As he sat on his throne ready, his wives began flooding him with their feelings of devotion, the strange Soulscape version of the room starting to get covered in it.

  And in every Soulscape among his Ladies was a special object or idea that seemed to glimmer with devotion essence. Each wife had made different choices for how this devotion would be displayed or how their paths were represented thanks to how the Soulscapes worked, but how important it was to each of them was very obvious. Nick was the center of their worlds, each of them choosing to devote an aspect of themselves to him and him alone.

  Thankfully, Nick wasn’t completely left in the dark as to how to do this–about how to ascend. The cultivation manuals provided by their recent purchase of the Extended Cultivation Codex for the Ancestral Archives helped ensure Nick and his wives would get as close to a perfect ascension as possible. It also contained methods continuing early through the third stratum.

  Most importantly, all of Nick’s Followers would get what they required. The Codex expanded upon what was available at the Pagoda of Martial Wisdom automatically, lining the building with countless scrolls and tomes of special techniques–the wisdom of the Archaen. And for everything else not contained within, Irene was able to make countless crystals for his people walking many paths.

  Now any monsterfolk, even his new mantisfolk and frogloks had Ideals and cultivation imagery to improve their training. And to Lumos’ shock, some things that may actually work for her to empower herself. The little automaton was excited, to say the least.

  While Orion had mostly leveled the playing field with its system, there were still tried-and-true methods across all Shards that contained small boosts to their outputs and mystical techniques that might even accomplish even more than that.

  However, it was a far cry from what Nick had heard from Shara about cultivators across the realms. They often hoarded knowledge and sometimes even hid secrets behind flawed techniques, only giving the proper techniques to true disciples or those blessed with nepotism, and this was for a much more complex system of mystical organs and more–which again, Orion had simplified for cultivators. Then, even if someone managed to progress with their flawed system, without any knowledge or special techniques at all, most would fall to Tribulation and die–like over ninety percent of them without the right knowledge.

  This went against Orion’s goals of allowing anyone to be able to become more. So as long as people had a basic imagery that went along with their will, they could rise to the top and have a decent chance at ascension.

  The special techniques just got people there faster, or perhaps with a few advantages or benefits such as a stronger mind and aura or better progress with their Concepts, to name a few. Nevertheless, the benefit across his army and climbers would speed up their advancement, whether one considered their skills, or their levels, or their overall capability.

  Nick cleared his mind, preparing himself. He thought about his Path and the feeling he had when he faced Lord Tagron. Not just with his sword and his magic, but also his kingdom, his thesis for Frosthaven.

  He won over three lords into his service, rescuing a kidnapped wife and heir. He managed to walk both the Hero’s Path and the Path of Kings at the same time, proving that with enough talent, enough resources, and enough superiority, he could defy expectations and walk two almost-conflicting paths at the same time.

  And that meant never compromising on his personal effort. It was his personal duty, his sacrifice to his followers and citizens, that he would bear the burden of the crown and the darkness that lay within them. Because there was no crown without sacrifice, whether by the throne or by its citizens.

  Holding on to the conviction he had in his path, he triggered the ascension by sending his mana and essence into the throne. The spherical room jolted, a strange mechanism of gears and metal moving almost as if liquid; the top and the bottom of the room flattened into that of a disk as it twisted.

  The pathways for essence remained after the room had condensed. Streams of essence flowed through the paths on the walls of the room before coalescing above and beneath him, attuned by his special Throne.

  The Boss essence was filtered like lights through a colored prism, providing only the essence appropriate for Nick and his path. The dense, high-quality essence of the third Stratum filled the room, combined with much of the stored essence from all that time he was in the Ordeal and even the tithed faith essence from Seraphara.

  The weight of the essence was heavy, feeling like Nick’s Concepts were in use. There was a spirituality carried along from so much essence, and Nick was a bit shocked by how this felt.

  The essence arrived at Nick’s throne, much like a pillar of multicolored light coming from above and below. He closed his eyes and began cultivating according to the method provided by the codex. In all, it wasn’t all that different from what he was previously doing. Creating chains of essence and mana from his Body, Soul, and Crown of the Frost King Cores, swirling them around and drawing essence in.

  Only, he focused on those chains being his bonds. His followers, his redeemed, and his wives. Each had a special connection to him, different bonds and pacts, each embodying different levels of duty and responsibility, vows, affection, and respect. And then, he followed an almost mystical pattern, where he focused on pivot points while swirling the numerous chains, causing areas to spin and gather essence differently and intermittently, drawing it in to his three cores.

