will never get the ability you seek, not now, not ever in your short limited miserable life. For eternity, even in death, you will never get that ability, or any ability remotely close to that!"

That was the last voice of being he heard, before a serene silent wash over him. His mind contemplated the words he was told and came to the obvious conclusion, the being will not kill him and that was a relief to him.

Soon, Seth opened his eyes, he was in an empty large hall carved out of gold, silver and white stone, with a variety of designs depicting various animals and alien races. Seth was naked, he stepped forward to look at the sun above, it was beautiful and the blue sky soothed him.

He slumped down as he tried to focus on the Notifications that floated in front of him but for some reason, his eyes were too unfocused to read them. so he ignored them and lay on his back.

He saw Retina standing behind him with a concerned gaze before she sat beside him. "Are you alright?"

"I can't see properly!" Seth said. He was having a hard time looking at things close to him or focusing.

"It will wear off!" She said softly, underneath her tone was something sad and lost.

"You know, it took almost 60 years to create me. My father, the chief, was a talented child. At age 5 he was playing and beating down baby dragons. Against the will of the elders, he escapes the valley and goes on an adventure. Later he came back, and they managed to rope him in to marry and I was born, he intended to leave but the elders used me to trap him.

They have been experimenting on my kind and managed to make me."

"Fifty-eight years is how long my father was trapped as I'm being fueled to be made. When I was born, he was freed and almost destroyed the valley. Later he settled down and became the chief. And he loves me dearly!" She became silent.

After some time she continued, "You… as weak as you are, you fuel that Retina and in less than two months it stabilized and was born properly. You survived Moon Possession, you survived White Void, and now…!

She trailed, Seth looked at her, she seemed sad but also in awe at those feats.

"Before that, I survived Living Roots!" Seth commented as a matter of fact.

"Yeah, I figured. So, your body is weak but your soul is strong!" She asserted before she said, "I'm sorry, I left you when he pulled you to him!"

"Hehe, great risk comes with a great opportunity!" Seth said. He believed as he survived surely he must obtain something great.

"Not this one. You have faced primordials that are under the natural order contract. But not this King!"

Seth sat and looked at the notifications.

[You have become the Subject of the 'Great Bind' transference]

[Your body is Super Weak and unable to contain the Great Bind]

[You are serving as the Energy of Altering Great Bind]

[You are undergoing Transformation]

.

.

.

That was the notification that appeared when everything started but then his mind blanked away and came back.

The last Notification was.

[Paperfication Complete]

[You have become Paper Human]

[You have all the weaknesses of Paper Human but you do not have the ability of Paper Human]

[You will never be able to create Paper as a Paper Human]

Seth looked at his hand and found it pale white. He touched it, he was really human but he felt different.

"You will get wet easily, you will burn easily. Your body will break easily under small forces. You can also make papers!"

"No, I have all the weaknesses but nothing of the strength. Paper creation, folding, colour retaining and many other things are all forbidden for me as asserted by…!" Seth didn't finish as he felt his heart clenched with grief.

"Don't worry, I think you are becoming normal. The Great Curse doesn't work on you!" Retina said with a smile.

Seth felt a surge of excitement as he checked again. He didn't see the difference but he trusted her words.

"You were truly made of paper days ago but now you have blood running in you. Just give it some time and you will be human again. But I suggest you rest more than you move."

Seth nodded and lay again but stood to fetch his attire but met with a large throne, it was majestic and can take on a man of 12 to 15 feet in height.

"He was big as a human!" She said before she urged him to just lie and recover. Even with the embarrassment of being naked, he looked away and closed his eyes. In a short moment, he fell asleep.

To him, it was just a moment, but to Retina, he spent a week sleeping. Opening his eyes he met with great notification.

[Great Bind has dissipated]

[Paperfocation has been nullified]

[Gawee Dots Grade 5 Level 10]

His body has become normal but the Gawee Dots seem to have formed by his moulded flesh now.

"It's amazing how you recover this fast!" Retina said with a smile. Seth ignored her and ran to his attire and wore them.

His attire too immediately underwent some change as lines and dots moulded on them that resembled those on his body.

"Gawee Dots, they make people immune to decay at base level, but now that they are better I don't know what their effect will be!"

She commented.

'She spoke with more respect than before!' Seth thought before he looked around and wondered, "What really happened?"

Growled!

"I'm hungry!" Seth commented and he checked his pocket as he brought fruits and Soothing Guard to feed.

"He was a survivor of the great war." Retina began to speak as she watched Seth push in food. "It was not by chance that he did survive but, like everyone else, he was weakened, so he began to regain his power. Unfortunately, he targeted the dragons as his major source of food, tools, and power."

