The capital was stunning, the buildings were mostly the same earthly and sandy color but their designs were pure works of art to say the least. Hiro and Nubel were in one street leading to the capital's center, to their sides were buildings a few stories tall restricting how much of the sky they saw. Looking several buildings ahead a fountain could be seen, a signature piece of the capital's center with another being a beeline path to the palace. Children were playing around the fountain but soon stopped their activity, instead looking at the sky, they too could hear the sound of something moving across the sky.

  "Ah, I think I know what it is."

  Nubel declared with excitement as the sound became louder showing the proximity of the flying object.

  "It's a flying ship. They haven't been in use in the last fifty years, for preservation of life force but this must be it."

  Nubel continued upon seeing the questioning and maybe even impatient look on Hiro. But his words only made Hiro knit his brows in confusion and wanted to ask more when. A giant shadow was cast over them, the flying ship was finally over their heads moving steadily towards the palace and with it now in view there was no longer a need to ask anything. Just by looking at it Hiro could answer the questions himself.

  (A literal flying ship. Hmm, it does have features unique to it but undeniably a ship. The keel, stern, mast and the hull. What is seems unique to it, the fins on its flanks a quarter of the flag's size and the large fan at the bottom rear.)

  "It was bound to happen eventually, the return of old rune technology. Akarn will be the continent's center of activity once more."

  Nubel said with pride and hope emanating from him. Hiro watched from the side it was evident how much the former felt about this and even when excluding Nubel looking around he could see the excitement of the locals, even after the ship passed their attention was still glued to the sky their eyes filled with wonder, awe and expectation. They could feel and see the world was changing, these objects they only knew through tail were now something that they could see and feel for themselves, and beyond that their very conditions of living were changing for the better.

  "It's a shame, for this Akarn has sacrificed its symbol."

  "You mean the ancient rune"

  "Yes. Since its founding the grand rune has been the backbone of Akarn. Nothing can replace it."

  Akarn's ancient rune made by the founder of the kingdom of Akarn, ancestor to the current royal family, one of the few and latest grand master to have existed throughout history. The rune was the cause of an influx of rune practitioners coming into the country, thus the the kingdom was dubbed kingdom of runes. Rune practitioners of all kinds came here to study the grand rune in hopes of becoming grand master's themselves, unfortunately even masters cannot be grand masters. The gap between the two one which studying and practicing can't breach, grand masters were simply masters more favored by the world than others allowing them to wield more power even with mastery that didn't exceed master rank. As much as they were aware of this they never stopped trying to ascend through this method. It was also thanks to this rune that the world's life force was sustained with the dead land being held back by it.

  (It seems me being responsible for the world's restoration is being kept secret even for those working at the palace.)

  Thought Hiro remembering that the king had requested that he kept the matter secret in fear of what it might lead to of course Hiro didn't care for how the matter was handled.

  "Let's return to the castle, I've seen enough of the capital plus I have something to say to Aleus."

  After returning to the palace he found that it was more abuzz then before he left, servants could be seen moving between rooms frequently. The reason was of course those that arrived at the palace via the flying ship, esteemed guests from one of the neighboring kingdoms. Even while seeing such activity Hiro did not hesitate in looking for Aleus. As a guest Hiro was given a few privileges one of which was he could meet with prince Aleus at anytime and these new arrivals by rank of being guests actually ranked lower than him. With Nubel as his guide finding the prince didn't take long but after bringing him there Nubel left after greeting prince Aleus.

  "Hiro, good timing I've heard that you haven't worn the clothes we provided for you. And now I see for myself that it is true."

  Said Aleus examining Hiro upon arrival, he still wore the same black leather clothes he was wearing when he got to the palace. And not from a lack of clothes but by choice.

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  "White just isn't my color. I'm more of a black or dark fit kind of person."

  Hiro answered.

  "Hmm. The opposite of me, I prefer white or light colors."

  Said Aleus examining himself before continuing to say.

  "Anyway you should have said so the palace isn't limited to these colors. I'll have someone bring you a few."

  "There's no need really. What I'm wearing is more armor than clothes so I can't take it off unless the situation demands it. Believe it not, this is made from the scales of a dragon lord of shadows. And if you're familiar with dragons you should know they sleep for hundreds to thousands of years and in that time do they bathe? No. Do they get dirty? No. Dragons don't get dirty like how they can't burn or be hurt by heat and their respective natural attribute."

