Vitaliara’s sharp eyes flickered with recognition as she felt the subtle shift in the air. The once-chaotic mana flows of the forest, filled with the presence of wraiths and other beasts, had stilled. Instead, something deeper, more powerful, began to move around them.
She let out a low hum, her voice filled with understanding. [They’re here.]
Lucavion slowed his steps, his grip on his estoc firm as he scanned the dense, shadowed trees ahead. “What do you sense?”
Vitaliara’s tail twitched, and her gaze turned towards the thickening darkness. [The mana flow around us… it’s different now. Controlled. It feels like they’re opening the path.]
Lucavion’s eyes narrowed. “They’re waiting for us.”
[Exactly,] she replied. [Tiax and Laxa—Nyxaliths don’t thrive on pointless bloodshed. They’ve seen enough of it in this forest. Now, they’ve decided to meet us directly. No more creatures will stand in our way.]
Lucavion nodded, feeling the shift in the atmosphere. It was as if the very forest had begun to yield to the presence of its rulers, allowing them to pass without resistance. The oppressive feeling of death lingered, but there was no more hostility, no more waves of wraiths or serpentine beasts lunging from the shadows.
“They no longer wish for any more blood to spill,” Lucavion murmured, understanding the significance of the moment. “They’re inviting us to face them.”
Vitaliara’s eyes gleamed as she surveyed the path ahead. [It’s an honor, in a way, for them to grant us this. But it won’t make the battle any easier.]
Lucavion’s smile was thin but confident.
“It is fine.”
Lucavion’s gaze lingered on the dark canopy above, the weight of past experiences settling in his mind. “If my opponent is showing me grace, the only thing I can do is to respect it,” he murmured softly. “And in a way, they are truly fitting rulers.”
His thoughts drifted back to his time in the army, where he had seen all kinds of leaders—men and women who commanded others through fear, manipulation, or false bravado. He had witnessed them make grand speeches, only to abandon their people when real danger struck. In the face of true adversity, they were always the first to retreat, saving their own lives while others fell.
Lucavion had never respected such leaders. To him, they were cowards—those who put their own survival above the honor and responsibility that came with power.
But these two Nyxaliths, Tiax and Laxa, were different.
“They’re still standing here,” he muttered, a rare tone of admiration creeping into his voice. “They’re not hiding from us, and they’ve spared the lives of their forest’s creatures, showing us the path directly. That takes strength. They know their power and aren’t afraid to face us.”
[They are rulers, indeed,] Vitaliara purred in agreement, her voice thoughtful. [Many would hide behind their armies, using their underlings to weaken us. But not these two.]
Lucavion nodded, his expression hardening with resolve. “Exactly. They face us head-on, without pretense. That’s what makes them deserving of respect. I’ve seen too many so-called leaders abandon their people in the face of danger. Tiax and Laxa… they embody what it means to lead.”
His grip tightened on his estoc, the weapon feeling like an extension of his will. “If they’re willing to face me with that kind of integrity, then I’ll give them the respect they deserve. But I won’t hold back.”
Vitaliara leaped back onto his shoulder, her eyes gleaming. [And nor should you. The real battle begins now.]
As Lucavion and Vitaliara ventured deeper into the heart of Wraithshade Forest, the oppressive weight of the surrounding darkness began to ease, replaced by a different kind of energy. The air felt thicker, almost alive, as though the very ground beneath them hummed with ancient power.
The forest opened up to reveal a serene lake, its surface reflecting the faint glow of the moon and the vibrant life surrounding it. Flowers of every imaginable color bloomed on one side of the lake, their petals radiant and full of vitality, while on the other side, the plants were wilted, gray, and dead, the air heavy with the scent of decay.
It was a stark contrast—life and death existing in perfect harmony, dividing the lake into two distinct halves.
Lucavion’s gaze swept over the scene, his senses on high alert as the significance of the place settled in. This was no ordinary lake—it was the very heart of Wraithshade Forest, the domain of Tiax and Laxa. The lake seemed to pulse with energy, the life and death forces intertwined yet distinct, reflecting the balance that the Nyxaliths embodied.
