As we enter, I note there’s no one inside. The room is small, with only a round platform in the middle.
“The treaty between the Houses states that once a warrior advances to the status of Son of Tenebreis, they must report to the War Department for registration. This means they go up on that platform, and our system measures their abilities. However,” the supervisor pauses. “We cannot force these warriors to come in and measure their abilities regularly as per the treaty. If they so desire, they can come in voluntarily, though that is not encouraged by their Houses. After all, data is power.” He smiles at us. “That is why we haveyou. Your job is to constantly observe and update the statistics of the warriors assigned to you. Although it is not as exact as our system, it is the best way through which we can surveil them without breaking the treaty.”
“Now, you’ve heard the Chief. Any sudden spike in power that is incongruent with the chart is cause for concern. Although they are not obligated to submit to a new measurement, all warriors who level up must declare it. But make no mistake, mostwillnot declare it. The Houses prefer to keep their bestwarriors hidden to keep an advantage in case of war. Our job is to make sure we have all the available information should such a war start.”
“If you see a spike, you present it at once. Afterwards, the warrior has a fortnight to declare his advancement. If that does not happen, the War Department will start an investigation into the matter and your job will be to gather undeniable evidence that the warrior in question has indeed leveled up before going through the proper channels to raise the matter with their particular House.”
One of the rookies raises his hand. “Uhm, what happens if we do find the evidence and they have still not declared themselves?”
“A trial,” Elysand answers. “And if the War Department finds out that the warrior and his House have colluded to keep the information purposefully hidden, the warrior can be stripped of his new level.”
Everyone is quiet, staring in shock at Elysand.
“You can strip someone of a level?” I whisper.
“Indeed. We have not yet found a way to strip a warrior who’s already reached the ninth level, as there seems to be some type of spiritual evolution that occurs at that moment that binds the energy with the soul. You can think of it as a blank state. Once a warrior reaches the ninth level, they become a new being. Every level that is built on top of that is easily undone as long as we act within a certain time frame while the spiritual energy is still volatile.”
“What is the timeline for that?” The same rookie from before asks.
“A total of eight weeks,” Elysand answers gloomily. “That means the special investigation into a specific warrior must be wrapped within four weeks afterward. It is preferred if you do it much earlier to allow for any bureaucratic delays or mistakes.”
“What do those special investigations involve?” I ask curiously.
“You will know when the time comes. That is mainly because each warrior is different and the moment a special investigation is approved, you will work with other members of the team to design the best approach.”
I nod. That doesn’t seem too bad as long as I have the support of the other members.
“I have another question.” The same rookie from before, whose name I now learn is Pekko says. “How do warriors suddenly advance from one level to another?”
“Good question. Usually it is linear, which makes our job much easier.” Elysand laughs. “However, there are instances in which a warrior might use underhanded methods to advance fast. There are mystical items that can accelerate the process, some of which are considered illegalandtaboo, as well as…” He pauses. “The consumption of another Tartareian with spiritual energy, which is strictly prohibited. If this is the case, then we’re not talking about stripping them of their new levels anymore. The punishment is death.”
I listen in shock to information I could not find in any textbook. There are mystical items that can help one level up? And if one consumes another spiritual being one can gain their spiritual energy?
In a way, it makes sense. Pure-blooded Tartareians feed on soul energy, so it stands to reason that the more powerful a soul, the more energy they would gain from its consumption. But this is the first time I hear of the possibility of consuming another Tartareian… I thought our kindonlyconsumed mortal souls.
Since it’s so prohibited, it makes sense why the information wouldn’t be widely available. It makes me wonder how I could use this to aid in my own advancement.
Really, Nykander? You can barely fight a mortal, how would you fight a spiritually advanced being.
I shake my head ruefully. That would never happen. I don’t even know if I would dare hurt someone intentionally for the sole purpose of consuming their energy. Never mind the fact that the punishment for it isdeath.
But those mystical items… Maybe I can get more information on what they are and how they could help me. Maybe…
“Uhm, about those stats on the sheets,” I interrupt with a raised hand. I still need to know what each means.
“Yes.” Elysand nodes. “That is why you are here. You can each go onto the platform and get a reading of your stats.”
I blink. I did not expect…that.
The other rookies did not either, all of them staring in wonder for a few seconds. But soon their expressions were filled with anticipation.
“Who wants to go first?” Elysand looks from one rookie to the other until one of them steps forward and volunteers.
The first to step onto the platform is named Urland. A blue light descends from the ceiling onto the edges of the platform, trapping him inside. It seems as though the particles of light permeate each cell in his body, moving around at high velocity.
In a matter of seconds, a see-through screen appears in front of the platform, and the same stats as before are written in a saturated blue color.
His level is four, but his experience is zero. That makes sense. The other stats quickly fill up, and though they’re not as high as the warrior’s sheet I read before, they’re quite impressive for a mere functionary.
