Varos traversed the treacherous expanse of the temporal rift zone, enduring days of relentless time blades and raging time storms. Each step had been a test of survival, but after an arduous struggle, he finally emerged from the chaos.
"Thanks to my breakthrough to the Law-Bearer realm, I managed to lower the difficulty," he thought, his breath ragged with exhaustion and relief. "I finally crossed this damned zone."
As he turned back to gaze at the temporal rift zone he had just escaped, a shiver ran down his spine. That cursed place was the most perilous place he had ever faced, and it would be the last time he set foot there.
A small chuckle echoed within his soul sea. "Well, it won't matter once you get the book and the herb," the will murmured, its tone laced with amusement. But even as it spoke, doubt was obvious in its voice.
Something was wrong, and very, very wrong at that. Each time it had attempted to possess Varos during the journey, it had failed, not because of resistance, but because the desire to do so had inexplicably weakened. At times, the urge was absent altogether, as if something deep within it had changed. The will frowned internally. "What is happening to me?"
But Mortevant, (the will) knew something was amiss. He couldn't pinpoint the cause, but a gnawing unease had settled deep within his soul. Worse still, at times, absurd thoughts surfaced, an unnatural affection toward Varos, something almost familial.
The idea was preposterous because he was a being incapable of such sentiment or so he believed.
"Impossible," he reassured himself. And yet, the feeling lingered, stubborn and unshaken. Mortevant chose to wait and watch because he felt someone or something, was manipulating events from the shadows. When they revealed themselves, he would be ready.
"But even if they do… all I can do is flee and possess another descendant of mine." The thought left a bitter taste in his formless mind.
But Mortevant had a suspicion, and a chilling one at that. If his guess was correct, then he shouldn't be waiting. He should be fleeing now.
However, the reality of his situation anchored him. He was now the weakest among his fellow Primordials, a mere shadow of his former self.
Even possessing the body of an Ascendant had become an arduous struggle. "There's no way they'd waste their time on me," he reassured himself, forcing his unease into the depths of his being.
He turned his attention back to Varos, unaware that he was not just a bystander in this game, but rather a pawn, one of the most crucial pieces in Vyrinox and his team's grand scheme. The web of their plans had already begun to tighten around him.
Varos moved swiftly through the dense forest, his steps cautious. His eyes flickered between the ancient map in his hand and the path ahead. The canopy above twisted in eerie formations, casting shifting shadows that concealed unknown dangers.
His senses remained sharp, as he scanned his surroundings periodically, searching for any disturbances in the forest. The rustling of leaves, the subtle shift of energy in the air, nothing escaped his scrutiny.
After moving through the towering labyrinth of colossal trees for hours, Varos finally emerged at the forest's edge. The moment he stepped forward, his breath hitched at the sight before him. A clearing of vibrant, untouched green grass stretched out like an emerald carpet, pristine and undisturbed.
Beyond the clearing lay a vast lake, its waters as smooth as polished glass, mirroring the golden clouds above with an unnatural perfection. There was no wind, no ripples, not even the faintest disturbance. It was as if time itself had stilled in reverence. Varos stood frozen, momentarily captivated.
At the center of the lake floated a lotus flower, hovering just above the water's surface. Its thirty-three petals glowed with soft golden light, each one intricately designed by nature.
A soft golden light surrounded the petals, enhancing the flower's divine appearance. At the center of the lotus was its core, a radiant, ever-shifting gem of light.
It pulsed in slow, rhythmic waves, cycling through hues of deep gold, silver, violet, and occasional flickers of crimson. Each color resonated with an unfathomable power that seemed to harmonize with the very essence of existence.
Varos could feel the soul energy radiating from the lotus even from a distance. It wasn't just an aura, it was a force, a silent call that resonated with the very core of his being. His soul quivered with desire, as if it longed to break free from his body and embrace the flower.
Unconsciously, he stepped forward, drawn in by the lotus's pull. The moment he realized what was happening, he jerked back, his breath uneven. His mind raced. "What was that?" he muttered, shaken by the brief loss of control.
Mortevant, watching through his soul sea, narrowed his gaze. "For a moment, you lost control of your body," he admitted, his voice laced with regret, because the moment Varos lost control he should have attacked, but he didn't even think of it, it was only now that he realized. "Something is definitely wrong," he thought.
After a moment, Mortevant spoke as he buried his thoughts "This herb is no ordinary treasure. Its ability to manipulate souls is amazing."
Varos frowned, glancing at the lotus once more. "I guessed it had sentience, but I never imagined it possessed this level of power."
The lake remained eerily silent, its stillness undisturbed. Yet, in that moment, both Varos and Mortevant realized the truth, they weren't the ones observing the lotus. It was the lotus that was observing them.
Varos extended his consciousness, enveloping the entire lake in his perception. Yet, after several moments, he sensed nothing. There wasn't even the faintest trace of life, the lotus flower before him felt no different from any other ordinary plant.