  The dense essence contained everything, as if he pressed both buttons on his throne at the same time. Dark essence appeared to be drawn more into his body and frost cores, and the tithed faith essence was drawn into his soul core.

  It didn’t take long until that dense essence filled his cores to the brim, and it almost hurt to draw more in. A sheet of it had congealed on the outside of his cores, like a thick mud that wouldn’t coalesce and harden into a new layer. He could feel the pressure building, a need to stop.

  And that wasn’t all. The essence that he didn’t draw in now pressed down on his body. When the process began, a dome surrounded the throne to trap it all inside, as if he was trapped in an odd cocoon. He faced internal and external pressure, the weight of Orion’s essence. It felt like he was going to explode, or be torn apart.

  He spoke the words of ascension in Archaen with resolve, the words carrying Soul Magic.

  “In frost I was born. In chains I am bound. In soul, I am sovereign. With conviction in my Chosen Path I ascend.”

  The word ascend was nearly shouted, as it felt like he did just that–exploded. His soul core thrummed as it vibrated, and his three cores shattered. All that was left was the dense, compressed core within the core, the rest becoming a near mist made of pulverized shards from the immense pressure.

  Now, the cores were about the same size as their satellites, Nick’s three crystallized Concepts.

  They began to orbit around the metaphysical doorway to his soul, where the Soul Core used to reside in the center of his chest. They formed a ring, belt, or crown as they found fixed positions. As they were squished by the immense pressure that continued, the cores began to grow upwards, rather than staying perfect spheres, and became columns that held up the top of the disk as if in defiance of the pressure. Like six pillars, they sat, providing perfect support for the cornerstone it was going to become.

  “Each vow is a chain. Each chain, a weight worn with pride.”

  The chains once again sprouted from his three cores, drawing in the essence. But as they did, it was like that action was reflected in three places at once. His throne within his Soulscape, the same as his physical ascension chamber, and then the pathstone forming within his chest.

  In the physical chamber, the dome now retracted. The essence had reached out and wrapped around the edge of the disk-shaped room. Essence began congealing within, matching the core’s pillars within the pathstone within his chest.

  He continued with the chain’s movements, and some inevitably wrapped around his Concept core’s pillars. Periodically, he spoke the words of the Noblefrost ascension in Archaen, lightly tailored to match him and his path. Each phrase added a special weight of soul magic, a spoken vow that reinforced the self.

  “They kneel in trust of my rule. I rise in duty.”

  “Chains do not burden or shackle me. They shape and lift me higher.”

  “By Archaen Law, I judge. By frost and darkness, I bind. By soul, light, and blade, I redeem.”

  After a time, the pillars of his self were nearly formed. This essence was not merely a raw energy alone. The cores and the essence within them represented everything Nick had built since he came to this world.

  As he cultivated and drew in essence his desires, his dreams, his virtues, and his flaws were reflected upon the essence of Orion that ultimately merged and became one with him. And his Traits, those he earned from the Ordeals from his actions or from his bloodline, were represented within those pillars. Then, all those demon cores he ate, bandits he judged, or faithful worship he received from beautiful priestesses.

  And last but not least, the devotion essence from his wives. He could see the sparkling essence present within all his pillars, all that had arrived from the many times he was Tested and they helped him get the upper hand, and on the soul pillar, he could see Shara’s mark.

  The devotion essence already seemed to be a big deal, but it was now that even more devotion essence rushed inside through the connection of his soul. He saw Kaya’s axe, Fang’s shield, and Sable’s bow and spear disperse into a starlight mist and fly toward the smaller Swordsmanship Concept and Crown of the Frost King Core pillars.

  It was as if they were propping up what he most needed, making up for the lack of that being quite as strong as the rest. But also, what matched them the most, as some of the mist flew in all directions.

  Eirwen’s constellation of Nick, Luna’s cozy recliner, Shara’s statue of Nick, and Rebecca’s door flew in next through the connection and did the same, splitting across the other four almost evenly, bringing a balance to the pillars of his self.

  Their devotion to him included the pieces they desired for him and for themselves. Nick was not complete without his partners, his wives, and the fact that they could become a piece of him at this time filled him and them with pride and joy.

  It was easy for Nick to see why three pillars without a Concept at least in Early Mastery was not good enough. Most people would have three cores: the Body, Mind, and Soul, which would form a triangle of pillars that held up the disk.

