The moment Emery stepped out of the tribulation, dozens of alchemists approached to congratulate him, their eyes wide with awe and disbelief.
“What was that heavenly tribulation?” one of them blurted out. “I thought you would jump straight to the second stage of Cosmos!”
“No, no!” another interjected, his excitement barely contained. “That was beyond anything I’ve ever seen! I thought you’d ascend straight to stage three! That tribulation was insane!”
Emery remained silent, his mind still reeling from the sheer intensity of the ordeal. Instead of engaging in the growing clamor of voices, he made his way toward the Skyroot Patriarch, the Supreme Being who had guided him through this process. Bowing deeply, he expressed his heartfelt gratitude.
The Supreme Being studied Emery with an approving gaze, his ancient eyes gleaming with satisfaction. “I was right about you… You are indeed special,” he said. “To complete the 98th rune in five months… remarkable.”
Emery let out a long sigh, the weight of reality pressing heavily upon him. In truth, he had spent nearly fifteen years within the soul world, making the five months that had passed in the real world seem fleeting. Yet, despite all that time, the realization struck him—his carefully laid plans had unraveled, slipping further from his grasp.
The first blow came with the news that the Pardera expedition team would be leaving in a week’s time, giving him only a short window to prepare. Before he could fully process this, another revelation followed. His daughter had left months ago with Kaelynn to the Fey Clan.
A deep sense of unease settled within him. The expedition was important, but the thought of his daughter being away, possibly in danger, stirred something more urgent within him. The emotions surged too quickly, disrupting the delicate balance within his newly strengthened soul. A sharp pain struck him, his body trembling under the weight of his turbulent spirit.
Sensing his turmoil, the Grand Master stepped forward, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. “Calm yourself, Emery,” he said, his voice carrying a soothing authority. Spirit energy flowed from the Supreme Being, easing the turbulence within Emery’s soul. A moment later, the elder handed him a small, luminous pill.
“This is a soul-recovering pill,” he explained. “You’ve just endured a long soul battle and a harrowing tribulation. Before you rush into anything else, you must recover and fully settle the changes within you.”
Emery took the pill, swallowing his emotions along with it. He understood the wisdom in the elder’s words, though every fiber of his being screamed for him to act. Instead, he bowed once more. “I understand.”
With that, he retreated into seclusion, taking refuge in the Skyroot-provided residence to grasp the magnitude of his newfound power.
The moment Emery stepped into his Domain, he was met with a sight that left him momentarily breathless. The very land had reshaped itself, expanding beyond anything he had previously imagined.
What was once a vast valley had grown nearly fivefold in size, stretching far beyond his previous understanding.
A notification flashed in his mind, confirming the staggering change.
[Domain Size: 510 square miles.]
His surroundings were no longer limited to the towering mountains and dense forests he once knew. To the north, a tundra stretched endlessly, its surface blanketed in ice and snow. The air there carried a biting chill, its breath sharp and unforgiving.
Further south, a vast desert shimmered under an oppressive, unseen sun. Waves of heat rippled through the golden dunes, an eerie contrast to the frozen wasteland above.
Lush grasslands rolled across the eastern plains, their emerald waves shifting with an unnatural vibrancy. Meanwhile, the west held deep, dark marshlands, their misty, shadowed expanse humming with the energy of decay.
Yet, despite the sheer scale of the expansion, Emery’s gaze was drawn to the most dramatic change of all. A massive trench split the entire continent in two, an abyssal scar that stretched endlessly from one end of the land to the other. The edges were jagged and raw, as if the very world had been torn apart.
The weight of the transformation settled upon him, but he had little time to marvel at it. His first concern was the inhabitants of his Domain.
He moved swiftly, heading toward the Chizpur village. As he arrived, Twik and the other Chizpurs were already waiting. The little creature’s eyes glimmered with relief.
The village bore signs of chaos—several structures had been damaged, and many young Chizpurs still trembled from fear. Fortunately, despite several injuries, no lives had been lost. Nearby, the Elysian tree pulsed with a deep, radiant energy, its presence offering reassurance and stability to the shaken Chizpurs.
Relief flooded through Emery. He offered words of reassurance before continuing onward, his next destination clear.
The Orc village bore more evident signs of destruction. As he approached, he found Durak and his warriors already hard at work, their massive forms moving purposefully as they cleared debris from collapsed buildings. Unlike the Chizpurs, the orcs had suffered greater physical losses—most of their homes had been reduced to rubble, and several warriors died from the fallouts.
With both villages accounted for, Emery turned his attention to the looming presence at the heart of his Domain—the mountain.
Deep within the mountain, in the newly formed Khaos hub, Emery finally came face to face with him.
His second soul.
Seated in the center of the darkened chamber was a figure identical to him. The same frame, the same features. Yet, there was an undeniable difference. The being before him radiated a darker, heavier presence. His hair was black as the void, and when he opened his eyes, dark pupils gazed at Emery with the same curiosity he felt within himself.
This second soul… it was different. Unlike the past clones Emery had created, this one possessed its own consciousness. Its own will.
Emery stepped closer, his mind swirling with questions. How alike were they? How different? What did this mean for his existence?
A presence stirred beside him—Livi, the Baphomet, watching the encounter with visible confusion. “Which of you is my real master?” she murmured, eyes darting between them.
For a long moment, neither spoke. The silence was thick, stretched taut between them.
Then, with an almost amused smirk, the dark figure rose to his feet.
Without hesitation, he unleashed his strength. The air around him trembled, heavy with raw, unrestrained power. Dark energy coiled around his form like living shadows, pulsing in sync with the Khaos-infused depths of the mountain.
“There’s only one way to find out…” the dark Emery said, his voice an echo of his own. “The winner is the master.”