She said and took one of the fruits as she continued, "He terrorizes them, anything below Ancient was just a lamb to him. The old dragons congregate and come up with a plan to create a powerful magic that has laws of the world and cast a Great Curse on him at the cost of many dragon sacrifices. They cursed him to die but he was too strong to achieve that but rather he became weak!"

"However, he grew back to his prime faster than before. That was when some ancient, decided to Curse him too. You know, when some beings have too much killing is close to impossible and even stripping them of their powers is harder. So, the best way to stop them was to convert their power to something else. So, the Curse they put on him was Paperfication with Great Bind."

Seth looked at her as he began to understand his predicament.

"Yes, he was the first Paper Human. His level of power didn't reduce but rather it now centered around making paper. Imagine you can create millions of diamonds with a thought but then you are cursed to make millions of paper with a thought."

"Ohh!"

"His power can't be bound but when Great Bind and Paperfication was used, he was bound to make papers only. And paper is weak against fire and wet in water. Even the metal paper, rock paper and any transmuted paper, the moment they touch a special fire from dragons it will burn like normal."

"So that's how it was!" Seth understood the disdain.

"Yes. My father, the Red Ancient, told me that. The Great Bind will stay till the end of time as long as the Ancient Dragons that cast it were alive and also if they didn't attack him themselves. However, other dragons can try to kill him. But even bound to make papers only, he was still strong enough to slaughter an army of them. In the end, all the dragons vacated this area and left him alone.

It was believed he wallowed in grief for millennia while also trying to break the Curse but failed. Some believe he found another way when one of the Ancient died, and he also made a bargain with another ancient but he didn't have the final ingredient to break free. Until you come along!" Retina said.

"Oh, I'm the ingredient!"

"No. You are just a person that has a path for him to be free even without the Ingredient. Your Mental Realm is capable of carrying the weight of the Grand Bind. Because of that he forcefully transfers the Curse to you. He has been doing that since he created this kingdom but no one has enough physical power to contain it or have the Mental power to contain it until you come along!"

Seth understood that as much but why was he recovering?

"Great Bind was tailored for him, it was bound to dissipate and leave. But Paparfication left you because of the nature of your Providence. The five Provinces were made due to some of your Great Feats, one of which was Moon Possession and Transformation which you survived. That means anything that will detrimentally alter you when it possesses you will have a hard time doing so or lasting long.

Paperfication was just a result of Great Bind transferred to you, so it wasn't intended by him for you to eternally be a paperman. Besides he didn't want that, he wished for your death, that way no one can use you to try and curse him. Your survival is bad but as the Curse lifted and you are back to normal then, it's good for him.

Not to mention Gawee Dots also play an important role in facilitating your recovery!"

"You know a lot," Seth said before he added, "he was upset because I came here for paper creation!"

"I don't blame him. He was trapped for millennia as a paper human and then some other human popped up begging to get that ability, even I will be furious!"

"But I have my reasons. With Paper Creation Ability my Paintings, Sketching, and Scribing will be unhindered. And the truth is they have a lot of potential!" Seth said, "Speaking about my scribe skill."

"It's the least I could do for you, was to make sure as long as your blood pumped, your skill wasn't interrupted!" She said as the book material from a red envelope.

Seth took the book, it was a mess but it recorded everything, even things Seth wasn't aware of.

"What skill was that?" Seth asked.

"I don't know. I just wanted to keep the book and it popped up!" She said, "You know, we have authority over red in many ways that one can imagine. The possibility was almost endless to the point it was scary. But one thing is we must tread with caution!"

Seth nodded with a smile as he read about Takardaniya coming to the King asking why he took him abruptly like that but the King shook his head and said, "The God has awakened and we are departing in seven days!" Your next journey awaits at mvl

"Are you not the God?" Takardaniya asked.

"No, I'm just his avatar. The boy you brought is a key to his freedom. Greatness awaits us, go prepare, we will leave no one behind!" He ordered.

Seth was interrupted by Retina's question, "Have you checked the ability of your Charm that the Chief gave you?"

"I tried but it was shrouded!" Seth said, "Check and tell me what it is?"

"It's related to aura blood. Don't use it much, please. It's a double-edged sword!"

"What does it do?" Seth asked.

"If I told you, he would know and he may change it completely. But it's dangerous. I think he didn't believe you completely, that's why he charm you with it!" Said.

Seth thought before he confessed, "If not now that you said I forgot about. By the way, how come he didn't realize the book was recording events that happened to me and my surroundings!"

"Are you not a Noble from Living Roots Hidden Village!" She asked.

"I am!"

"Are you not on a contract with the Moon to visit her?"

"I am!"

"So, what are you saying he didn't find out? Didn't the  Blue Cape have the ability to conceal objects within it or around it!"