Vitaliara shifted slightly on his shoulder, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene. [This is it,] she murmured. [The heart of their domain.]
As they stood there, the stillness of the lake was broken by a sound—a deep, resonant hum that seemed to come from within the waters themselves. The sound wasn’t directed toward Lucavion, but to Vitaliara, vibrating through the air like a distant call.
Vitaliara’s ears perked up, her gaze sharpening as she focused on the source of the sound. [They know we’re here,] she said quietly, her voice carrying an edge of anticipation.
Lucavion’s eyes narrowed. “What are they saying?”
[They’re calling to me,] she responded, her tone serious yet calm. And then she leaped over him, falling down to the ground. She walked to the lake, her steps excluding a weird wave of arrogance and pride.
And then she stood over the lake, her white fur shining slightly. Lucavion understood that she was doing something related to the talk they were having. It was even possible that she was showing her authority or old presence.
However, for the time being, he did not have any way of knowing aside from reading the energies surrounding them.
Lucavion closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to focus on the subtle shifts in the energies around them. He could feel the distinct presence of life and death, their opposing yet balanced forces swirling through the air. The energy emanating from the lake fluctuated, but it wasn’t hostile.
Instead, it felt subdued, as if the powerful forces within were holding themselves back, lowering their guard.
‘Strange,’ Lucavion thought, his brow furrowing slightly. ‘It’s almost like they’re… submitting?’
The life and death energies didn’t clash as he expected. Instead, they flowed harmoniously, bending to Vitaliara’s presence. Whatever influence she was exerting, it was undeniable. The two presences within the lake, Tiax and Laxa, seemed to be responding to her in a way that he hadn’t anticipated.
Vitaliara stood at the edge of the lake, her fur glowing faintly in the moonlight. Her posture radiated a quiet confidence, an authority that commanded respect. She glanced back at Lucavion, her expression unreadable but her eyes gleaming with understanding.
Lucavion stepped closer, his voice calm but laced with curiosity. “What did they say?”
Vitaliara turned to face him fully, her tail flicking lazily. [They’re showing me respect,] she replied smoothly, her tone carrying the weight of her revelation. [Tiax and Laxa recognize who I am, and they’ve chosen not to resist. They’re willing to be part of my recovery without any struggle.] ƒrēewebnovel.com
Lucavion raised an eyebrow, both impressed and slightly surprised. “So, they’re just… letting it happen?”
[Heh….When I was young back then…these guys had benefited from me quite a lot.]
As she said that, she looked at the two fishes who now had shown themselves in the water and were looking at him.
Lucavion shifted his gaze to the water, curious to finally lay eyes on the two Nyxaliths—creatures he had expected to face in a fierce battle. But instead of hostility, they now revealed themselves in quiet reverence.
The first fish, Tiax, shimmered beneath the surface, its body glowing with an ethereal light. Its scales were vibrant, almost translucent, as though the very essence of life itself flowed through them. The fins on its back were delicate yet radiant, emitting soft pulses of energy that seemed to make the flowers and plants near the lakeshore bloom even brighter.
Tiax was the embodiment of vitality, its presence making everything around it flourish. Its eyes, bright and filled with a timeless wisdom, locked onto Lucavion for a moment before drifting back toward Vitaliara with what seemed like reverence.
Beside Tiax swam Laxa, the counterpart, and it was equally striking yet in a completely different manner. Where Tiax radiated life, Laxa embodied the stillness of death. Its scales were dark, almost obsidian, and gave off a faint shimmer like the last glint of light before complete darkness.
Tendrils of shadow trailed behind it, and wherever it passed, the once-vibrant plants wilted and withered, returning to the earth. Laxa moved with a slow, deliberate grace, its eyes deep and empty, like the abyss that awaited all things in the end. Yet, there was no malice—only the cold inevitability of death that Laxa commanded with the same calm authority as Tiax commanded life.
Lucavion watched in quiet awe as the two Nyxaliths hovered in perfect balance, each representing their respective forces yet unified in their purpose. There was no need for a fight here—only understanding.
———————–
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