Knight and Wand

Chapter 10: Spiritual Field
Under the gloomy and twisted dark sky, the gray and terrifying forest stretches as far as the eye can see. Deep in the woods with hazy tree shadows, the dark dense forest emits a creepy rustling sound in the wind, like the whisper of ghosts.

The overlapping trees were like a maze, but there was no sign of life in the deep dense forest, not a single sound of birds, beasts or insects. There was only a strange smell of decay lingering around Leon and the other two.

Several people were mumbling something silently. Azerien and Lohak were chanting the prayers of the Holy Sun Church.

What came out of the leader Leon's mouth was even more outrageous. If you listen carefully, you will find that he was actually humming the Internationale in a low voice.

This was the only solution. As a time traveler, Leon did not believe in the Holy Sun and Holy Prophet of Serrian, so the church prayers in the original owner's memory could not help him concentrate and stop his mind from wandering.

So he racked his brains, and the only way he could think of to concentrate his will and reduce the chances of being targeted by the "devil" was to rely on the faith he had in his previous life.

Sing the Internationale once, then the national anthem once, and when you get tired of singing, recite the 24-character mantra a few times, and repeat this over and over again. No matter how far-fetched it is, according to the mysterious voice, as long as you can avoid letting your emotions and will waver and concentrate, it will work.

Just like that, several people were only focused on moving forward, turning when they encountered terrain obstacles and turning back when they reached a dead end. In fact, direction or destination did not matter at all, because in this strange area, east, west, south, and north were all meaningless, and even their perception of time became blurred.

This does not seem to be an illusion caused by disorientation. In the "spiritual field", all perceptions seem to be more vague and confusing than reality.

Ten minutes ago on the river bank——

"I've helped you so many times, how about we make a deal this time?" the mysterious girl's voice suggested.
"What agreement?" Leon asked.

"I'll find a way to get you out of here, but you have to promise me that you'll do me a favor after you successfully get out."

Leon nodded and agreed without hesitation: "I already owe you two lives. From the perspective of repaying a favor, this is only natural. I promise you that as long as it is not against the law, I will do my best to help you."

"Okay, it's settled then."

"Now can you tell me in detail what this spiritual place is? How on earth are we supposed to leave this damn place?" Leon asked anxiously.

"Spiritual-like grounds are one of the sad ends for mages in the spiritual world." said the girl's voice.

“When the chaotic energy controlled by the spirit world wizard exceeds the critical point that their will and body can bear, the backlash of chaotic magic will eventually turn them into a rift gate connecting the reality and the spirit world.

The erosion pouring out from behind the door will eventually pollute the surrounding real space and time step by step, until the entire real world is dragged into the spirit world."

"I don't quite understand." Listening to the other party's description, Leon, a Muggle from Earth, felt a little confused.

"The reason why this area was formed cannot be explained in a few words. After all, you were definitely not a wizard before you entered the child's body to resurrect. There is no point in talking to you about these knowledge about the spirit world." The girl sighed.

Hearing the other party's shocking words, Leon was shocked.

He didn't expect that the other party had already discovered that he was not the original owner of this body.

"You know I'm not the original Leon?"

"Isn't it obvious?" The girl's voice sounded matter-of-fact.

Leon felt an instinctive discomfort as if he was being spied on. Could it be that the other party could not only have a mental conversation with him, but also read his memory?
"Don't be nervous. I just inherited the memories of the dead boy like you."

The girl's voice seemed to have sensed Leon's reaction, and she explained, "I have been observing your words and actions along the way, and I can naturally infer from your behavior that you and the dead hunter boy are different in both character and behavior.
Well, I know what you are worried about. Don't worry, in my current state, I don't have the energy to read your soul."

That's good.

After hearing what she said, Leon had to believe it for the time being, regardless of whether it was true or not.

Although as an ordinary office worker on Earth, I don't have any special secrets except that my origin as a time traveler is rather special, but it is better not to expose my privacy if possible.

Who doesn't have some XP or dark history in their mind that is inconvenient to show to others since childhood? Some things cannot be described by social embarrassment.

"Back to this place, the legendary cursed land is boundless, is this true or false?" Leon turned his attention back to the dilemma he was facing. "Although the content of the legend is full of fallacies, unfortunately, this area is actually more dangerous than the folk tales say.

