Lilith suspected that the only reason she noticed the foreign heavenly essence was that she was the Soul Calamity, otherwise, she would've carried the tampered weapon.
She put it on the desk and continued searching in the drawer. Daggers, knives, potions...
All of them had the same tracker in them.
She clicked her tongue in annoyance. It looks like he was cautious about someone stealing from him.
Nevertheless, she put her dissatisfaction aside and prepared to leave.
"Noah, did you find something?" She asked, looking at her brother.
He responded with a mocking grin:
"Lily, my perception is the same as yours. Well, unless you summon me..."
She swallowed the curses that she was going to say and nodded expressionlessly.
"Then, let's leave..."
Bzzz! Bzzz! Bzzz!
The crystal continued buzzing, and her brother looked at her and asked:
"Aren't you going to answer?"
Her head jumped up at his question, a weird expression on her face. Why was he saying something so stupid?
Then, she felt happy. Now she can get back at him...
He snorted, cutting off her next words.
"No, dummy. I know that the caller would most likely send reinforcements here if you pick up. However, there isn't much time left till the scouts or other camps notice that something is amiss. So, might as well try to gain some information from them."
Lilith's eye twitched at him, but she couldn't help but agree. If the reptiles aren't far from realizing that something is wrong, might as well try to capitalize on what can be.
She lifted the crystal, her palm feeling its jagged edges. She used her senses on it and frowned a little after coming to a conclusion.
"I have to inject my heavenly essence to establish the connection... Which, obviously, would leave my unique imprint on it as well."
Every Heavenly Ascender has a unique imprint to their heavenly essence, if she used hers, the other person may have a better chance at knowing who she is.
Her brother frowned as well.
"That's troublesome..."
Lilith thought for a while, then lifted her other free palm.
A navy blue energy covered her hand, formless and versatile.
Noah tilted his head curiously.
Her heavenly essence stirred, and it began changing.
At first, it was the color. From a navy blue one, gradually to a crimson one. The transformation was swift, almost natural.
Next, was the aura. The aura of her heavenly essence was extremely pure and powerful, but did not have a specific distinction to it. Which, in itself, is unique.
The heavenly essence of all beings has a different feel to it. Some are violent, some are calm, some are hot, cold... With the person having it retaining their individuality—even twins have different heavenly essence individuality.
But hers? There was nothing special to it. It felt like the heavenly essence that exists in the world, neutral and simply being there.
She noted that difference to herself, but that wasn't what she was focusing on.
The crimson heavenly essence stirred, and its aura began changing. It turned regal, elegant, but powerful and firm. It was both harder than stone and softer than snow.
Her brother whistled in amusement.
"This is... That commander's heavenly essence? You can replicate it? Were you able to do that before becoming a Calamity or after? Is it..."
He hammered her with questions, his curiosity getting the better of him.
Lilith felt smug, she parted her lips and showed him her tongue.
"Not telling!"
She was going to leave him hanging for a while, after all, she cared for him and she wouldn't trouble his small mind with her marvelous abilities. Isn't she a great younger sister?
His mouth twitched. He wanted to say something, but he stopped when he saw her next action.
Lilith brought her palm to the crystal and injected the object with the crimson heavenly essence.
The crystal stopped buzzing, and silence resounded in the room.
After a while, however, a threatening female voice came from the other side.
[Who are you?]
Lilith raised an eyebrow, that person was sharp. True, she had used practically the same heavenly essence as Valeric, but that didn't mean that there wasn't a habit that the commander had upon picking up. The other person may have noticed that.
Nevertheless, she kept her cool and responded:
"I am from the Starlight Empire, your position had been conquered by the forces of humans. We are keeping prisoners from your allies, and I advise you not to try to gain back the territory if you ever hope to see them again."
By using a similar heavenly essence to Valeric, she had implied that he was a prisoner and was forced to use the crystal, and she also protected her identity by doing that.
Nevertheless, the other person, instead of trying to regain control of the situation and bargain, erupted in rage.
[How dare you try to threaten me! You think that anyone in that shit hole is worth even my attention?! The Dragonblight would make you bastards wish that you never existed!]
Lilith cringed, and her brother did so as well. The threats felt formal, almost boring.
Noah scoffed:
"Damn, there are no shortages when it comes to third-degree villains in this world. Couldn't she pull off something more creative?"
Lilith agreed, although she didn't know what third-degree villain meant.
[I'll have a Calamity come to you, and then we will see whose prisoner of war is!]
Her next words shocked both of them, their sarcastic jabs dying at their throat.
