Souls Online: Mythic Ascension
Chapter 178: Sanctuary of Wind

Chapter 178: Sanctuary of Wind

As soon as her feet touched the ground of the isle, the foreboding feeling instantly vanished, replaced by the warm comforting feeling that she had just ignored to come here.

System Notice: Congratulations on being the First Player to Arrive on the Sanctuary of Wind.

As the First Player to Arrive, you will receive the Unique Skill: Wing Manipulation.

Aria was pleasantly surprised that she had received a skill and couldn’t resist the urge to check the details of the skill itself.

Wing Manipulation: The Physical Manipulation of Winged Races wings to shrink or Grow them at will. Can be used in combat situations. Unusable by Races without wings.

Aria’s gaze faltered as she thought she was hallucinating. While it did have some impact on possible combat situations, there was an even bigger implication for her, especially if a skill like this did what she thought it could.

Immediately trying to focus on her wings, she willed them to shrink, her head shivering as she tried to force that image into reality. It surprisingly worked as her wings quickly shrunk to less than half their original size within a few seconds.

Yet after shrinking to one fourth of the original size, she couldn’t get it to shrink any further. While slightly disappointing she couldn’t make them even smaller, she had a feeling she would be able to given enough time and practice.

"Now dressing won’t be a nightmare anymore!"

Too others, such a thing might seem mundane but to her who had to have shirts cut open for her to wear, this was like rain in the middle of a drought.

With a small hop in her step, she looked around, finally taking in the full view of the floating isle from ground level. Everything felt unnaturally still, yet beautiful in a way that made it hard to look away. The marble pathways glimmered underfoot, winding through the golden-tinted trees that swayed ever so gently from a soft breeze.

"It seems that my little Songbird rebelled against the comfort of the heart. I am so proud~!"

A melodic voice reached Aria’s ears, carried by the wind. It was familiar, warm and something she had undeniably heard before. Turning her head, she saw the beautiful woman that had been there when she created her profile in what seemed like ages ago.

However unlike before, this time the woman was not a giant but the size of a regular human.

She stood barefoot on a marble pathway, the ends of her soft green gown fluttering with the breeze that now circled them. Her hair, long and flowing, shimmered a deep red—so vibrant it reminded Aria of rubies glinting under firelight. It caught the wind with a kind of slow-motion grace, each strand moving as if guided by its own rhythm.

Aria stared for a moment, then narrowed her eyes slightly.

"You... look familiar,"

she said cautiously.

The woman only smiled, her eyes dancing with amusement.

"Do I? Perhaps it’s just the wind playing tricks on your memory. It does that sometimes."

"No. I clearly remember you. You were...nevermind."

The woman held a finger to her lips as if asking her not to say anymore to which Aria reluctantly agreed.

"It seems my little Songbird rebelled against the comfort of the heart. I am so proud~!" the woman said again, echoing her earlier words with delight.

Aria’s brow furrowed at the nickname, though she felt no hostility behind it. "What should I call you then?"

"You can call me Ariel. I am just someone who listens when the winds carry a name worth hearing."

The woman’s tone was soft, almost wistful.

"You reached for the sky when others turned away. That’s all that matters right now."

As she spoke, the breeze around them began to hum gently, as if in agreement. Leaves rustled with a hush, and golden petals floated lazily past on unseen currents.

Aria hesitated, unsure if she should press further. There were questions building behind her lips about who Ariel truly was, why she felt so familiar, and what this place really was. But something about the air itself made her pause. The wind was gentle but constant, brushing her wings and hair like a comforting hand. It was not silence that stopped her. It was a feeling. Like being told to listen.

"This place," she said after a moment, her voice quiet, "where am I really?"

Ariel gave a soft smile, her eyes shimmering like the horizon before a storm. She turned her gaze toward the trees as petals floated lazily through the air.

"This is the Sanctuary of Wind," she said. "It is the sacred home of all Avians. A place created not just for the body, but for the soul that once chose the sky."

Aria’s eyes widened slightly.

"Sacred home? Then why is there nobody here but you?"

A sad look crossed Ariel’s face as she looked out into the horizon.

"While Sacred, it is also cursed. Those who leave it’s embrace are imbued with the compulsion to never return. Though for an outsider like you, sucha curse may prove ineffective.

Aria frowned. "So no one can come back? Not even if they wanted to?"

"Desire alone cannot fight the winds," Ariel said. "But the fact that you stand here now means something is changing. Or perhaps something old is simply waking again."

The wind shifted slightly, ruffling Aria’s feathers. There was weight in the air now, the kind that pressed against the chest like a question waiting to be asked.

"Why did you have me come here?"

Ariel smiled softly with a look of warmth in her gaze.

"I offered to be your instructor and you passed my test. That is why you are standing here."

"And if I didn’t end up here?"

Ariel continued to smile but said nothing, the unspoken answer sending a chill down Aria’s spine.

Ariel stepped closer, her bare feet silent on the marble.

"Your journey is only beginning, little Songbird. But for now, rest your thoughts. Let the wind remember you."

Remember me? Wait what is going on?!

Just as Aria was about to question it, a gust of wind seemed to embrace her body as the system chime rang out once more

You have Gained the Blessing of the Sanctuary of Wind.

Wind Affinity +25%

Wind and Sound Based Damage +10%

Wind Resistance +10%

It seemed like the results of Aria’s journey was blessed...quite literally.

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