You'd better pray that the spiritual wizard who created this spiritual land was not too powerful during his lifetime, otherwise you will be in trouble."

The girl's voice was somewhat helpless: "This area eroded by chaotic energy has obviously existed for a long time. The surrounding environment has become semi-spiritual. The direction and position are all messed up. No matter where you go, you will just go around in circles in this space and time. Ordinary people naturally can't get out.
Well, strictly speaking, flying is not an option. Getting close to the Chaos Sea Projection in the sky is no different from committing suicide."

"So this damn place is just like what's said in the story, with lots of evil monsters that eat people?"

"That's not quite the same. How should I put it? Most creatures that are sensitive to magic will actively avoid the spirit-like ground. Even if there are creatures that accidentally stray into this place, they won't live for long. They will eventually be killed like ordinary people and become zombies whose souls cannot return to the Dead Sea. So, even if you encounter something, they are just victims in a similar situation as you."

"You said killed? Killed by what?" Leon grasped the point of the question.

"Of course, they were killed by the undead whose souls could not return to the Dead Sea to rest. They were the people or beasts who accidentally entered and died here before you. However, being harmed by the wandering undead is not the worst outcome."

Although Leon didn't know what it meant that the soul could not return to the "Dead Sea", it sounded like there would be no reincarnation forever. What could be worse than this ending?

The girl's voice became serious: "In addition to the undead, there is another danger in the spirit-like field, that is, the demons born in the spirit world who spy on souls."

Demons, or more precisely, the girl's voice called the things she described "spiritual demons."

She did not waste time explaining this dangerous and evil existence to Leon, but just made Leon understand the imminent crisis as quickly as possible.

Demons from the spirit world cannot appear in the real plane, but the spirit-like field is a space-time that has been eroded by cracks in the spirit world. The chaotic energy here has long turned this place into a special area between the spirit world and reality. Demons can pass through the cracks to a limited extent here and project themselves into the spirit-like field.

Of course, what really attracts them here is the rich emotions, desires, and violently fluctuating spirits of the intelligent life that has strayed into this area.

Leon listened silently. Since he had seen magic, wild goblins and other things beyond his previous knowledge, he was not surprised that there were supernatural beings like demons in this different world.

The problem now is that in this ghost place where it sounds like there is no way to go up to heaven and no door to enter the earth, no matter it is the so-called demons from the spiritual world or the undead whose souls cannot be reincarnated, none of them sound like they can deal with it.

"If you want to avoid being targeted by demons, you must control your emotions and will, especially forget unnecessary desires and greed. In a place like this, the more complex and changeable your mental fluctuations are, the more eye-catching they will be in the eyes of the demons in the spiritual world.

You must avoid falling into intense emotions such as fear, panic, anger, etc. The stronger your will and the calmer your spirit, the harder it will be for the demons to find you in the spirit world. "The girl warned.

"If you have a god you believe in, you can also try praying to him. This is very helpful for believers," she further suggested.

Hearing this, Leon looked at Azerien and Lohak beside him.

As traditional Serians, they naturally firmly believe in Saint Sol and Saint Ilaril, the prophets of the Holy Sun Church.

He was in trouble because he was an atheist Muggle from Earth and had never believed in God.

Moreover, when it comes to the complexity and variability of emotional desires, compared with the other two simple and honest local teenagers, he, a modern man from the colorful world of Earth, must be as bright as a big light ball in a disco in the eyes of the demons in the spiritual world, right?
"So, you're saying that as long as we can keep our minds clear, we can get out of this place safely?" Leon asked tentatively.

"Of course not. I'm only telling you how to move in the spirit field as covertly as possible. If you want to get out, you must collect materials for me here. I will teach you how to make a ground spirit lamp and then transform it into a temporary guide. This is the only way to save you and return to reality. Other plans will not work."

"Can the materials you want be found in a place like this?" Leon asked in surprise.

"Let me think about the Patis crystal. Well, it's unlikely to be here. What about the pyroxene flint, river sandstone, and eucalyptus poplar wood? Well, let's walk around first. The method of making the earth vein spirit lamp is not complicated, and the materials are also common things in the forest. Look around while walking, and I will let you pick it up if you find it. Well, the only troublesome thing is the final activation source."

"what is that?"

"The last material, I need a soul, a dead soul trapped here, longing to go home"

(End of this chapter)