Noah thought of the possibility of it being just a bluff, but Lilith had other thoughts. Calamities are extremely rare, but she may know of a Calamity that's relatively nearby and belongs to the Draconic Empire...
Remembering how she ended up as a prisoner in this camp, she sneered, her cold voice sending off the other person.
"Suck it, bitch."
Crack!
Before the other person could respond, she crushed the communication crystal. Her powerful fist barely met any resistance as the dust fell on the floor.
"You think that a Calamity is actually coming?" Her brother asked, his eyes narrowed.
Lilith nodded, lifted her bag, and headed to the door.
"Yes, I don't think that it's a bluff. Our time is done here."
He nodded as well and followed behind her.
Soon, they were outside.
The storm had cleared, and the night sky was finally revealed partially.
Countless stars were shining above, dancing in circles in multiple galaxies.
She passed by the pile of corpses again. She wanted to take some human meat for her to eat, but unfortunately, an ugly smell was stuck to their flesh after the ritual.
She stopped and looked at the beautiful sky for a few moments. Then, with conviction, she turned back to her brother.
"Noah, I'll–"
Before she could say what she wanted, however, her brother put his finger on her lips and shut her up.
"No, Lily. You don't have to worry about me."
Lilith was taken aback. Did he already know what she wanted to say?
She pushed his finger away and looked at him with a hint of hurt and agitation.
"But Noah! I want this for you as well! Do you want to stay like this forever?"
Noah, to her question, simply shrugged and repeated himself.
"Lily, you don't have to worry about me. I don't care if there is a way to make me whole again, I don't want to burden you."
Lilith's jaw clenched, and she felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to retort, but her words were stuck, unable to be voiced out.
Noah continued with a warm smile:
"Besides, it won't mean much to me. I don't have anything left to value, anyone to care about, besides you. You're the only person I want to continue living for. And my will is to support you through everything."
At his words, she felt the edges of her eyes begin to water. And she bit her lower lip, not letting the trears sprang free.
She tightened her fist and wiped her eyes. After a minute or so, she managed to get a grip on her emotions. She was a Heavenly Ascender of the Emotion Pathway before.
"Un."
She simply nodded at his request. She knows what type of person he is, and she was sure that he was not going to change his mind.
So, she agreed to it. Respecting his choice, no matter what her feelings towards it were.
Looking at his sister, Noah's smile widened, and he hugged her.
She tried to get away from his grip, but she didn't put much effort into it. Groaning in annoyance and embarrassment, he didn't let her escape.
After a few seconds, he released her and stepped back.
"But, you have to promise me something..."
Lilith looked a bit ruffled, but her eyes were serious as she shook off the embarrassment, what was he going to ask from her?
His warm smile shifted, and what replaced it was a demonic grin that held an ominous edge. Something that promised slaughter...
"We will kill mother..."
Lilith, as well changed her expression at what he said.
The ocean of rage that usually lay dormant inside her chest erupted again, even more furiously than when she was sacrificed by Valeric.
Her ghostly-blue eyes now radiated a killing intent so fierce that the air around her turned several degrees colder.
"Hmph. No need to say that, the bitch was already on my to-kill list." She snorted, her voice filled with hatred.
Seeing her agreement, Noah's smile returned to its original carefree weight.
"Well, that's something for another day. But, for now, what do you want to do? You should already know how unique your constitution is..."
Lilith sighed heavily, controlling her anger. She looked up at the sky.
"Yes... I don't have a Heavenly Core, or a Calamity Core, whatever it may be called."
True, she had noticed that something was weird about her new body. It didn't have what other Heavenly Ascenders had. And worse still, that meant that she couldn't ascend to a higher Category because of it.
But...
She lifted her hand, and the fabric of reality cracked. Like the first time, her magnificent spear appeared.
"I can kill other Calamities and claim their authority..."
That was what truly distinguished her as the Soul Calamity, or, at least what she found out.
Using this weapon, she could conquer a Calamity and take its Calamity Core. And like that, her problem would be solved, and she would be able to ascend.
But, it was easier said than done.
"So, what are you planning to do?"
Noah asked again, already knowing the answer anyway.
She lifted the spear up and looked at it, then, her eyes fixated passed it on the countless stars with ambition.
"I'll rule over the authorities of all Calamities in the world..."
Here words echoed like a promise of destruction that held nothing but malice and chaos.
With that, she turned to the tall mountain and began walking.
Soon, she disappeared into the forest, her destination clear.
The Wailing Mountain.