  "Dead or alive, refined or raw the parts of a dragon retain their respective abilities. In this case scales, fire proof, heat resistant, eternally clean, regeneration and the ability to polymorph into all shapes and colors. The only downside is there's no way to control what it does limiting it to displaying passives. Of course there's other darkness stuff thanks to it being a shadow dragon."

  (Ah Hiro I was just suggesting a different set of clothes instead you... Interesting trivia though.)

  Thought Aleus in defeat.

  "A shame dragons don't exist on our planet but I hear there's countless worlds among the stars dragons call home."

  Listening to Aleus Hiro almost gasped, traveling and knowing what the stars held, this wasn't achieved in his universe. With magic they could make portals and teleport short distances but even with this no one had ventured beyond the moon. Once more he was reminded of how different their Worlds were.

  "But enough of that, I assume you have a reason for seeking me out."

  With Aleus now inquiring Hiro explained everything he talked about with B1 detailing everything about what the fragment was.

  "Are you sure what you say is true?"

  Asked Aleus his tone impatient.

  "If you doubt me you can investigate yourself."

  "Hahaha. It seems we have more cards to play now."

  Hiro was surprised this should have made Aleus realise the difficulty of subjugating the fragment but instead he appeared more hopeful of the situation than before.

  "And what cards are those?"

  He asked not wanting to be left in the dark. The grin on Aleus vanished as he explained.

  "Ah, I should've started with explaining of course you wouldn't know the advantages this presents. I take it you haven't seen our rune golems. If so it's best you come with me and see for yourself"

  He said getting off his seat leading Hiro to the palace training quarters so far from the main building it was almost out of palace grounds. While they went there Hiro could deduce that this was where the royal guards practiced, based on the runes and weapons those around the building carried. Inside there were wooden and metal humanoid golems. These were training type rune golems, but their appearance wasn't what caught Hiro's eye.

  (They are just inanimate objects brought to life with life force. In this way their no different from the fragment, except they have no will thus incapable of thought. But should be equivalent to the disposable bodies it makes.)

  Sensing the life force within them and seeing their dull and mechanical behavior Hiro evaluatd as much. But he still could not see how this helped so he turned to Aleus. And as if waiting for Hiro he walked onto one of the several training platforms while explaining.

  "There's a rune that goes hand in hand with the rune for making golems, restricted by law for those who don't do it as a profession. One that eliminates the root of what makes golems, well golems."

  Not long after stepping onto the platform the metal golem on this platform began to act, taking a battle stance for hand to hand combat, bringing a leg forward with fists clenched one extended while the other held close to the chest. Aleus did the same but unlike it he charged, using the runes that enhancing his agility, the normal invisible rune markings on his body glowed in a golden light visible through his white robe while he continued to infuse life force into them.

  Bam! Bam!

  His punches came quickly causing the golem to bring both hands to blocked. Aleus continued to punch not giving it a chance to counter. It was only after it started retreating backwards that he switched his approach, he waited for it to take a step back before he struck. Leaving it to guard a punch that wasn't coming while he crouched down doing a sweeping kick, knocking the golem off balance before it could react. But he wasn't finished just after its fall he moved in locking it in place preventing it from moving an inch.

  Only after he was sure of his body lock did Aleus turn his attention towards Hiro saying.

  "While I've pinned it down you can get on the platform and see the rune I was talking about. It's located just above the golem's head, so small that even those that train with them every day do not notice it."

  Hiro walked over and saw the rune for himself.

  "I can see why, smaller than the a grain of sand. Must have taken extreme precision to draw it so precisely... life expulsion."

  Hiro muttered its meaning as if to confirm this Aleus activated it and in the next moment Hiro could no longer sense life force from it and it became nothing more than a life sized metal doll. With it now nothing more than metal Aleus released and got up dusting his robes.

  "I'm surprised you found it with no trouble, even being able to read it."

  He said admiring Hiro's keen eyes before he continued.

  "Like you just saw this rune can expell the life force out of bodies that don't possess souls. Truth is, it was used on the fragment back then but it didn't work so it was assumed even with an inorganic body it had a soul. But if what you say is true even if it doesn't work for the core or main body the detached bodies should be vulnerable to this rune."

  Hiro was in a near daze still trying to wrap his mind around the existence of such a rune.

  (A rune that expels life, no wonder it's forbidden by law)

  "By the way I noticed you did not use the world's life force just now, wouldn't it have been easier to subdue the golem while using it."

  "Platform rules only rely on yourself to win, so a person only has their skill and life force to count on while using this training area."

  Aleus answered while they walked back to the palace.