Chapter 39: Shouldering

‘All five of them contacted me at the same time... ‘ Sheldon wiped the dust off his hands and the black particles flickered into nothingness.

He floated up to a standing position and walked out the cave, for the open vicinity of Demirva Ridge.

A dark gray, bony and shrouded by a mantle wraith crossed his path. “On your way, poor Being”. Sheldon blew and the wraith was gently swept away, before it could shrill.

Demriva Ridge was the place that turned him from a young adventurer to an existence equal to the leader of the five powers, and that was just the smallest benefit he obtained by consumed the God made perfect dark attribute’s essence ... Hence, he appreciated it plenty and its damned residents.

‘Zax Zel... ‘ Sheldon expected to be also contacted by him. He of course knew of the apparition that emerged from New Earth and Horn Kikon, General Logan, Archbishop Silternjan and Cardinal Northstar’s intrusion to the land of the aboriginal.

‘Friend Zax, for what do I receive this transmission?’ Sheldon amiably inquired. He had ideas for Zax’s reasons, but he was entangled by several opposing sides, so feigning ignorance was a recurring approach, which anyways was commonly adopted and generally silently accepted.

‘Did the leaders of the five powers contact you?’ Zax was in no state to entertain Sheldon.

He had a major concern, the descent of the Immortals, that he feared can spawn from two possible outcomes...

In the case the five leaders are aware of the Three Locks formation and that just one remains, they might make haste to invite in advance the troops of the powerhouses behind them. The other possibility was unrelated to their knowledge of the Three Locks formation, but the presence of the Spirits. Should they feel apprehensive of those elemental Beings responding in hostility to either their meddling in the Down Ocean, the collapse of the Heavy Water Pools’ formation or the emergence of the Godly Law Template, the five leaders perhaps will take cautionary steps by requesting Immortal aid to deal with Immortal level adversary.

‘They did’. Sheldon deliberated on is words and answered by what he thought Zax knew. For special reasons he did not want to lie to him, but if the latter wanted to coarse explicit information out of him, he would have to ask the right questions.

‘You call me “Friend”, Sheldon, but I’m not sure if I can call you on as well. If, like Senior Ohar’s, your mannerism is genuine?’

‘Dear friend Zax, true we never got the chance to properly meet, however by being who I am, do you think I lack foresight when choosing my friends? Even if I were miserably blind, my trust is fully with Senior Ohar. If his exalted self is valuing you so much, who am I think less of you? Naturally I’d like us to be friends’.

‘I also believe that we can be friends’. Zax loosened his firm tone. ‘But friendships cannot be casually decided. Therefore, I hope you won’t take offence that I want test this belief’.

Sheldon surmounted the nearest summit and overlooked the panoramic scenery of the ridge and the other peaks as the sun shone on his bald head and his beard fluttered in the strong wind.

‘I really do want to be your friend... ‘ His expression, which Zax could not see, suggested a deeper implication, yet it quickly resumed its aged and placid countenance.

‘Then please be honest with me. Are you, too, after the Godly Law Template?’ Zax had zero doubts that someone in contact with an Immortal as prominent as the three powerhouses responsible for the five powers would be oblivious to the most highly sought treasure hidden in this planet.

‘No. Only the five powers and Sinister Chain are looking for it, although up until this very moment I assumed neither you nor the chain knows about the template’. His eyes betrayed a thoughtful glint that vanished just as quickly as he discounted the desire to ask Zax how he knew about the Godly Law Template. ‘I’ll keep it a secret’.

‘Thank you. I don’t want the five powers to raise suspicion for me’. Zax looked ahead to the Western Continent coming to his view.

He exited the Down Ocean first but left its parameter with the Eastern Continent only after he detected the all six fifth level Martial Mortal aura leaving in succession, which is why he contacted Sheldon late and had just made it back to Selivereb.

‘The probable location of the template is the Down Ocean’. Zax did not mind to divulge if it would assist him in finding what Sheldon’s motives are, if not the Godly Law Template. The reality was that the Down Ocean safeguarded only the last lock of the Three Locks formation.

‘You mean because the Heavy Water Pools? I have people in a lot of places, my friend Zax’. Sheldon deliberately refrained from saying “Everywhere”, as to not make it sound like New Earth included. If Zax wants to know he will need to ask ... and then make the choice whether to believe the answer or not. ‘The five powers abandoned years ago their excavation sites across Ercas Mir, leaving only those in the Down Ocean operating. What can be the reason if not they are getting closer to finding the template?’

‘If you have operatives below the fourth Martial Mortal level and with no understanding of the icy attribute in the Down Ocean, they will fail to detect anything in the pools. Have you gone there yourself?’ Zax asked.

‘I’ve told you. I’m not after the template, so why should I bother dipping into those dangerous waters. My people are sufficiently trained to stay inconspicuous and all I need them is to track and report’.