  While that could hold up the disk above and below if strong enough, it would be challenging to balance properly, perhaps impossible as a person grew from their experiences in the future. The pressure was coming from both sides, and so even a small shift could cause the pillars to crack and collapse the pathcore itself.

  No doubt, if someone acted perfectly following their Path and maintained the self, they could reach the peak. But could they hold on to that self as they sought immortality? Orion believed the answer was no, and it would not allow them to even try. Its guidance was to prepare for this moment properly, and those that failed to listen to its guidance would suffer.

  Forming a Concept, a fourth pillar would make a square, a much more balanced structure, and five from another Concept for a pentagon would be even better.

  And six would be a hexagon, providing perfect support for the weight of his ascension in the future and even allowing dramatic shifts without collapsing. He moved on to the next stage, to awaken his Concepts and make them even more a part of him.

  In all, Nick was a bit surprised that his Dominion of Frost and Fealty and his Crown of the Frost King, the specialty core, were separate pillars. He had read that most of the time, specialty cores would often merge with the core they were most alike at this time, strengthening it. His girl’s devotion cores would also be able to become a pillar, but only because Nick would support them in turn after he ascended.

  Perhaps the core was even more special than he imagined. Thanks to either the gift he received from the Frost King, who tried to kill him and then changed his mind, or his heritage and mother’s race, had somehow otherwise boosted it to reach these levels.

  “Let the frost crown my will. Let the cold remember my vows.”

  At this time, his Dominion of Frost and Fealty Concept and Crown of the Frost King pillar seemed to draw in even more essence all on their own, as if responding to his words. Chains started to be formed from them, but he wasn’t visualizing this to create them like the others.

  The first treasure, the dark blue core with black spirals running through it, began emptying into the throne. That essence arrived within him and the room, climbing some of the chains throughout.

  His Soul Core began to vibrate. A thrumming bass note played out inside the room, causing the room to tremble slightly. As this happened, he felt a sort of connection, a vision coming to his mind unbidden.

  It was a demonfolk of some kind, and it reminded him of his mother’s race–the Frostbound Ascendants. They were not the same, however, as Nick didn’t feel the familiarity, the connection to his bloodline.

  They still appeared to be much like a goat or satyr, given that the one he was experiencing the vision from was a male. His fur on his goat legs was as black as night, and his skin was a dark blue, and he lacked the gem his mother had in his forehead. He wielded chains of dark and frost, connected to enslaved demons.

  They were simple demons, however. Creatures of instinct and raw emotion–usually rage and hunger. Through the man’s magic, the chains of frost and darkness bound his allies and opponents both, the strong demonfolk crushing his enemies with bonds, curses, and might.

  In all, the demonfolk man wasn’t all that different from himself. Nick used his Soul Servants just the same, even if their service appeared more willing. The demons of the vision also feasted upon their dead enemies, gleefully enjoying their offerings.

  Whether they were forced servants or not, Nick could not tell. But from the vision he could feel the connections, the bindings driven by the mystical dark essence, and the usage of the unique frost contained within the core. The vision was vivid, and he even felt how they were created. There was enough connection that he thought he might be able to recreate them with some effort.

  While watching the vision, some of the chains that led from his pathstone and his throne began to match those from the ingested core. It was a higher energy from a powerful cultivator, and Nick could feel his body strengthening as they wrapped around his pillars. Darkness was drawn out from the prison of Archaen law, supplementing this energy provided, forming a firmer binding.

  No doubt, his prisoners were suffering quite a bit at this moment. They were being redeemed through empowering Nick, helping him ascend. Nick wouldn’t be too surprised if one of the weaker, lesser sinners might be able to be reborn soon after today.

  He transitioned to his next Concepts, the three interwoven. They were two different Concepts, that was sure, but he had one Chosen Path–his three aspects as one.

  “With this frozen crown, I shall bear the burdens of darkness and redeem the weak and the damned.”

  “By my kingdom and my soul sword’s light, I shall kindle the beacon of heroes.”

  At this time, the pillar of the Heroic Redemption and Salvation Concept began growing chains and drawing the essence in as it flooded the chamber and his dome. The light blue core with a white spiral then began releasing its essence into the room and Nick.

  The special ascension material’s essence arrived within his Pathstone as his swirling chains drew it in, and that was mirrored in the physical room and Soulscape.

