Chapter 8: Chapter 8: Awakening the Ancient Essence

At the landing area in Elsinore the old elf lady berated Althaea, her voice rising in frustration. “What have you done, Althaea? You destroyed one of the top ten chambers of commerce in this galaxy. For whom, a fool?”

Althaea replied with a nonchalant shrug, “Well, he was doing a good job exterminating the pirates. They were wreaking havoc in the galaxy, plundering, killing, and destroying many planets with weak defenses. I had proposed a plan to target the pirates myself, but the elders dismissed it, saying we are a peaceful race and should not interfere in the matters of mortals. So, when I found out someone was doing what I wanted, even if for a completely different reason, I helped him this little bit.”

The old lady grunted, her wrinkled face contorted with concern. "But why go to such lengths as to destroy one of the biggest chambers of commerce?”

Althaea’s eyes gleamed with a mixture of pride and defiance. “That person was fighting a pirate fleet and had almost destroyed it when I arrived. That pirate fleet was working for the Galactic Commerce Guild, and he still annihilated it despite knowing that. At first, I didn’t want to help since he had concealed his identity, but when I got there, I noticed someone had left their will projection on the flagship. When it was attacked, the projection vanished, and I realized it belonged to a Sacred Imperator, a being just below an Overlord. He must have had something crucial on that ship, and he would definitely hunt down that fool to retrieve it. So, I went to the Galactic Commerce Guild to find out about that person.”

“So, did you find him?” asked the old lady, her curiosity piqued.

Althaea nodded, her expression serious. “Yes, but it was a hard process. The Galactic Commerce Guild wasn’t keen on divulging the identity of that person, and in the ensuing chaos, the guild got destroyed during the interrogation.”

The old lady’s face contorted in a mix of shock and disapproval, but before she could speak, Althaea continued, “I found that person. He was from the Shadow Dominion, so I killed him.”

The old lady’s eyes widened in horror at the mention of the Shadow Dominion, a clandestine organization shrouded in mystery and fear. Known for its ruthless pursuit of power and control over the galaxy’s dark underbelly, the Dominion was led by enigmatic figures who mastered dark arts and forbidden technologies. Their influence spanned across planets, manipulating events from the shadows. Their operatives, skilled in espionage and assassination, carried out covert missions to destabilize governments and seize valuable resources. The mere mention of the Shadow Dominion instilled dread, as their motives were as opaque as their methods, leaving chaos and despair in their wake.

“So that’s why you chased him after discovering his intent projection and destroyed the Galactic Commerce Guild because they colluded with the evil organization,” the old lady said, her voice trembling with the weight of the revelation.

Althaea replied coyly, “Not really.” Before the old lady could react, Althaea darted away, her laughter echoing through the palace grounds. The old lady just shook her head, sighing deeply as she watched Althaea disappear into the distance.

Althaea retreated to her room, her thoughts swirling around the mysterious man with the treasure containing the blood essence of mythical beasts. She mused that this blood essence could also be beneficial for the elves. Perhaps, if fate allowed her to meet the current possessor of the treasure, she would request a share of it.

Meanwhile, in the grand vault of the Sovereign Palace, Ajitha stood transfixed, facing the backside of the plate. His eyes widened in shock as he saw another beast image, but unlike the front, which depicted ten mythical beasts, the back had only one. The beast’s name was inscribed as Ethereal Devourer. The Ethereal Devourer was depicted as a ghostly, serpentine creature with translucent scales that shimmered with an eerie, otherworldly glow. Its gaping maw was surrounded by swirling tendrils of dark energy, giving it an ominous and haunting presence on the plate.

Beneath the image of the beast, there was a bottle. Unlike the bottles containing the blood essence of the other mythical beasts, which were filled to the brim, this one held only a single drop of blood essence. Ajitha watched in disbelief as the elemental energies from the ten mythical beasts’ blood formed a barrier, encasing the bottle of the Ethereal Devourer’s blood.

Ajitha noticed some inscriptions on the plate, written in an unfamiliar language. He turned to Reginald and asked, “Scan the writing on this plate.”

