The addition of the Fragment Of Horror into his Weave Mana Core left Jon with but a single chance to integrate another fragment. The maximum number of abilities that a Mortal could possess was thirty-six without factoring in spiritual items or Memento Source Fragments.

The Hastor-Yellow Horrors that was born from the memories, feelings, emotions and experiences of fear, dread, horror and panic within him fulfilled certain roles that Jon hoped to obtain before becoming a Knight.

The first and most obvious being his eighth and final Mortal mutation.

Jon had wanted his Weave Mana Core to possess a single mutation, knowing that with the exception of his War Mana Core, he possessed mutations manifested from all five of his other Mana Cores.

It was a good foundation to build abilities off of in the future. After discovering the difference between "fragment pathways" that Schwarz Eis taught him and the "transformation through enlightenment" that Ashvattha Rana informed him of, Jon was now spoilt for choice knowing that he could develop each of his abilities in one of three different ways.

The second role that the Hastor-Yellow Horrors fulfilled was a more combat focused one.

The Spell effect contained within the Fragment Of Horror allowed Jon "manifest the Hastor-Yellow Horrors into reality, assuming the form of a twisted and malformed version of oneself." Inflicting instances of [Thread-Spirit Corruption] on those who gaze upon it.

It served as a distraction during combat. Although Jon had yet to see what form the Hastor-Yellow Horrors took after manifestation, given its inherent nature he was sure that it would at the very least, be visually disturbing.

The third and final role that the Hastor-Yellow Horrors fulfilled was one that he had not figured out on his own. It was rather, through discussion with a certain winter demon spirit that Jon discovered the more defensive nature of his new mutation.

"Despite not being born from the same Mana Core, your Fragment Of Mind and Fragment Of Horrors possess a unique synergy. The latter is both born and takes precedence over the former. As such, despite its… metaphysical nature, it should be capable of assuming a similar structure to your Sea Of Knowledge."

Jon tilted his head to the side.

"As in an ocean?" He said, sounding closer to a question more than anything else.

Schwarz Eis just nodded.

"Yes, although will require an extraordinary amount of mastery in order to mimic your actual Sea Of Knowledge. What I am proposing is that you shape it into the form of a… cloud, or even mist and allow it to sit upon the surface of your Fragment Of Mind. When someone attempts to intrude upon it-."

"They will instead fall straight into the Hastor-Yellow Horrors." Jon finished, watching as Schwarz Eis continued to nod her head.

"Conceptually your Helel-Testament Pride and Yaochi-Jade Prana should be able to perform similar actions, although the former is tied to your penultimate physical enhancement. Metaphysical mutations are much closer to concepts in comparison to actual physical mutations such as your Seir-Glacial Heart or Minerva-Sagacity Eyes."

"It is always important to remember that they're still a part of oneself. Regardless of their lack of form or their abstract nature, you are the sum of all your characteristics. Even your pride and fears."

That had been an interesting conversation, to say the least.

Jon let out a small sigh, standing atop another ruined tower structure, gazing out towards the golden dunes. Even while overloading his Fragment Of Eyes, Jon could still not catch a single glimpse of green-hair or hazelnut-skin anywhere within the Burning Desert Of Kel.

The Dungeon Of Sand was vast, but mostly empty and overwhelmingly hot.

Travelling across the dunes was perilous, especially without methods of creating drinking water or muffling the sound of one's footsteps across the sands. If it was not for his Fragment Of Regeneration, Jon would have long since been covered in first-degree burns just from the sun alone.

Turning his head, Jon scanned the distant horizon, shoulders slumping as he failed to find any of his companions. He was almost tempted to scale back down the side of the ruined tower if it was not for the familiar sound of phoenix cry in the skies over his head.

Jon tilted his head back so quickly that he almost threatened to snap his neck. Minerva-Sagacity Eyes scanning the cloudless firmament above him, forcing him to raise his arms in order to block out the sun.

"Oi! Despoina! Over here!" Jon shouted in Avant, waving his free arm above his head, trying to catch the attention of the Salvation Of White Beginnings.

The sound of Jon's voice echoed throughout the Burning Desert Of Kel, drawing the eye of a certain white salvation phoenix. Despoina tilted her body forwards entering a controlled dive as her luminous burning-white feathers trailed behind her.

Jon watched as Despoina glided gracefully through the air flapping her enormous, white-feathered wings to slow herself down, landing atop the ruined stone tower directly beside him. Although he had not interacted with Despoina as much as he had Ru Luan Di, most of the other summoned companions were at least courteous towards him.

Perhaps even more knowing that Schwarz Eis was also in possession of a Memento Source Fragment.

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The white salvation phoenix was around five-feet tall, other possessed a wingspan more than double that length and tail-feathers which stretched over fifteen feet. The tail-feathers could be retracted, but still gave the illusion that Despoina was much larger than what her form assumed.

"Jonathan. Sariel, Wilheim and Avahni have been looking for you for quite some time," Despoina said, causing Jon's expression to perk up at the mention of his three companions.

"They all manage to find each other, so quickly?" Jon asked.

The Salvation Of White Beginnings nodded. Her piercing golden-red eyes staring straight into Jon's.

"Sariel allowed me to search the Burning Desert Of Kel for traces of yourself and the others. Avahni granted the Custodian Of The Fire Swarm and Three Daughters Of Destruction to do the same. She found Wilheim within the first hour and my own master within a couple hours of that."

Despoina unfurled one of her wings, gesturing in the direction that she had flown from.

"Sariel and the others have managed to find the Guardian and were waiting to find you and Shamael before proceeding any further."

Jon scratched his chin nodding his head.

