The First Legendary Beast Master novel Chapter 1036

While Opal was lost in thoughts of how to make her illusionary world better, Karl was focused on the stones.

Their power was still present, undimmed by time. But they had gone inactive, and he couldn't understand the reason why.

The whole world was losing access to the system, and the power of the stones was dormant, but it wasn't losing any potency. It was more like it had lost its purpose, and was simply waiting for someone to wake it up again.

Mira sighed in resignation as she stared at the stones. "Well, if there is nothing to be done, then I suppose that's all there is to it. But it's good to know that this relic is genuine."

Karl nodded. "When you are ready to advance your class, or in need of something that the System should be able to do, try giving a prayer to the World Dragon while standing on the stones. If my guess is right, that should be the easiest spot in the world to access System features even as the System retreats from the world."

"So, it really is collapsing? The functions are becoming inactive?" She asked.

Karl made a noncommittal gesture. "For a time, it will be inactive. Then it will return again. But the process is slow, like the aging of dragons. It might be hundreds of years before the retreat is complete, and then thousands before it comes back to full power.

But as long as the stones here remain in their positions and undamaged, they should be fine for all that time."

Mira nodded. "In that case, when I am likely to be leaving the Temple unguarded, or it is going to fall, I will be sure to hide the stones somewhere that they won't be damaged or disturbed. That level of power is still well within my capabilities.

Do you think that I will start losing my powers as the System functions fail?"

Karl tried to remember what he had heard from Orthos and others.

"I don't think so. You should keep your powers for your whole life, but you might not be able to advance once the system is dormant, assuming that you live that long." He offered.

Mira looked concerned, then realized that Karl had said it could take more than a century. As a human, that would still put her well into her elderly years, and with troubled times coming, the elderly didn't often last.

Happy Lotus noises from upstairs distracted everyone, and Karl led the group up the stairs to make sure that the little Cleric wasn't getting herself in trouble.

The last one out was Mira, and out of caution, she locked the door to the stairs. Then, as she removed the key, the doorway simply vanished.

Nothing in Karl's vision indicated that there was a door there at all, or even a hollow spot behind the stone. At first, he was impressed by the Cleric's illusion. But the look on her face said that Mira hadn't done anything to change the entrance.