Reginald activated a scanning device, analyzing the text and searching for a match in his extensive database. “This language belongs to an ancient civilization known as the Spiritbane. They were infamous in their time for their malevolent deeds. They hunted and devoured spirit-based races, becoming enemies of the entire galaxy. Eventually, an alliance of the most powerful races banded together to annihilate them.”

Ajitha nodded, curiosity piqued. “What do the inscriptions say?”

Reginald continued, “It says that all the blood essence was discovered in a mystic rift. The Spiritbane’s primary focus was on the Ethereal Devourer’s blood essence. They aimed to integrate it into their race to gain greater power. However, their plan backfired. Those who approached the blood essence were devoured instead. This blood essence is insatiably hungry, constantly in a state of devouring. The Spiritbane race used the elemental beasts’ blood essence and an Astrium metal plate to trap the devourer’s blood. This plate was then safeguarded and passed down through generations, with the hope of one day finding a way to safely integrate it.”

Reginald paused, a hint of melancholy in his synthetic voice. “Perhaps that day never came, and now it never will, as the Spiritbane race is no more in this universe.”

Ajitha absorbed the gravity of the revelation, his thoughts racing with the implications of possessing such a potent and perilous artifact. The enormity of the situation began to weigh heavily on him, even as he turned his attention back to the plate. “Reginald, did you say this plate was crafted from Astrium metal?” he asked, his voice tinged with a mix of intrigue and urgency.

Reginald, ever diligent, responded with a nod, “Yes, that’s correct. Why do you ask?”

Ajitha’s eyes narrowed as he explained, “Astrium metal is renowned for its extraordinary properties. It’s not just one of the strongest materials in the universe; it’s practically impervious to any force, even the full might of a star’s explosion. However, its true value lies not in being used as a mere shield but in its application as an alchemy furnace. For spirit pills beyond grade four, the furnace crafted from Astrium doesn’t just resist heavenly tribulations; it enhances the pills through the tribulation’s energy. The charge generated can have miraculous effects on the herbs inside.”

Reginald’s curiosity piqued, he asked, “So, do you have an interest in becoming an alchemist?”

Ajitha’s response was immediate and forceful. “To hell with alchemy! If given the choice, I’d rather have a shield made from this metal.” His tone was resolute as he turned to leave.

Reginald, not deterred, inquired further, “What should we do with the plate then?”

Ajitha paused, his expression turning serious. “Keep a vigilant watch over it. The devourer’s blood essence appears to be in a dormant state for now, but I sense even the faintest signs of movement. The seal created by the elemental energies is weakening over time, and it may break free within a year or two. If it does, and the essence begins to devour, we’d be the first to fall victim. I don’t intend to wait around for that day.”

Reginald grimaced, a pained expression crossing his face as the weight of Ajitha’s words sank in. The responsibility of guarding such a dangerous artifact was a heavy burden. Ajitha, sensing his assistant’s concern, threw the keys to the grand vault at Reginald. “I’ll be engrossed in the refinement of the giant hand we acquired. Don’t disturb me unless absolutely necessary. If the plate becomes a threat, just grab it and dispose of it. Throw it far from this planet if you can’t manage it.”

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With that, Ajitha strode purposefully towards the cultivation chamber, leaving Reginald to grapple with the weight of his new responsibilities. The grand vault’s massive doors closed with a resounding thud, sealing away the enigmatic plate and its dangerous secret.

Ajitha began to chant a series of profound incantations, the air crackling with energy as a spatial crack materialized in the chamber. From this rift, a colossal hand emerged, its fingers slowly unfurling into the space. Enhanced with spatial laws, the chamber expanded to accommodate the gigantic appendage, allowing Ajitha to fully extract it.

Gazing at the immense hand before him, Ajitha’s mind raced with possibilities. “This hand lacks bones but has vein-like structures, perhaps for the flow of blood or some form of mana,” he mused, walking around the behemoth appendage. “It’s emitting a strange energy that corrodes the surrounding mana. It’s riddled with impurities; refining it could yield something incredibly pure and valuable.”

He then sat cross-legged, summoning white flames from within himself. The flames engulfed the behemoth’s hand, burning away impurities which turned to dust and significantly reducing its size. After a week of relentless refining, the hand was now merely a kilometer long. Exhausted but determined, Ajitha pushed through, until a disturbance at the door broke his concentration.

