[The Azure Outskirts - The Path of Spirits]
Xyne and Elarion walked in silence along the single, straight road that cut through the shimmering blue expanse of the outskirts. The air here was thick with the hum of raw spiritual energy, pulsing like a slow, celestial heartbeat.
Xyne glanced at Elarion, her demonic red eyes sharp and expectant. "So... are you ready?"
Elarion's form flickered for a brief second, his shimmering outline stabilizing as he met her gaze. "Yes," he said, his voice carrying a new edge of determination. "Yes, I am."
"Spiritual beings don't listen to demons," Xyne noted, her tone pragmatic. "They sense the red energy and they run. If you want to feed, you have to be the one to lure them in."
She stepped off the main road, disappearing into a shadowed valley where the azure light couldn't reach. Before she vanished, she signaled him, her hands pressed toward the ground as she lowered her presence to almost zero.
Elarion nodded, his heart pounding against his non-physical ribs. He kept walking alone, maintaining the calm, serene aura of a standard spiritual being. After a few minutes, he spotted his target—a female spiritual being drifting gracefully through the energy currents.
He moved to walk beside her, his expression carefully neutral. "Hello," he said softly.
The spiritual being glanced at him, her form glowing with a soft, translucent light. She didn't stop, her movements fluid and distant.
"I wanted to tell you something," Elarion continued, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I know how Nova survived the clash with Kaelvyr."
That stopped her. She turned, her glowing features showing a flicker of genuine curiosity. "We don't know each other. Why would you share such a secret with me?"
Elarion stared into her eyes, his expression earnest. "Because I want to be friends with you. And friends share the truth."
The spiritual being smiled, the light of her form brightening. "Then tell me. How did she do it?"
Elarion leaned in, his voice barely a breath. "I can't tell you here. There are too many eyes, too many ears. Follow me." He pointed toward the dark valley where Xyne lay in wait. "No one can hear us there."
A moment of hesitation crossed the spiritual being's face, a natural instinct warning her of the dark, but the lure of the "juicy gist" was too strong to resist. "Fine," she said, her form shimmering. "But make it quick."
They descended into the deep valley, the shadows swallowing the azure light of the sky until even their own glowing forms seemed dim.
"So," the spiritual being said, her voice echoing in the hollow space. "What is this secret you promised?"
Elarion froze. *Wait... how do I actually absorb her?* Panic flared in his mind. *Damn it, why didn't I think of the 'how' before the 'why'?*
The spiritual being's eyes narrowed as she sensed his hesitation. "If you have nothing to say, I'm leaving."
"Wait!" Elarion stopped her, his mind racing. "You see... Nova is my sister."
The spiritual being's form flickered in shock. *His sister? That means they are both woven from Xyloria's essence...* "Tell me more," she demanded, her curiosity reaching a fever pitch.
Elarion didn't answer with words. He began to channel his energy, focusing it into the palms of his hands. He visualized a collapse—a vacuum of pure spiritual force. The spiritual being was too distracted by his words to notice the swirling distortion forming between his fingers.
"And I found a way to get stronger," Elarion said, his voice turning cold.
The spiritual being stared at his hands, her form flickering violently as she realized the danger. She started to back away, her light stuttering. "What you're telling me has nothing to do with Nova..."
"I need spiritual energy to grow," Elarion said, his voice devoid of emotion. "I need *you*."
She turned to flee, but a shadow dropped from the cliffs above, blocking her path. Xyne stood there, her red eyes glowing like twin embers in the dark. "You're not going anywhere," she growled.
Desperate, the spiritual being thrust her hands forward, unleashing a massive blast of raw spiritual energy at Xyne. The force was enough to shatter stone, and for a second, Xyne's eyes widened in surprise. But before the energy could hit her, it stopped.
The blast didn't dissipate; it was pulled.
Elarion had manifested a small, swirling black hole of spiritual energy between his palms. The female being's essence was being sucked into the vacuum, her very form beginning to unravel as she was pulled toward him.
"I'm gone..." she whispered, her light fading into the void.
Elarion didn't stop until the last shred of her essence was consumed. As the energy entered his core, his form erupted in a brilliant, blinding light. He felt his density double, his spiritual weight increasing until he felt like he was made of solid lead.
Xyne stepped forward, a sharp, predatory smile on her face. "Your first feast," she said, her voice full of approval. "And she was a Specter level, no less."
Elarion looked at his hands, feeling the raw power pulsing through him. "No wonder my energy has increased so much."
Xyne leaned back against the valley wall, her arms crossed. "Don't get cocky. You need to consume at least three more to stabilize this. And then, you'll need to learn how to suppress it, just like Nova."
Elarion nodded, the hunger for more already beginning to burn in his core.
They spent the next few hours in the shadows, ambushing three more spirits—two Specters and one Phantom. With each consumption, Elarion felt his power climbing, his spiritual presence becoming so dense it started to distort the air around him.
"Enough for now," Xyne said, her eyes scanning his glowing form. "Let's head back. We need to train you on how to actually *use* this energy before you explode."
***
**[Crimson Citadel - The Dining Room]**
The dining room was a place of cold, geometric perfection. The rectangular obsidian table sat eight, though only the inner circle of the Citadel family was present. Zarek sat at one end, his presence like a dark weight in the room, while Rhyzok sat beside Elara.
The Matriarch rested her elbows on the table, her chin propped on her hands as she surveyed her family. Her voice, when she spoke, was calm but carried the weight of an absolute decree.
"I have summoned you here to discuss the succession," she began. "The time has come to decide who will wield the Cursed Blades."
She paused, her gaze lingering on her children. "Elara and Ryvex are to be the successors."
"I'm not dead yet," Zarek said, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.
The Matriarch didn't flinch. "One does not need to be dead to pass on a legacy, Zarek. We must see if they can hold the blades. If they can, you will be the one to teach them. The trial will take place in a few days."
Before she could continue, Elara spoke up, her voice trembling but firm. "I'm sorry to interrupt, Mother... but I don't want the Cursed Blades."
The Matriarch stared at her daughter, her expression unreadable. "Is it because you have found 'love,' my dear?"
Elara nodded, her hand sliding across the table to grip Rhyzok's.
The Matriarch sighed, a sound of both disappointment and resignation. "So you still refuse my advice. Very well. You are forbidden from wielding the blades. The legacy will pass elsewhere."
Ryvex smirked, his eyes gleaming with ambition. "Then who will wield the Red Cursed Blade?"
"Rin," the Matriarch said simply.
Ryvex opened his mouth to protest, but the Matriarch raised a hand. "No more interruptions. There is a second matter we must discuss." She leaned back, her eyes looking weary for the first time. "Your father and I will soon depart."
Elara's eyes widened. "What do you mean? Depart where?"
"We are dying, Elara," the Matriarch said, a small, sad smile touching her lips. "We exhausted our remaining energy to build Rin. We have reached our limit."
"Then why?!" Elara cried, her voice cracking. "Why create another child if it meant your death?"
"We have lived for too long," the Matriarch replied softly. "We need to leave a legacy behind—children who can survive what is coming. Be strong, Elara. You will survive."
Zarek shifted in his seat, his dark eyes fixed on his mother. "I have something to say."
"If it is about the King or your work, I don't want to hear it," the Matriarch snapped, her voice turning sharp. "I want nothing to do with that man."
"Then just hear this," Zarek said, his voice like a cold wind. "A war will soon break out. A war that will change everything."
The Matriarch stood up, her presence filling the room one last time. "Then be careful, Zarek. I don't know who you are planning to fight, but think before you draw your blade. The meeting is ended."
To Be Continued…