"Yeah, you know I haven't gone through the cape's abilities yet. let me check!"

[Azure Cape]

~Type: Ruler's Attire

~Grade 5

~Lord of Roots Village

~Use: ?????, Green Hooded Cloak

[As long as your Sanctuary functions, the Cape will never be destroyed and wherever it is, you can feel it.]

____

"Why does it say Type instead of Category? Only living things go with type while inanimate objects go with Category?" Seth wondered out loud, he didn't expect Retina to explain.

"Because it's the most valuable possession of the Lord. And the community ruled by him is considered living as an organism]

"You know a lot. But why Azure, I'm in Living Roots, it should be Green Cape!" Seth complained.

"Your original Home is where Abuhe Vulcan came from. And it was your core colour. It was actually impressive for him to manifest his village in Living Root, not many have that guts!"

"So, the moment I grade up, it will too?"

"No. It will grade up when you better your village. The number of people, security, social amenities, knowledge, culture and many more, that grade the cape up. And you should be the cornerstone of most of it or the great contributor!"

"I understand. Does that mean if I'm lacking and there's someone better in the village the cape will leave me?"

"I don't know!"

"It didn't show me any ability, only a question mark, then my Green Hooded Cloak," Seth said again.

"Well, you might have been using the ability without knowing but I think it was because your village is dormant now. But I don't know. What about the Green Cloak?"

"It's good, very good. Most of the things I know but some are new!"

__________________

[Green Hooded Cloak]

~Category: Living Root's Resident Attire

~Grade 2, Level 7

~Chromatic Stripes: Red, Moonlit.

Use: [Passive Skills]

(1)~Improve Health. (2)~Reduce Pressure. (3)~Plant Respect.

[Active Skills]

(1)~Forest Camouflage. (2)~Stripe Concealment. (3)~Trekking Against The Odd.

[Improve Health: Your Health will never reach critical health due to minor injury or injury that misses vital points. Passive Skill]

[Reduce Pressure: You and anything you want will experience less pressure due to external influence. Passive Skill]

[Plant Respect: Thorns, spores, vines, barks, poison and plants will avoid injuring you unless to alert you of something. Get to know the plant to improve its effects. Passive Skill]

[Forest Camouflage: You can hide your presence in a place that has more than three plant life, the bigger and more numerous the better. Active Skill]

[Stripe Concealment: You decide which stripe to show or hide. The hidden Stripe ability can't be activated. Active Skill]

[Trekking Against The Odd: Your foot trekking joinery will be improved especially in harsh conditions. Active Skill]

[The attribute of the cloak increased by 500%. Upgrade the cloak to have more Aspects]

_____

"Improve Health and Reduce Pressure" is old but its description changed a bit. And I can turn them off even though they are passive. Plant Respect is new to me. And now I felt that maybe the reason I'm not affected by most Living Roots plants was this Skill." Seth commented.

"Living Roots as a whole accepted you but individual plants didn't. But respect for you as they feed off your mental energy. That's why I pity you, I feel like the forest will not allow you to escape this Land!" Retina said.

"Don't jinx me. I will escape!" Seth said with certainty.

"Plant respect is good. The fact I kept studying them also made me see them properly!"

"Yes, I'm happy for you!" She said softly with a smile. Seth has found her manners strange ever since he woke up but her strangeness increased. She seemed shy, and sad at the same time. She also spoke so softly that made him wonder if she was the brash woman that threatened him all this time.

He stole a glance at her and found her eyes looking down as she played with Red River Stone and Red Signature Stone. He ignored her for now and read the rest.

__________

[Red Stripe]

~Grade 2, Level 1

~Use:

[Passive Skill]

(1)~Bleeding Effect. (2)~Absorb Natural Red Liquid.

[Active Skill]

(1)~Dragon Pulse Halo. (2)~Bubble Escape

[Description]

[Bleeding Effect:The more your enemy bleeds the less you bleed and vice versa but the bleeding will increase your perception and cognitive ability. Passive Skill]

[Absorb Natural Red Liquid: Any naturally red liquid will be absorbed into the red stripe to increase movement. Passive Skill]

[Dragon Halo Pulse: This is using your halo, amplified with dragon pulse aura to suppress any dragon that is weaker than Floating Feathered Dragon. 5 use per day. Active Skill]

[Bubble Escape: Your Cape will become a bubble and burst while a drop will escape with you. 3 Use per day. Active Skill]

[Note: The Red Stripe can only level up by absorbing red liquids in intense situations]

_______

"I can use 5 Dragon Pulse a day"

"You should change that to your Pulse. Dragons hold a grudge and one with relevant ability can give you trouble when you use that ability!"