Setting aside the shackles the World Will had placed on him, although Patrick's abilities were restricted to the eighth tier, he had advanced directly to the eighth circle. It was easy to imagine that another major clan was about to rise in Silvermoon City.
"There seems to be some kind of restriction on you, an extremely powerful one. It severely limits your chances of advancing again," the Lynx Spirit beside him said.
"I still need to find my own path. The World Rules are still intact. Bypassing his rules to reach the ninth tier is essentially impossible."
Patrick bore a mental mark left by the Lynx Spirit, so the Lynx Spirit had sensed his advancement immediately. What puzzled the Lynx Spirit, however, was that Patrick had clearly met the requirements for the ninth circle, yet something was preventing him from advancing.
"Advancement for us mages is different from that of shamans and priests. Without complete mastery over our own souls and wills, advancing under the intact World Rules isn't so simple. The trolls' shamans and priests have always served you Animal Gods, and their duties and paths reflect that. Combined with the power you grant them, that only makes their advancement seem somewhat easier."
"That's all in the past. I'll never again trust those thieves who stole my divine power." Thinking of the trolls made the Lynx Spirit somewhat angry. After all, in Regba's eyes, this was blasphemy against a god.
The mental mark told Patrick that the Lynx Spirit had recovered some of his strength lately. Patrick could not help asking, "How does living here with us feel? You may not have the exalted status you enjoyed among the trolls, but it should be relatively more comfortable by comparison."
At this, the Lynx Spirit was clearly rather pleased. "Yes,