Azaroth and Corvus spoke for some time, mostly about his training. The one-eyed raven teased him about his storage space ring and asked him to store him and take him along too since he could take anything inside.

Azaroth mostly ignored the raven as he used his sword to practice sword techniques. He was finding that techniques and swords are usually useless against raw power.

Almost all weapons are, unless you have a weapon that uses raw strength too. Simply put, weapons are useless unless you back them with raw power. Or the weapon can gain a core and special skills. Azaroth asked Corvus if he knew anything about enchanted weapons, the growth type.

Corvus was confused. He shifted his legs on the branches he rested on. "Enchanted weapons? I only know such things as objects of power."

"Objects of power," Azaroth replied flatly. Now, that one he had never heard before. "Is it the same as a weapon with power of its own? Having cores and such."

Corvus nodded eagerly. "Of course, only the most powerful of the powerful will grow cores. And if they continue to grow, then they will even have the ability to change to human form. That is how powerful they can be."

Azaroth narrowed his eyes. Did he make a mistake by letting Catena have that weapon? Should he have fought for it? He shook his head. There was nothing more he could do now. Basher was already bonded. But he asked, "How do I get one?"

Corvus laughed. "It’s very hard to get your hands on one. First, the weapon will start out as an ordinary weapon, and if their users leave a strong impression on them, they begin to grow. And maybe in a few thousand years, they are birthed. Then they begin their new journey as little objects of power that have to grow with their master."

Azaroth was amazed. So the weapon that Catena was holding was possibly thousands of years old? How did it end up in the crypt then?

Corvus looked at him from the side. "What, are you planning to get one?"

"Yes," Azaroth said simply as he continued to practice with his sword.

Corvus snorted. "Best of luck there."

They said nothing more, and the silence was filled with the whipping of Azaroth’s sword as it cut the air. He practiced until his hand ached. This was his only weapon till he got his hands on a growth weapon. Or not. So he better know how to use his current weapon.

"You are leaving?" Corvus asked when he saw Azaroth put his sword back at his side.

Azaroth didn’t reply. He simply reached out with his mind and willed himself to return. The darkness collapsed around him. It shattered like glass and then Azaroth fell down into darkness darker than night.

When he opened his eyes, he was back at the mountain, sitting beside a large stone, cross-legged with his sword in front of him for easy access.

He stood and stretched. It was morning and Azaroth was hungry. All the practice he did when he was with Corvus was really making his stomach grumble, so he removed some bread from his storage space and ate.

He watched the others wake, and he watched them as they moved around. Alex and Catena ate; it was the first thing they did when they woke up, and Stallus started her daily training until she sweated.

It didn’t take long for Crypt Master to join them. Today, he was putting on an entirely human appearance, and he stood before them, eyes hard. "Time to train."

They began. Just like the day before, he would send blasts of energy at them with the instructions that they should not avoid it, but their feet would move them out of the way.

Their second and third day went like this with little improvement. By their fourth day, Crypt Master was getting irritated, muttering about something important he was supposed to be doing.

"Can’t you just stop moving?" he asked as he sent another streak of energy at them that turned the ground it touched to dust. "There’s no way to train like this..." He trailed off, and his eyes sharpened like a newly made blade.

Azaroth knew he was up to something immediately he saw his expression like that. He narrowed his own eyes. What was the Crypt Master planning?

It all went as usual, with Crypt Master getting ready to send his attack out, but at the last minute, when he was about to send it, he gestured with his left hand and the ground the team was standing on sank. It turned soft and firmed around their legs, holding and locking them in place.

Azaroth should have known! He stiffened, and he knew no amount of trying to free his legs would work. Catena used his two skills to try to manipulate the rock, but nothing happened.

Crypt Master smirked at them, and then his right hand stretched forward and it glowed an angry red that twisted around his fingers. "Well now, you’re all going to die."

Azaroth believed him because the Crypt Master had that dangerous look in his eyes that shone with a dark, dull light. The power he was gathering was whipping the wind around like an angry lash.

Azaroth removed his sword. He checked his Chaos core, but it was still inactive. He would have to do this the hard way and try cutting the attack. He knew it was impossible, but he would give it a try anyway.

"What are we going to do?" Stallus asked, fear lacing her voice and making her eyes widen. "That attack is sure to kill us!"

It was as if the sight of Stallus in fear made the other two flip over as well. They started to panic and sweat.

Azaroth thought fast. He had to take control before the whole team turned to jelly with fear and got him killed. He pointed his sword at Crypt Master. "Just max out your essence cloak. Use all your essence in it and make sure it’s touching each other to create a wall!"