?Andar had never felt worthy of the gifts of a new life. He had been given great talents but he lacked the discipline and fortitude to press on through the setbacks that talent gave him, and this attitude led to his shameful death in the fangs of the beasts he was feeding.
Given a second chance and his talents and body had been enhanced to a ridiculous degree, he had refused to use his gifts in a manner that would not be worthy of them.
When he was breaking through the clouds to become an Acolyte, during that process he had experienced pain greater than what he had thought could be possible.
If this was the Andar of before he would have stopped, even with his body having the capacity to move on, this pain would have incapacitated him, but he did not want to waste any chance given to him so Andar accepted this pain as a price of power, and he had gone beyond what his body was capable of. He had shattered his body to pieces to reach the hand of a god when he was still a mortal.
Andar had not wasted his gifts.
His talent had responded to this incredible resolve and had given him a great mental talent and he unlocked the ability of Gray Will.
This was a powerful mental talent that killed the user as they made use of it, only given to those who were willing to go to the edge and beyond it in the pursuit of their goals. A gift should only be available to an Archmage.
Due to Andar's unique constitution, he was barely able to use it, giving him the ability to enhance his Meditation Art to a level that was beyond what any Acolyte or Mage could reach
His talents had also responded to a Supreme Meditation Art like the Endless Vault, pushing Andar to accomplish such great heights as an Acolyte, but he had paid for this power.
The price for this growth was terrible, it came with an endless pain that was placing him on the brink of madness, and a greater part of his Spirit was devoted to keeping him sane.
Although he was now aware of the root of his drive, it would be nearly impossible for him to change, but still, slowly but surely, he would get there. He heard his Creator who sat by his side sighing, Andar's heart shook for he detected sorrow in his voice and a grim determination.
Andar lifted his head and looked at the figure of Rowan, and his Creator spoke,
"I made a decision to give you a great gift. At first, it was just to make you a supreme Rank 1 Mage, yet I have gone through so many changes in these past few years that my thoughts have changed.
"Haa…" Rowan let out a long drawn-out breath, his eyes seeming as if it was piercing through eternity, "How time reveals the secrets and depravities of the past, if I want to change reality, then this change needs to start with me. Andar if you want to create enemies, try changing something.
"I have been breaking the chains of slavery placed on me and it has brought me to the realization that my children can not reach their full potential if I don't know how to let them go. I will not be like my Father and the Primordials. I have to let you go, only then can you truly shine…"
Andar did not really understand what Rowan meant, he heard his words but he chose not to believe them, he was looking at the fire during the speech because somehow he could not bear to look at Rowan's face, and when he looked up, he was alone.
He looked behind him and the ever-present eye in his Mental Space had vanished. His Mental Space suddenly felt empty.
'Has it ever been this quiet?"
'Why don't I like it?'
'Why do I want to cry?'
'Why do I feel so alone?'
Andar hugged himself as he suddenly felt a void he never knew existed inside him as the presence he had disregarded for so long was gone.
"So I have depended on your presence for so long, I have forgotten what it is like to be alone. Somehow I have always had the thought that I could never be truly in any danger, no matter what foes or situations I faced, because I could feel you.
"I did not tell you that the reason I could hold on for so long was because I knew you were here with me and your presence is my greatest strength. You should have given me the chance to thank you before you left me because I just realized now that I have never thanked you for giving me a new life."
Andar knelt down and tears poured from his eyes as he whispered, "Father, why have you abandoned me?"
He felt a nudge by his side as the Cloud Whale rubbed his head against Andar's waist. That small gesture was enough to push his mind away from his loss and made him think deeply about the words of his creator. He had given him the greatest gift of all, and his behavior was a disgrace to this gift.
"I swear this to you Father, no matter how far away from me you are. I shall find you and you shall not be able to push me away, because I will be worthy to stand by your side."
Andar stood up, his Spirit Body began to ripple and collapse, he could not hold it together for he had much to learn, but he could see the meat still hanging in front of him and he soon realized what it was—Primordial Aether.
He had digested less than a hundred drops of this Aether the last time he created a Named Item, and if he wanted to estimate how much Primordial Aether was here, it was at least ten thousand, this was not counting the ones he had previously digested.
Andar brought his fading hand and grabbed the Primordial Aether, "I don't know if I can ever live to your expectations…," He shoved the Primordial Aether into the center of his Spirit and his body lit up like a star, "... But I know I will never stop growing until I reach you!"
The single second ended, and Andar began to Ascend to become a Mage.