"Why can't I sense any sign of life from the flower?" he muttered, his confusion growing.
Mortevant let out a dry chuckle, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Don't you know the principles of consciousness scanning?"
Varos frowned. "Of course I do…" Then, as the words left his mouth, realization struck.
The strength of one's soul dictated the effectiveness of consciousness scanning. If there was a significant gap between two beings' soul levels, the stronger entity could manipulate the perception of the weaker one—concealing its presence entirely. A weaker being could stand right before a vastly superior existence and never even realize it.
That was precisely what should have happened here. But Varos was different, his soul carried the trait of Undying Will, resisting the lotus's concealment. Moreover, as a Law-Bearer, he had already surpassed conventional soul limitations. His sheer presence alone disrupted the lotus's ability to erase itself from perception.
If another Ascendant, one still rule-bound, had come here, they wouldn't have even seen the lotus. They would have been unknowingly lured forward, drawn in by its unseen pull, only to have their soul energy drained completely before realizing what was happening.
Varos exhaled slowly, his eyes narrowing at the flower floating in the still lake as he thought "So that's its true nature…"
"Who are you, and what do you want?" a young voice echoed from the lotus.
Varos narrowed his eyes. "So, you can talk." His voice carried neither surprise nor hostility, merely observation. While all sentient entities possessed awareness, not all could speak. Only those who had reached a certain level of power and maturity could form words, let alone communicate fluently like this one.
The lotus paused in silence before a transformation occurred. A humanoid phantom, composed of pure white energy, emerged above the flower, its presence both ethereal and distinct.
"Oh?" Mortevant murmured within Varos's soul sea. "So it has already reached this stage."
Non-living entities, such as plants, stones, or artifacts, evolve through five stages of sentience.
First stage being the Dormant Stage, most of them are lifeless objects in this stage. The second stage is the Instinct Stage, in this stage they develop basic awareness, with plants advancing faster than the others.
The Will Stage grants them individuality, and they often take humanoid form due to Lex's subconscious influence. At the Soul Stage, they gain an independent soul but remain bound to their physical form.
Finally, in the True Life Stage and the last stage, the soul fully merges with the body, granting them true autonomy, growth, and cultivation, making them no different from naturally born sentient beings.
The evolution of non-living entities into sentient beings is not a smooth, uncontested process. The universe imposes trials upon them, ensuring that only the truly worthy or fated can ascend beyond their original form.
Just as mortals face tribulations when breaking through to higher realms, so too must objects seeking life endure their own Great Trial, a test enforced by the Celestial Mandate.
The humanoid phantom tensed, its ethereal form flickering with unease as it repeated, "What do you want?" Its stance shifted subtly, defensive yet cautious. Though young, it was not naive, it could feel the immense power radiating from Varos, an overwhelming presence that made resistance seem futile.
Varos didn't hesitate. His voice was calm, unwavering. "I want you." The phantom froze. "Me?" it replied, its tone tinged with confusion. "What do you mean? What do you want from me?"
Varos's gaze was steady. "I don't want anything from you. I want you." The phantom fell silent, its form dimming slightly before realization dawned. "You want my soul essence, don't you"
Though inexperienced, it understood the hunger it sensed in Varos's soul, a hunger that was bordering insanity.
The phantom's soul energy pulsed with uncertainty, its ethereal form shifting as if grasping for something beyond its understanding. "Why do you want to kill me?" its voice was young, untainted by anger or fear. "We have no enmity. I have done nothing to you."
Varos let out a small chuckle, shaking his head. "Enmity? No, we have none. But what does that matter?" His gaze was steady. "I need your soul essence to survive. Whether you've wronged me or not is irrelevant."
The phantom quivered slightly, its glowing hands curling into translucent fists. "But why must it be me? Why take what is mine? Why end my life?"
Varos sighed, as if he found the question tiresome. "Because I can." The silence that followed was thick, but the phantom didn't cower. It stared at him, not with fear, but with something closer to incomprehension. "You…you could find another way, couldn't you?"
Varos smirked. "Perhaps. But why would I waste time searching for another solution when the easiest one is right in front of me?"
Inside his soul sea, Mortevant laughed, his voice rich with amusement. "Ah, they really are naive, aren't they?"
Varos spoke to him internally. "Are all newborn sentients like this?"
Mortevant's chuckle deepened. "Of course they are. They've only just awakened to the world. Concepts like hatred, ambition, and survival are foreign to them. They do not yet understand that life is not something given freely, it is something taken."
The phantom's light flickered as if sensing the gravity of those words. "So this is the way of the world? The strong take from the weak?"
Varos tilted his head. "You're asking the wrong question." He took a step forward, his hand tearing space and he took out a sword.. "The real question is, do you intend to let yourself be weak?"
For the first time, the phantom paused, sensing a new emotion emerging within it. This unfamiliar feeling stirred something deep inside, prompting a moment of reflection and curiosity