Frowning, Ajitha thought, “Reginald knows better than to disturb me during such a critical process.” He rose and moved to the door, only to be shocked by the sight of the plate charging toward him. Instinctively, he dodged aside but quickly realized the plate wasn’t attacking him; it was drawn to the behemoth’s hand.

Ajitha formed a seal with his hands and shot it toward the plate, halting its advance. Approaching it cautiously, he noticed the Ethereal Devourer’s blood essence inside was agitated, seemingly trying to break free. “What could be attracting the blood essence?” he wondered.

Just then, Reginald barged in, his expression one of distress. He quickly knelt before Ajitha, “I apologize, my Lord, for failing to follow your orders and causing this disturbance.”

Ajitha helped him to his feet, “No need for apologies now. Explain what happened with this plate.”

Reginald explained, “We kept a close watch on it, but once you began your refinement, the plate started shaking violently. We tried to contain it, but it shattered our constraints, broke free, and barreled through the vault’s door. If you hadn’t opened this door, it likely would have broken through here too.”

Ajitha scrutinized the situation, thinking aloud, “Something in the behemoth’s hand is attracting the Ethereal Devourer’s blood essence.” He instructed Reginald to hold the plate in place, reinforcing it with his own powers.

Returning to the refinement process, Ajitha kept a wary eye on the blood essence. As layers of the behemoth’s hand peeled away, the essence grew increasingly restless. Shocked, Ajitha thought, “This blood essence is behaving as if it’s either drawn to the greatest delicacy it has ever known or it’s preparing to confront its arch-nemesis.”

Ajitha intensified his efforts, the white flames burning brighter as they consumed the impurities. The hand’s structure became more defined, and the energy it emitted grew purer. Each layer removed seemed to agitate the blood essence further, its movements inside the bottle becoming almost frantic.

Ajitha’s mind raced, trying to deduce the connection. “What is it about this hand that resonates so strongly with the Ethereal Devourer’s essence? Could it be some ancient rivalry, or is it the purity of the energy within the hand?”

The chamber thrummed with power as Ajitha continued his work, the mystery deepening with every passing moment. The answers seemed tantalizingly close, yet still just out of reach.

At Elsinore in the Royal Court, the chamber was a marvel of elven craftsmanship. High vaulted ceilings adorned with intricate carvings of ancient legends loomed above, and massive crystal chandeliers bathed the room in a soft, ethereal glow. The walls, made of smooth white stone veined with gold, were lined with towering windows draped in rich green and silver tapestries that depicted the history of the elven people. At the far end of the court, a grand throne carved from a single piece of living wood, entwined with vines and blooming flowers, stood as a testament to the elves’ deep connection with nature.

Althaea, seated on the throne, radiated an aura of regal authority. Her long, silver hair cascaded down her back, and her emerald eyes held a piercing wisdom. The elders of the elves, each dressed in robes of deep green and adorned with intricate silver jewelry, stood in a semicircle around her, their expressions solemn as they awaited the day’s deliberations.

The grand elder, a tall figure with a stern face framed by a flowing white beard, stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Your Highness, may we grant entry to Elder Aricen? He has an important matter to discuss.”

Althaea inclined her head, granting permission. Aricen, a younger elf with keen eyes and an air of urgency, entered the court and bowed before her. “Rise, Elder Aricen,” she commanded. “What pressing matter brings you here today?”

Aricen kept his head low and began, “Your Highness, a friend of mine seeks an opportunity to use the Yggdrasil’s holy power to secure a heavenly-tiered cultivation technique.”

Althaea’s eyes narrowed with interest. “A heavenly-tiered technique, you say?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” Aricen replied, then detailed the plight of Ajitha. He explained how Ajitha had failed to ascend to the level of Divine Lord due to his weak foundation. His nebula-core had cracked, leaking celestial power, and he had less than one star cycle left before his life force would be entirely depleted.

Aricen continued, “Ajitha is willing to offer fifty percent of his life force to the Yggdrasil in exchange for the cultivation technique. The half-life force of a demigod would significantly enhance the Yggdrasil, allowing it to thrive.”