  In the physical world, his sword suddenly floated into the air, its blade activating all on its own. Frost, darkness, and light were drawn in, shockingly, and it suddenly made a connection to his Hero-King Swordsmanship Concept with a chain. It was as if, through his Enhanced Soul Blade Connection, it had joined to benefit from this moment. More chains also grew from the pillar as it was awakened, drawing in more essence.

  Nick saw an apparition build of the frost dragon briefly, but he had no wherewithal to watch or change what was happening.

  Because his Soul Core suddenly thrummed again as the pressure from all the essence bearing down on him reached a new threshold. After experiencing it the first time, he now knew what it was: a resonance, much like when he had created his Crown of the Frost King.

  It was as if his soul’s vibrations were playing a note, and as it was played, it was able to hear that same note across space and time. Thoughts and memories came to his mind unbidden once again, and he watched as an Archaen man fought with holy light, swords, chains, and ice.

  The man’s conviction was Tested in the towers and then again versus numerous foes. Thanks to his telekinetic levels of controlling the frost chains, even his chains could wield blades, his Soul Blade within his arms whipping out to join the attack much like Nick’s.

  It was an interesting style of fighting, and Nick watched as he fought many enemies, even powerful evil ones that he was sure were early in the fourth stratum. The chains of holy frost protected and attacked, and the ancestor created a storm of violence. And yet those same chains and blades were resilient and defensive at the same time.

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  He could feel the man’s power, the frostbound will that carried his path along with the faith built from the many he saved empowering him. He fought for justice, the man’s desire for righteousness and virtue under the Noblefrost name. Evil was judged as the weak were protected, a true hero among men who walked the Hero’s Path. With his special light-infused frost, he was clearly powerful.

  For a moment, Nick was entranced, thinking about how amazing it was and how he wanted to be like this virtuous ancestor, the hero. Was Nick’s path this strong, this righteous? Could he be stronger if—

  No, he shook his head as he rejected it. While that man’s path appeared righteous and powerful, it was not his own. He could admire the method of fighting and his strength, but he should not doubt the road, the path he walked. He would take what resonated with him and his path, and nothing more.

  The walls around him had shook and trembled while he was entranced, but no cracks formed. That was close. Doubting one’s path was the most dangerous thing to do while creating one’s Pathstone. He was lucky that his forged soul and conviction in his path were strong enough for him to realize in time. Otherwise, he would have been entranced for too long, and they might have started to crack, harming his ascension–and then Jasmine probably would have rushed inside, damn the consequences.

  This was why the pillars of self were so important. The desires and dreams living within the essence of this man’s pathcore, or perhaps the creature’s core, were so powerful, carrying through and beyond even their death. Going forward, a fair amount of progress in one’s Concepts could come from consuming these cores, almost like he was now. And in doing so, the conviction in his path and self would be tested.

  While it didn’t seem to be enough for Nick to reach Enlightenment to improve the weight of his will or grow the Concept further, a seed for understanding the light of his Heroic Redemption Concept better was certainly planted. Along with a more intuitive form of control over the ice and chains. Just like he had gained from the more dark-focused frost core and its corresponding vision.

  However, Nick had a disconcerting feeling. Did that strange resonance mean he used his ancestor’s pathcore to ascend? Or was it merely that by becoming in sync with his ancestor, he felt this special resonance with him? He didn’t know for sure, but the sense of familiarity from the core led him to believe it was.

  Whatever the case was, he had certainly benefitted from the resonance. If the core of his ancestor was going to go to anyone, it was definitely better that it was Nick himself rather than anyone else.

  The light blue chains joined the dark blue ones, wrapping around the pillars. With the number that had grown out and absorbed essence, it looked like a woven web along the walls and to the throne.

  Despite looking chaotic at first, it seemed to bear a difficult-to-discern pattern, now having an almost symmetrical look somehow. His bonds now tied the pillars together and to his throne, increasing the structural integrity of his self.

  And his sword seemed to be feasting on the immense amount of essence, the spirit of the dragon drawing the energy in and becoming more substantial by the moment. While normally he would forge it from the outside, it was like it was being forged from within, through Nick’s connection, instead.

  Ice eventually covered the walls and ceiling as he continued his cultivation technique, the chains like rebar reinforcing concrete. The surrounding area now looked like a frozen throne room filled with chains, his several pedestals and gym mat still present.

  The weight from all the Boss Essence hadn’t fully let up, however. The Pathcore was nearly formed, so Nick made his final declarations as he snatched the sword into his hand from where he sat, raising it into the air above him.