'Avahni and Sariel are both quite fortunate that their summoned companions can fly. After retreating into the safety of a ruined structure, the two of them could send Despoina and Ortlinde out to search for others, without having to worry about being attacked by the Sand Fang Worms.' Jon thought to himself.

Although Schwarz Eis could produce barriers that prevented the Sand Fang Worms from even leaving the ground, there was something about flying that seemed to tickle the immature part of his brain.

'Perhaps it was the comics that Dad used to buy for me. Lydia and Ariel were both too young, so Dad would take me out to the local library just for a couple hours of freedom away from-.'

"Jonathan?" The sound of Despoina's voice caused Jon to snap out of his little daydream. Lifting his head he could see the white salvation phoenix staring at him with a strange glint behind her eyes.

Clearing his throat, Jon ignored the thoughts within his mind, nodding as if to agree with the words that Despoina was saying.

"How far away did you say Avahni, and the others were again?" He said, trying to change the subject.

"About nine kilometres," she replied.

Despoina's gaze lingered on Jon for a few moments before the Salvation Of White Beginnings gestured to a distant ruined structure almost buried beneath the sands. Although it was significantly smaller than the one that he was currently standing on, the shape of which almost gave Jon the impression that it was a-.

"Pyramid?" Jon pronounced the unfamiliar word in Avant, mouthing it a couple times in order to get the intonation right.

"The numerous ruined structures which litter the Burning Desert Of Kel are designed to throw people off, forcing them to search each one of them for the Guardian. Although not a common method of throwing off delvers, when combined with the overbearing heat of the Burning Desert Of Kel, this inhospitable environment becomes quite effective at draining both stamina and spiritual energy." Despoina said, extending one of her wings and using it to hide her face from the sun.

Jon too could feel the intense heat bearing down on him by the Dungeon, forcing him to wipe a growing bead of sweat off his brow.

With the amount of weave natured spiritual energy he had remaining, Jon should be able to manifest a Violet Door that opens approximately nine kilometres away from his current location. The usefulness of the [Violet Doors Of Janus Quirinus] was growing more and more apparent, without Jon even needing to integrate another fragment into the Spell.

Jon had decided to transform both the [Red Archives Of Mars Quirinus] and [Violet Doors Of Janus Quirinus] using fragment pathways upon reaching Lordship or Barony.

At the moment the former was just his personal dimensional subspace.

While the latter was his singular method of long-distance portal manifestation.

'But the two could become so much more than that.' Jon added on, keeping such thoughts to himself.

Raising one hand, Jon started reciting the chant associated with his Fragment Of Door. The soft emanations of weave natured spiritual energy caused Despoina to peer at him with a curious expression on her face.

Although the Salvation Of White Beginnings had not reached the same Rank as the Incarnation Of The Hunt or the White Lady Of The Winter Castle, she had exceeded Barony and once possessed an entire planet under her control.

She did not possess the same piercing perceptions that Ler Setanta did that allowed him to gleam concepts from integrated fragments. Nor the adroit spiritual energy manipulation that Schwarz Eis possessed.

What she did have however, was enough memories and experiences equivalent to ten thousand human lifespans.

'Fragment Of Portal? No… Fragment Of Door. How interesting. Integrated into a Weave Mana Core of all things. He might even be able to comprehend an even greater concept if he decides to transform this ability into an ability pathway.'

Despoina eyed the brown-haired human in front of her.

'And there is something… else. I cannot determine what though. Is it another mutation? Surely not. He must possess at least six different mutations at this point, including both his Fragment Of Heart and Fragment Of Marrow! Sariel did say that she heard the Incarnation Of The Hunt mention that Jonathan possessed both a shadow and lifeforce mutation.'

'But another one of top of his Fragment Of Eyes?'

Jon was the Princeps Of The Wandering Mutation. Perhaps it was just a natural expression of his Source if he could manifest mutations so easily?

Jon extended his hand, gripping onto the imaginary doorhandle born from his memories and experiences.

"This is the tale of a child and his wish, who dreamed of the wonders and stories outside his bedroom door."

Pushing open his Violet Door, Jon stepped through the woven construct, immediately being greeted to the familiar sight of a spear tip thrust towards his face.

His pupils dilated, [Monstrous Intuition] surging through his nerves as he manifested Assail, swinging the Spear Of Verdant Cedar out in a wide arc, parrying the blow aimed at his head. Minerva-Sagacity Eyes overloaded as he activated numerous different physical enhancements all at once, opening his mouth to speak the incantation of [Wrath Is The Paradise Whispered On Thou Lips].

But-.

"Ortlinde, stop it!"

A familiar sounding voice echoed throughout the desert, prompting both Jon and his attacker to turn towards them. The sound of an explosion echoing out in the distance as a certain green-haired lutin jogged up to Jon, smiling while waving at him.

The Imaginary Princess Of The Round Table sent a not-so-subtle glare towards the Second Sister Of Destruction, causing the lightning fey to roll her eyes, dismissing the lightning-spear construct from her hands.

The Fragment Of Fey gave Jon one last glance before vanishing into tiny electric yellow motes of lightning natured spiritual energy. Ortlinde seemed to focus on the space around Jon's chest, or perhaps more specifically, his heart.

A ghost of a smile crossed her face before returning back to her dwelling within Avahni's right arm.

A certain white salvation phoenix stepping through the Violet Door that Jon had created, somewhat hiding behind the human feeling the presence of a Memento Source Fragment just seconds before. Despoina glanced towards Jon and Avahni, before perking her head up in search of a green-skinned satanas.

Jon just returned the smile, giving Avahni a small nod as he gestured for the Violet Door behind him to close.

"I got a little distracted. Sorry for taking so long,"

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