Chapter 4 Power to wipe away a universe in a grain of sand...
Week later, nearby of the Wall...
Sub-zero coldness followed behind a beautiful humanoid being of embodied ice and winter, while she flew by the giant crystal wall with a grace of a master dancer, leaving behind a thick layer of shining ice upon the walls surface. Soon the entirety of this side of the Wall was covered in ice and frost, actually making it look a bit better.
Having now finished icing the annoying crystal blockade, frosty maiden floated before the middle section of the Wall, eyeing it for a moment, before gathering some snowflakes upon her palm and blowing them towards the ice layer, creating a smooth outcropping of ice. She then proceeded to give its very tip a gentle tap with her index finger, oddly causing an echoing 'ting'-sound.
Following the little tap, bright blue spider web cracks formed from the point of touch, covering entirety of the iced surface, not quite breaking. Frosty maiden looked satisfied, before raising her hand... And snapping her fingers, causing all of the created ice shatter in a spectacular sight. Like a rain of diamonds, fading to dust.
When the shining dust had settled, there was an enormous layer missing from the entirety of the crystalline wall, little more missing here and there. And unfortunately, not even a minute later, it began visibly fix itself once again, much to the annoyance of the frosty lady, who showed it by shooting a few giant-sized icicles at it, mostly just out of spite, before flying to the nearby hill overlooking at the Wall, and the duo standing there waiting.
After arriving to the hill, she kneeled respectfully before a reindeer wearing a red crystal around its fluffy neck.
"I am sorry, Høvding Ishorn. The target just has too high regeneration capability for me to destroy, without causing damage to your kins village."
"Its alright Shiva, we tried. Maybe with some more meditation we could fine tune it? Any comment about it lady Naja?" Ishorn asked from the marilith standing behind her.
"Its a possibility. Especially with the bond you have developed in a record time. Is that pact giving some manner of a boost in power and learning?" Naja said, while inquiring about recent info they had learned, receiving a confirming nod from Shiva.
"Did you perhaps sense anything special while up there?"
"Actually yes. There was a momentary surge of power on the other side of the wall at the moment of its regeneration starting. There most likely is a power source of sorts out of our reach, keeping the Wall up whenever it is damaged. I would be able to fly to it, but it would leave thee too drained, Høvding Ishorn."
"I understand. You may leave now." Ishorn said, while giving a humble nod to Shiva, who smiled to her kindly in turn before fading away, until she would be summoned once again.
"If only we had more subtle fire power against that darn thing..." Naja thought out loud, before having an idea.
"Say, Ishorn... Is there potentially any kind of sacred sites or some kind of calm place nearby, where I could meditate? With any luck, we might find some more help."
"Hmmm... Actually yes, there just might be one." was reindeers answer. With the decision made, Ishorn began to lead Naja to that place.
Northwestern edge of the valley.
"Over there, in that cave. There lies a place we call Smeltedigel av Elementer, or Crucible of Elements in the common tongue. It was found by Høvding Store gevirer, long before the time of the Wall. According to tales, he thought it being one of the most serene places where the four cardinal-elements co-exist without harming each other." Ishorn explained while pointing respectfully at a large cave-entrance, that clearly went deeper into the mountain.
"Fascinating... Can you please tell Tirek not to get worried too quick? I'd rather not risk meditation potentially breaking."
"I will. He clearly like you." Ishorn said with a mischievous wink.
"I'm well aware." Naja jovially commented back, while showing her now Ice-Elemental-materia equipped wristband, given by mentioned horned centaur.
After Ishorn left, Naja proceeded to enter the cave, holding palm full of fire on one of her hands for light. Luckily the tunnel in it was more than big enough for somebeing of her size. The natural tunnel seemingly twisted and turned seemingly in several ways, going progressively lower in a rather mild angle. Soon Naja began to wonder how far the tunnel would actually go? Maybe to the hearth of this mountain?
But soon after those thoughts, the tunnel opened up into roomy cavern. And she could see how it earned its name from the deer-folk. On one side there was a calm stream, most likely from an underground river. On the opposite side of was a small pool of bubbling lava. The roof of the cavern had lightly glowing raw gems and was seemingly supported by large pillars of petrified roots of some truly ancient tree. And finally there was a gentle breeze coming from somewhere, keeping the air circulated and fresh. It really felt truly serene and harmonious place, even with an elevated spot between the stream of water and pool of lava, with some moss growing on the middle of it, that looked to be roomy enough for being of mariliths size category.
"Well this sure feels like a nice place." Naja commented while dispelling her own fire, and slithered to the elevated mossy spot in the cavern, proceeding to coil up in her more relaxed meditation stance. To reach more calm state of mind, Naja began to recite Nine-cuts(Kuji-in) mantra, along with doing the hand proper hand signs (mudra) in a calm manner out of respect for this place.
"Rin... Pyō... Tō... Sha... Kai... Jin... Retsu... Zai... Zen..." she half-whispered to herself, feeling soothing calmness wash over her body, while opening her mind to the latent energies around her.
She did not for the moment care about the passage of time, as she just concentrated on her breathing, only feeling the breeze on her skin and the soft moss under her scales. Maybe some hours of meditating later, she reached her zen-phase while momentarily letting go of her emotions, which in turn actually did attract the interest of something truly potent. And soon after that, a tall root-like plant began to grow before marilith, holding a green crystal, like many other materias before it.
Maybe half an hour later, Naja finally came out from her meditative trance, while noticing the growth carrying the materia before her. First thing she noticed was that it was a rather small one; much smaller than third of her finger nail in fact.
"Well now, let's have a look at you, little one." she said, while carefully picking up the little materia and setting it gently on her palm, before reaching for it with her senses... And was almost overwhelmed by a titanic, maybe even a near cosmic, maelstrom of magic. By sheer luck and willpower she managed to weather the storm, getting into its metaphorical eye, where it felt almost eerily calm and empty. Almost fearful even...
'Hello? May I inquire your name?' Naja mentally called out to the materia. 'Don't be afraid, I will not hurt you.' she continued soothingly, with almost motherly tone.
Then she heard a little, whispering voice in her mind. It sounded like a small child, saying one word...
'...Ultima...'