  “Let my sword carry my will, the crown carry the burden, and the throne shine with the light of the saved.”

  Everything around Nick began to shimmer within the dome, the essence for the ascension nearly expended.

  “In the darkest shadow we cast, I will lead Orion toward its highest light.”

  The ‘we’ in that declaration was the royal ‘we.’ Nick’s will was his kingdom’s, him acting as the sovereign, carrying the weight of all his people’s will.

  From the throne, a beam of mostly white soul light rose, as if a beacon. It formed a seventh pillar, a combination of everything within his path. He could even feel Shara’s special Fated mark and Jasmine’s special Soulbound connection, as well as the spirit of the sword and the sparkling light of devotion from his wives within the multicolored beam.

  The light and darkness of the redeemed and saved mixed with the frost, the two special types spiraling up and down the pillar. And occasionally, a flicker of gold, as the two types of frost mixed.

  And the same thing occurred within his Pathstone, like a fusion generator born from the essence. A permanent connection to them had been forged, the bonds with his wives having advanced.

  Now all his Ladies had the Enhanced Soul Pact Connection, he could feel. Rebecca’s had improved even more than the others, matching her desires. She had caught up to Luna and Eirwen quickly, even if they had pulled forward slightly further in the process.

  The core within the center of his chest finally finished forming, and the pressure within the physical room lessened. He was now in the third stratum, and this energy around him as the dome retracted was now nothing more than essence used for leveling.

  He had read that it was rare, but lords in tune with their kingdom’s essence could actually form a seventh pillar. But this was something that would usually only occur later in the third stratum as their kingdom shifted following their deeper climb, not at the beginning. That he had achieved this already was something spectacular.

  From within the new pathstone core, metaphysically a disk-shaped room but a physical sphere, many chains swirled outward, dozens drawing in the last essence in the room as he solidified his growth. Using the essence, a new layer of it would wrap around the room, the core, pressing down on his throne room, his miniature world he created. That pressure would empower his sense of self and allow his room to grow, so long as it could stand up to the essence's strain and not become unbalanced. Each level would cause his room to become larger.

  Most who ascended, such as Jeffrey, only had one piece of the puzzle. The pathstone in his chest didn’t have the extra connection to the soul like Nick and his family would, in addition to the connection to their personal Ascension Chambers. It was more of a mental scape than one grounded in the soul, and it would be little more than an image of themselves they made, usually. They would form their tiny room over time, instead of right now like Nick. This had more implications than aesthetics; the amount of Body, Mind, and Soul Rating Jeffrey would receive as a bonus and per level was far lower.

  Nick was nearly exhausted and dizzy from the soul strain of his ascension, but he popped a pill provided by Myron meant for the purpose of continuing in this situation.

  The soothing energy quickly filled him, healing his strained soul and body. While this kind of doping was a bad idea to use often, it was ideal for moments after a breakthrough. It also cleansed any impurities that might be left over, though Nick knew the resources he used were so perfectly refined that they had minimal amounts.

  It took only a couple of minutes before he let out a calming breath, his clarity restored. He wasn’t ready to fight to the death, but he could function. He reviewed his prompts waiting for him.

  [Class Upgraded. Legendary Lord Class: Archaen Noblefrost Hero King]

  [Effect: +2 Body, +2 Soul Rating Per level starting at level 20.]

  [Pathstone: Trifecta Concept Path. Heroic Redemption and Salvation, Dominion of Frost and Fealty, Archaen Hero-King Swordsmanship.] [Purity: SS Grade, 7 Pillars.] [Effect: +20 Body, +20 Soul, +2 Body and Soul Per Level starting at level 20.]

  [The Lord’s Chosen Path is now formalized. When the Lord climbs the Path of Kings, it will be tuned to match his difficult Dual Ordeal Path automatically. Both are now considered the Primary Path of Frosthaven, allowing the two Path’s DP to be used interchangeably.]

  [Convergeance Skills Upgraded to match new Legendary Lord Class. Frost Aura Upgraded to Heroic Noblefrost Aura.]

  He reviewed his status.

