"Come this way, there's something I want to show you"
Moulug walked forth, Mat following behind curiosity and confusion running rampant in his mind.
"I understand you might be confused. But I was as confused as you when this suddenly happened"
Moulug said as he turned multiple times as though they were in a maze.
"You are right about that, Cindy gave me a surprise visit today, and here you are telling me that you were expecting me. This day sure turned weird for me."
Finally they stopped in front of what seems to be a thick door, with what seems to have seals around it.
"Now that you mention it, I was expecting you both to come together. Did something happen between the two of you perhaps?"
"Long story"
Seeing that mat wasn't planning to give an explanation. Moulug dug into his pockets and took out an enchantment paper. Dropped some blood onto it. Then threw it towards the door. The moment the enchantment hit the door. The sealing texts in the door started to glow. The enchantment paper turned to flames which burnt down the seal.
Following that the mechanism within the door started to move till the door slowly started to open. Once fully opened candles inside lit one after another in a linear form till the whole room was well lit.
"Come I have to show this to you. You might find it bizzare"
Moulug walked in and Mat followed close behind. Once inside he saw what seems to be an altar right in the middle of the room. On the altar was something he knew all too well. Matter of fact he felt closely connected to it. It was the treasure they used to drain Alex of his power. The Ceptre. What was odd about it right now is that instead of resting, it was active.
Glowing a blue light while slightly spinning in the air above the altar. Mat understood one thing about treasures of this level. And that is once used they would stay in slumber unless they are being used. Once Alex died it went to slumber because it had no return power source.
This treasure's primary use is to borrow power, then once done it will transfer the power back. But once the owner of that power is dead or unable to receive it back. It will power down. Unless the person was injured at first then heals up enough to recover his power.
"Ho….How could this be, this has to be a fluke or perhaps the mistica is trying to find a new host for its power"
Mat was visibly shaken by what he was witnessing.
"We have limited knowledge of the power relating to Mistica or Jumper. But I have never seen texts that say two or more people could connect to one Mistica. A mistica is like one's own personal psyche. There can never be two of the same. Only similar"
Moulug contemplated. Mat then thought about something
'Pray that there is no life after death, pray that reincarnation is just a myth. Pray that ghost stories are just folk stories because if just one of these were true. I shall haunt you all, for all of eternity!!'
Alex's last words rang in his mind like they were said just yesterday. As ominous as that night and as overbearing.
"Moulug, do y…"
Moulug raised his hand, stopping Mat from finishing his sentence.
"Let's not get all superstitious. I understand today's events can cause someone to think thoughts beyond the physical. I know the three of us felt something happen deep within us. There are a hundred more possibilities but that one is not in the list. I'll try to figure it out."
Mat felt a bit relieved to hear that. Though he has grown more powerful over the years deep down he still felt the shadow Alex left within him.
"By the way, it would seem the seal has reached the next level. Widening the range which the fallen can come into both our dimension. Do you know what this means?"
"More trouble will befall human kind?"
Moulug looked at Mat, though he didn't have a mouth or any other feature. Mike felt like his face had a condescending smile of condescending.
"Jumper Mat, it would appear the role of humanity's hero has gotten so deep in your mind, you are starting to think like your deceased friend. Your thinking has become shallow and limited"
Mat felt his heart race with anger, his eyes turning red.
"Don't you dare lump me in with that naive fool."
Seeing the total switch around Moulug stopped staring at him and weaved his hand. A portal opened.
"Follow me"
Upon entering Mat found himself in the throne room. Moukug went and set on his throne.
"Jumper Mat , this increase in radius means if we were to jump within the dimension of the fallen, we shall uncover more secrets. We just might find more treasure which could help us understand why we were suddenly thrown into a war we know nothing about, Who is behind the fallen. Why are we even fighting in the first place? Isn't this why your friend had to go?
His weak mind stopped him from growing, from questioning, he focused more on human preservation and safety and less on evolution and truth."
Mat went and sat down on one of the chairs on the side.
"As always, I seek power to see the pinnacle of existence. I will go with this idea of yours"
Mat agreed, and was ready for the next step. He understood his own limits all too well. The knowledge of the jumpers and mystica always seems to be hidden within the realm of the fallen.
***
A week passed.
Somewhere within the forest, A group of three was faced with a formidable for. A lebratore, A type two fallen. A looked like a buffed zebra on two legs holding what seems to be a staff. But the materials used to make it were foreign. But it was as hard as steel.
"Mike, I'll create on opening see if you can knock down that weapon"
Mildread with the odachi in hand came running. His eyes looked like they had some weird patterns on them. The moment he got close to the beast. The first thing he did was dodge the horizontal swing of the staff then followed by doing a back flip. Perfectly avoiding the follow up kick. The moment he landed he once again launched himself towards the beast praying the weapon with his odachi then threw a kick of his own.
It went off balance. Just as it started to regulate itself a fist came out of nowhere aimed at the weapon. The moment it connected. The resulting vibrations from the shockwave forced the creature to let go of the weapon.
"Now Miley it's your turn. Miley, behind opened a special bubble right in front of Mildread. Without missing a beat, mildread jumped right inside. Reappering 10 meters above the creature. As soon as he got to a good height he activated the enchantment treasure. The blade turned red. Then with a perfect arc swing. The beast was cut clean in half.
"Phew that makes 3, let's back and turn in. We've reached our daily recommendation."
Miley said she stretched out her body. You could see bags under her face that she hasn't gotten any sleep lately.
"Mildread, don't you dare accept another mission once we get back. I don;t know what you are trying to prove but don't prove using my strength. I'm a growing boy I need my sleep"
"Fine"
"Miley can you send us back"
She quickly opened special bubbles. She didn't use the taboo skill since there was no emergency today. It has been a busy week for the settlement. Fallen activity has increased drastically. Unlike before when the sighting of a fallen was at minimum once or twice a day. That number has increased by 5 times. Making all the Jumpers work overtime. No one has had a proper rest in a long while.
As they were walking through one bubble after another Mike remembered something.
"By the way, has Doctor Selly said anything about the boy we have rescued a week back. Surely he has awakened by now"
"Now that you bring that up we should check up on him as soon as we done completing the mission"
Back at the base. In the laboratory. The researchers were currently focused on one thing. This has been their main focus for a week now. It is as though they have found a new joy and can't get enough of it.
"Fascinating, It is though energy itself has taken a tangible form. So dense it could maintain a form until otherwise"
"Hey, do you think this could be the solution to revive some of the technology from 10 years back. Understand that some alternatives has been made to allow us to use some technology but still it feel like we are more than a 300years behind"
"Tom, you think small. With this we have the possibility to create our own treasures. Think about it"
"Hey, has the General told you where he got this stuff"