His body was beet red.
Veins bulged and wriggled as he struggled to breathe.
“Flower… your… help…”
Red lightning, a soft green glow, and purple bubbles with miniature suns within them floated around Neo.
Death and Life were wary of Void, which was surprising.
Just like how Void could corrupt Life, Death could harm Life too. A powerful Death would have no trouble killing a weak Life.
It seemed contradictory that Life was fine with Death, but not Void.
The Elementals remained stationery.
They seemed to have no intention of helping.
The Pond should’ve made them help Neo.
But Life seemed to have a personal bias against Elizabeth, Death also refused to help, and Void just watched, as if the Pond didn’t interest it.
Neo, on the verge of fainting, suddenly felt the presence of another group of Elementals.
Silvery motes appeared around him.
‘Please, help him,’ the Space Elementals spoke.
They had tried to not manifest, since it put a great burden on Neo; however, given the situation, they had no other choice.
When the other Elementals remained silent, Space spoke again,
‘Death, he is the spawn of your Loved One. Why are you refusing to help him?’
‘You said it yourself. He is the spawn of my Loved One. A life that was created by one who was blessed by Death.’
The Death Elementals’ voice was filled with suppressed intensity.
The red lightning surrounding Neo grew erratic.
‘We have no intention of helping the mistake of my Loved One.’
‘Calling him a mistake,’ the Space Elementals sighed. ‘You act as if you hate your Loved One and his spawn, but have you not helped the little one until now?
‘Whenever he needed your help, you protected him. You were the reason why he learned to manifest his Death. So, why are you not helping when he asked for it directly?’ the Space said.
‘Y-you!’
The powerful red lightning crashed against the pond’s edges and caused the surroundings to wilt.
‘I never helped him!’
The Death Elementals turned to Neo. ‘I did no such thing! Do not listen to him!’
Neo chuckled weakly.
He remembered the events during the Shadow Trial.
Back then, he had lost the mastery of Death for a period of time.
During those times, Death still warned him when someone tried to attack him.
Something like that shouldn’t have been possible.
It only happened since the Death Elementals tried to protect him. This was something Neo realized only now.
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Neo understood what he needed to do in order to receive Death’s grace.
“Death… help me, please….”
‘Do you think we will do it just because you asked sincerely?’ Death snapped at him.
Death alternated its focus between the flower and Neo, who seemed in immense pain.
Neo groans made it wince.
‘Ugh, fine. Just this once. But don’t expect us to help you again!’
The storm of red lightning began to flow into the Everwitch Violet.
Some of the Death Elementals took the water from the Pond, while others did not.
Even though all of them were helping, they seemed to be capable of making their own decisions.
‘Why go to this extent, child?’ Life questioned. ‘The woman is a merciless killer. She is the antithesis of you, who sacrificed himself to save the world.’
“Because I promised to save her.”
Life watched him wordlessly for a brief moment before it moved.
The Elementals of Life took the water of the Pond and flowed into the flower.
The flower was on the verge of attaining a complete bloom.
Only one more, and Neo would be able to save Elizabeth.
“Void—”
‘You have harmed the blessed of the Ones who follow our path, Hargraves. So, give us one argument. One reason why we should help you.’
Neo frowned.
the Elementals seemed to be aware of the Shadow Trial events.
Had the Shadow Supreme told them others about what transpired back then?
That was the only reason Neo could think of for the reason why Elementals of other Elements were aware of it.
‘But how much did the news spread that every single Elemental knows about it?’ Neo chuckled amidst the pain.
Given the events, it seemed the Shadow Supreme was quite a braggart, who happily spoke about his Champions.
“The blessed of the Ones who follow your path… does that mean Velkaria?” Neo spoke, trying to keep his tone calm and even. “I did no such thing. The one I harmed was created by Shadows.”
‘That is sophistry, Hargraves. Not argument.’
“What do you expect me to say? Someone came knocking at my door with a gun. Of course, I fought back.”
‘It matters to us not. What we care about is we lost one who walked on our path.’
Neo felt it. Void did not care about Velkaria. What it wanted was something else.
Not the Pond, not the justification.
But something else.
‘Void, why are you forcing the child to walk on your path?’ Space spoke.
‘We did no such thing,’ the Void spoke offhandedly, yet it was now clear to Neo.
Void wanted him.
Why?
He didn’t understand.
He could think about it later.
“I will do my best to awaken my Void Affinity,” Neo said.
The Void Elementals remained silent.
They seemed… pleased? Expectant?
Neo could not put a finger on the Intent he sensed from them.
It confused him as to why Void was eager to have him walk its path.
‘Do not forget what you have said now, Hargraves, and do not make us wait for long. Crossing us will cost you much.’
Without another word, the purple bubbles flowed into the flower.
Its petals unfurled as it reached maturity.
Neo ignored the storm of Elementals covering him and turned to Space.
“Thank you.”
‘It was a transaction. There is no need to thank us.’
The silvery motes of light disappeared.
The storm of Elementals became the source of nourishment for the flower.
It began to bloom beautifully.
An ethereal light covered the petals, and the flower floated above Neo’s hand.