  [Name: Nicholas Noblefrost]

  [Race: Archaen Primogenitor]

  [Level: 20. Class: Archaen Noblefrost Hero King, Legendary-Lord Class]

  [Attributes: 95.45 Body, 116.87 Soul]

  [Pathstone: Trifecta Concept Path, SS Grade]

  [Concept Mastery: Middle Heroic Salvation and Redemption, Middle Dominion of Frost and Fealty, Early Archaen Hero-King Swordsmanship]

  [Skills: Master Archaen Swordsmanship, Expert Shield Mastery, Expert Soul Magic, Expert Body Enhancement, Expert Noblefrost Magic and Manipulation]

  [Spells: Soul Mending, Judgment, Create Soul Servant, Remove Affliction, Heroic Noblefrost Aura, Frost Shock, Power Strike, Double Jump, Harden Skin, Shield Bash, Heroic Noblefrost Cloak of Twilight, Inexorable Grasp of Noblefrost]

  [Traits: Soul Bound, Advanced Soul Sense, Mana Resistant, Soul Blade Efficiency, Monstrous Blow, Monstrous Body, Soul Fortress, Dreamweaver, Monsterfolk Empathy 2, Monsterfolk Bloodlines, Divine Concord - Seraphara, Soul Blade Resonance, Follower Nexus, Weight of Pacts, Archaen Primogenitor, Will of the Heroic Frost King.]

  His Create Soul Servant spell seemed to get a nice quality of life upgrade. He could now use it even on allies that lost their head, and now, he wasn’t fully reliant on the Genesis Chamber. If he found a corpse that was close enough, he could attune them even as he placed the soul in the body, and they would drift toward their desired state as they gathered essence.

  Much like Birdy–Ishkara did, but without them being a demon. It was useful, but nothing major.

  As excited as he would be for Jasmine, he understood the truth. There was nothing close enough to her. She was far too unique. Angels were probably the closest to her in terms of their bodies makeup, but they lacked the monstrous nature and essence. He knew it wouldn’t work, and that was if he even found a dead third Stratum angel to stuff her soul into in the first place.

  Soul Mend also improved to allow for more healing, fueling the creation of their soul essence. Before, he had to allow much more time to accomplish his healing, sometimes taking multiple sessions. But now, through his mastery of soul essence increasing, he could fuel the repair to a larger extent, especially on weaker people.

  With such significant boosts to his attributes from ascending, it was no wonder that Lord Tagron was so difficult to defeat. He might have only been level 22 or 23 at most, and those likely only gave him a few body, mind, and soul. But just those few felt like an insurmountable gap when combined with everything else, the Pathstone providing a significant increase greater than almost everything he would obtain from his class between levels 20 and 29.

  Of course, his SS-rated core gave him a lot more than Lord Tagron’s likely gave, but no doubt the man also had numerous Traits and bonuses granted through other means that Nick didn’t have.

  And not everything was, or could be, quantified with these numbers. He could feel that his mind now had a greater clarity, his body having a greater oneness with the essence that made up his path. He knew that advancing his Concepts beyond Middle Mastery would come more rapidly to him, his body more in tune with the essence of Orion and his kingdom. It was one of the reasons why he waited to use the trance-inducing serum he received. He would get much more out of it now.

  Nick had also grown about six inches to a foot, his body far sturdier and more powerful. At some point during all that pressure coming from all directions, he lost track of all the changes; his Frostalf Identity Array was also empowered, updating to accommodate his changes. Now he was a freakishly large Frostalf, but this was not that uncommon for powerful lords to excel or exceed others in their bloodlines.

  He went ahead and tried out his new abilities. Frost within the beacon of his Pathstone had congealed into two new, mixed energies, just like he had seen those used in the vision. And a Trait of his had upgraded.

  [Will of the Frost King Trait Upgraded to: Will of the Heroic Frost King. (Original Effect: +2 Body, +4 Soul).]

  [New effect: +6 Body, +8 Soul.]

  [Your body and soul are significantly strengthened against debilitating attacks, and frost, light, and darkness are now your domain–only cold energies far above your level can harm you now. Spells and abilities meant to impede you are reduced significantly through strength of will alone. Your Soulfrost manipulation and affinity has significantly increased.]

  Soulfrost. A unique form of frost that Nick had touched on as he got further in his Ideal, and that Luna used with her amazing totem. And now, he had two different versions that he could use all on his own. The truth was that either form of frost was a piece of Nick’s family namesake: Noblefrost. Whether the Soulfrost was mixed with light or darkness, it carried their frozen will and nobility.

  Because it was confusing to keep them both named the same thing, he decided to call the soul, darkness, mana, and frost mixture Wraithfrost. Perfect for binding and damaging with its penetration properties and influence on the soul, and perhaps cursing if he learned how. This was produced by his Pathstone, which had a pool of these various energies stored and readily available, much like his Frost Crown Core had previously.