Althaea’s mind raced. The description matched the fool she had met, who had similarly struggled but had broken through to Divine Lord. Could they be the same person? If so, she might be able to obtain the blood essence of the mythical beasts from him.

She muttered to herself, “Interesting,” before addressing Aricen. “Elder Aricen, I am moved by your friend’s determination and willingness to sacrifice. However, before he can access the Yggdrasil, I must meet him and assess his character. We cannot afford to accept any person who may be morally corrupt. Bring him here, and if he meets my expectations, he will be granted the opportunity to trade his life force for the cultivation technique.”

Aricen bowed again, gratitude and relief evident on his face. “Thank you, Your Highness. I will convey your message to him immediately.”

As Aricen left, Althaea pondered the situation. If Ajitha was indeed the same person she had encountered, his determination and courage were commendable. She hoped that their paths would cross again, for both their sakes.

In the cultivation chamber of the Sovereign Palace, Ajitha continued refining the behemoth’s hand, which had now been reduced to just a few meters in length. Hours passed, and at last, the hand was completely refined, leaving behind a pitch-black material and a single drop of liquid the size of a volleyball. This drop, although primarily black, gleamed with a subtle golden radiance. It was the blood of a Quasar bloodline behemoth, hovering quietly in the air, displaying its formidable presence. Unlike the Ethereal Devourer, which consumed energies in the form of mana and spirit, this behemoth’s blood only reacted to physical matter.

The Devourer's blood essence, still contained In its bottle, grew increasingly restless as it sensed the behemoth’s blood fully exposed. Ajitha scanned the behemoth’s blood with his spiritual sense but found nothing harmful. Little did he know of its terrifying nature—it only reacted to physical matter.

Curiosity getting the better of him, Ajitha approached the behemoth’s blood and extended his hand to touch it. The moment his fingers made contact, a wave of horror washed over him. He felt himself being devoured by the blood, a sensation akin to having his very essence consumed. Panic surged through him as he struggled with all his might to resist, but his efforts proved futile. He could only delay the inevitable for a few seconds more.

Desperation clawed at his mind as he frantically searched for a solution. Thoughts raced through his head, but none offered an escape from his grim fate. Just as despair began to take hold, a flash of inspiration struck him—the Devourer’s blood essence.

With every ounce of strength, he shouted to Reginald, “Release the Devourer’s blood essence from the plate!”

Reginald, though uncertain of the situation, did not hesitate. He quickly hacked the bottle away from the plate and threw it toward Ajitha. Before Ajitha could catch it, the Devourer’s blood essence shattered the bottle and lunged at the behemoth’s blood.

The behemoth’s blood, now seemingly facing its ultimate nemesis, released Ajitha and engaged in a fierce struggle with the Devourer’s blood. Both entities tried to devour each other, creating a maelstrom of dark energy and shimmering golden light. Ajitha watched in awe as the two powerful blood essences clashed.

The chamber was filled with an eerie, otherworldly light as the energies intertwined. The Devourer’s blood, a ghostly, serpentine force with translucent scales that shimmered with an eerie glow, and the behemoth’s blood, with its black hue and golden radiance, created a scene of cosmic conflict. Their battle, though silent, resonated with a palpable intensity that made the air around them vibrate.

As Ajitha observed the miraculous scene, he noticed something extraordinary. The two blood essences were not merely fighting—they were merging. The dark tendrils of the Devourer’s blood intertwined with the golden veins of the behemoth’s blood, creating a new, hybrid entity. This new essence radiated an even more potent and terrifying aura, hinting at untold power and potential.

Reginald, watching from a distance, could hardly believe his eyes. “My Lord, what is happening?” he asked, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and fascination.

Ajitha, still recovering from his near-devouring experience, replied, “I believe we are witnessing the birth of something unprecedented. The Devourer’s and behemoth’s blood are merging, creating a new force that could be beyond anything we have ever seen.”

The hybrid blood essence hovered in the air, its form stabilizing as it finished its fusion. Ajitha could feel the immense power emanating from it, a power that could alter the course of their destiny.