  Wraithfrost was a mixture of four of his six energies in one. Before, he had only been able to use this when he was deep into his Ideal, but now it would be as easy as breathing.

  He decided to call the body, light, mana and frost essence mixture Saintfrost. Perfect for protecting and cleansing or for damaging creatures of darkness and even attacking when used with perfection like the Archaen in the vision.

  Nick already knew that what the man did was nearly impossible. There was a reason angels were defensive with their light–thin light meant to cut was far too brittle and lacked weight when used like that, making it terrible for cutting. Light’s ability to deflect was by taking advantage of its unique properties, usually by using knowledge and talent. And their faith added onto the light did not help with that, though he was sure if they worshiped a certain divine, that could change.

  Yet his ancestor had somehow overcome this using the special Soulfrost as the carrier all on his own, and Nick would have to practice matching this feat. Either way, this frost would serve him well, even with the lesser amounts he had of it thanks to his limitations.

  Using the two types of frost, he could make frost spikes, shields, chains, spears, and even blades. It was fair to say that Nick had become some kind of limited Soulfrost sorcerer overnight.

  Because of course, Nick still had his available mana for spells limited by his Heroic Noblefrost Aura, his Soul Blade and his Soul Servants. A sorcerer with less than half of his mana available for usage would be considered a cripple.

  And his new Frost Aura’s chains, driven by the damned and the redeemed, had changed as well to match these two new types of frost. As his new Heroic Noblefrost Aura spread across the chamber, a halo of light and a crown of frost formed on and above his head.

  The Aura spread out even further than before, and he knew it would continue to have a significant impact even as his enemies got stronger. The Noblefrost chains of the two types would be even harder to break or be simple enough for Nick to control and alter them as he pleased.

  That meant Nick had a lot of work to do. To train and master his chains and frost even further.

  Walking through his Ideal once more, he could feel that each swing held a greater weight as the essence was drawn in. This was just the beginning. His body still hadn’t stored as much essence as it could yet, and he felt like he had so much more room to grow. Forming the Pathstone had taken a lot out of him, even if much of it came from an external source.

  He looked at the walls of his chamber. Now covered in glimmering chains of ice, the room was now colder and collapsed in on itself. More comfortable. It had ascended along with him, becoming more personalized, matching his Pathstone and Soulscape. He could feel a special connection to the very room itself, and he knew this was one of the benefits of his Soulscape becoming a piece of the cornerstone.

  This was the foundation for his inner world and connection to his city, something that was meant to be established far later by most. What benefits that would grant him would need to be tested, as it was different for every Chosen Path.

  The Pathstone sat in his chest next to his heart in the center, his body no longer having a Soul or Body Core. He still had soul and body essence, and in greater quantities to match being in the third stratum.

  It was a much more physical object, an item that could be attacked with even a physical blade. He had no issue with his Soul Blade doing so in the past, but most wouldn’t have been able to harm a Soul Core without using Soul Essence in their attacks.

  Now that he formed the pathstone, it may be possible for more physical attackers. But the density of the essence made it so sturdy that it would take someone much higher-leveled to even put a dent in it. It was the sturdiest part of a cultivator’s body. At that point, an enemy could destroy some other organ, like his brain or heart, and bring about his death anyway.

  A monster’s core was something that could be harvested even in the first stratum. Cultivators up to the second stratum did not, but now, even a cultivator would have something physical that could be retrieved–their Pathstone. Often, they would break on someone’s death, and whether Winny could safely use Loot to partially restore it or if the cracked core would only become alchemy materials was based on chance. Usually, a Lord’s was the only one you had a fair amount of certainty wouldn’t crack and lose much of its value as a resource.

  They even had Lord Tagron’s, and Nick would probably consume it later to gain what insights he could from the refined Pathstone.

  Nick unsheathed his Soul Blade, the bastard sword's lengthened blade growing from the hilt. He could feel the weight had increased from several factors. The spirit champion that he had been nurturing had grown significantly during the Ascension, making the blade sharper and more powerful, a chilling frost emanating from it even without infusing the glyph with mana. Then, his Soul Power had increased, which also built the sharpness of the cutting light.

  It was now even more deadly than before. Fighting that beast king again, he knew he’d cut much deeper, not even considering his increased strength.

  And he could feel the spirit champion within. The creature’s cold nobility, the undeniable strength and power of dragons.

  Considering he had forged hundreds of cores into that focus as he tempered his soul, he had certainly paid a king’s ransom just to see these benefits.

  According to the codex, he believed the creature was not quite ready for the awakening array–but it was close. It was already starting to show signs of intelligence and desire, a soul of its own. Working with some higher-level cores, it would likely happen relatively quickly.

  The girls were all apparently quite exhausted, just like he had been before he had used that pill. They were already all lying on the bed in their lounging clothes and pajamas, and Nick went down to meet them.

  It seemed they were now luxuriating in their connection to Nick and each other. Luna could feel them just as well as she had been able to feel Nick or her two pack sisters before, and the rest of their ability to sense each other nearly matched. Merely hugging each other or just staying close, they had formed a small cuddle pile, with the large Shara and Jasmine at the edges as they waited for their lord and husband to arrive.

  Shara and Rebecca had become somewhat used to this in the past few months within the Ordeal, as it wasn’t like every night began or ended in an orgy or anything like this.

  To help accommodate Shara and Rebecca, who really only wanted their time with Nick to be private, Winny had made sure any of these kinds of activities happened at a different time and place than the bed at night. The bedroom became a place of rest, relaxation, and bonding instead.

  As he arrived at the bed with them all sprawled across it, they all smiled at him, and several tails took off wagging. Eirwen smiled up at him with a small, tired grin. “You did it, Hubby. I never had a doubt.”

  Kaya chuckled tiredly. “And Jas had no reason to worry, it looks like. I can feel her too.”

  Jasmine smiled. She was the least tired of the rest, but even she had focused intently on what Nick was doing, and it was as if she had been wishing with all her might that she could somehow help him. That her essence was in his Pathcore, he could feel, and with how the essence of Orion responded to desire, who knows? Maybe she had added her own devotion through sheer will alone.

  “Yes, well, you girls did a wonderful job supporting Master. Thanks for watching over him. I really do appreciate it.”

  Rebecca smiled. “Of course. Now husband, are you coming to bed? I know you don’t need to sleep now, but you can still rest and relax. Join us?”

  Nick chuckled. “Of course.” He climbed onto the bed, finding himself a place in the middle. Girls were above his head and beneath his feet and on his left and right sides. They all snuggled in close, the smaller wolfen girls all taking spots on top of him.

  Eirwen’s chest became his soft pillow for his head, and Shara took his right arm, placing her large head on his shoulder. Kaya and Rebecca took his left arm, angling themselves to barely fit. And Jasmine merely lay at Nick’s feet, gazing at him with her eyes filled with devotion as she began to massage his feet.

  “Oooh, Boss is even more Boss-ly now! Mmm…” Fang hugged Nick’s thigh and stomach fiercely with her whole body, rubbing him with her face and sniffing him all the while.

  Sable hugged him from the other side, sniffing too. She gave a sultry chuckle. “You said it, Fang. But…” She yawned. “I think we’ll have to wait to enjoy his new manliness. I’m exhausted. Still, if the boss wants…”

  Nick chuckled and reached out with his partially restrained arm to scratch Sable’s ears. “I think relaxing is a good idea. In fact. Relax, and know peace.” He spoke the words in Archaen, sending out the soul magic, and it wrapped around all of them, comforting and reassuring them.

  Shara gave out a happy sigh and hugged his arm more tightly. “Oh, that feels wonderful. I was so relieved that Nicholas had ascended safely, but I was still filled with a bit of anxiety–I have to ascend soon too, or fall behind once again. But now, I really feel like I can go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a new day.”

  Rebecca nodded. “Worry not, Shara. We’ll all help each other, and Nick will help us too. You can count on us.”

  Kaya nodded, also enjoying Nick’s scent from his neck and shoulder. “Nick’s Pact, his vow for us, is to help us ascend and gather resources. He’s got his work cut out for him with so many of us.”

  Luna chuckled from on top of Nick’s belly, “With Boss stronger now, there’s much less to fear. Let’s relax for now, and we’ll find what we need in time.”

  Winny was running her fingers through Nick’s hair. “That’s right, ladies. Let’s help Hubby relax too. He’s worked hard. We can worry about it all tomorrow.”

  The girls all hugged him tightly, and he met each of their lips one by one and settled in for sleep. Nick felt contentment being with all eight of his Ladies, the relief from being successful a near tangible thing in him. He had become more, crossing a major threshold in his life toward eternity.