"Aren't we all mischievous," Mike smiled and stared at the girls who had gathered among themselves. Dissait, the Patriarch and the Dragon King snuck off and took a look at the area. "This is a lot of Bloodgrass." He flew up to the crystal mass that was floating at the center of the vortex, crystalline deposits built up layer by layer toward the focal point of the dimensional convex.
"So this Crystal is made of the blood essence from the Bloodfalls?" Ooran put his hand against the crystal and was tempted to take its power. "So much power." he felt like he was repeating himself but at least he could still speak common. "I should go see Ho when all of this is over."
Dissait cleaned the Astradon's Coach, Veltin appreciated the grooming however the Kentao was unwilling to be handled and remained in the Medical tank with Hana, she didn't feel the need to eject it and there was not much radiation left to be absorbed.
When the gray stone lost its final bits of energy, it crumbled to dust and diluted itself into the solution. A warm feeling came over Hana, her whole body started to produce light and the flames on her back grew out of control.
The tank water began to steam, Kuzunoha tried to help with her breathing, to calm Hana down. "Advancements make the heart run rampant."
Hana's eyes brimmed in excitement, she felt like she had the answer all along and began to circulate the Wild Red Heart Technique.
"Hana.. No." Her mother stopped her. "Your father explained these matters to me. Control your breathing and regulate your heart rate, don't let it control you. Try again but this time, try to control the rate your heart beats, slower and slower. That technique, it forces adrenaline and other things into your system. Those types of things help in awakening powers but we're trying to absorb, you need to let it happen naturally otherwise you'll lose out on its properties. If that happens, you'll only be able to use your new found power during a critical moment as all of your senses will have been heightened to the level needed to activate that power. If you understand, try it again."
Hanahaksu folded her legs and sank to the bottom of the tank. It was hot water and the Kentao had been forced out under the flames. As the water began to boil, her skin took on a red tone, tempering itself in the heat of her own flames. The tube in her mouth was at least able to give her a way to breathe, she took a deep breath in and slowly exhaled three times then she kept her breathing shallow, shallower still. She kept reducing her heart rate until she fell into a meditative state, her autonomic processes took over and Hana's eyes whooshed open bright red.
"She's gone into a period of enlightenment, strange that her eyes have turned red. But, you never can tell the nature of things by their appearance. Right now, she's receiving great fortune in the form of discovery." Ooran whispered to the others and pulled them away. "We should not disturb her."
Blood within the zone was playing a tug of war among the starlit plane. In one instance, it would drive toward the Vortex, impacting into the crystal and adding to its luster, on the other, it rushed toward Hanahaksu to be absorbed.
Dissait looked at the Empress, "Your Majesty, forgive me for asking things I should not. However, Is everything going to be alright with Hana absorbing so much blood?"
"Fates taken our choice out of the matter. To interrupt her now would be like cutting off her arms, we must never do such a thing. I will pray and hope she uses this time wisely." The Empress turned to sit down under the tent. "When she's completed the period of enlightenment, only then will we know the truth of the matter. Come, sit down and tell me about your time with my Daughter."
Mike nodded.
'But,' Dissait closed him mouth, reluctant to speak.
Mike spoke to Queen Vira, "So.. how did you end up at the Emperor's side?"
It was at this time that, Wu Hai returned. "My ears are burning."
"Must be." Mike joked and Hana got out of the tank.
"Father, I have absorbed the soul essence." Hana smiled and cast a clean spell. It was unfortunate that standing beside her was Mike. He was forced to perform the same incantation gesture and felt like an idiot.
"The Blood pool and bloodfalls erupt when I put blood into the Light Elemental Essence, it cascades after that into a rain." Hana lowered her head like it had happened a few times. She pulled out several bottles of the blood that started it all and located the tubs inside the pool.
Using a separate ring, the Emperor withdrew large quantities of the Blood pool and exposed the Tubs so she could restart the process. "I'd like to see this initialized. But, afterwards, we're all going to be leaving. Hana, you will remain here until the Egg hatches."
"Yes." Hana agreed and dumped the bottle onto each of the tubs as she walked around the edge of the blood pool. New blood began to flow, worried that it wouldn't return to its original vigor, she emptied several bottles into the rubs. The blood surged, gathering in the currents after it wept from the pool. When it all gathered in the center near the crystal mass that hovered in the center of the dimensional space, the blood mist began to condensate, raining down and baptizing the Demon Queen.
"This blood is formidable. It stings." Vira saw the tent and walked underneath it. "Child, do you even know what you can do?" Vira's words left Hana feeling confused and the Emperor's interest was raised in the matter. "From what I can see, you control blood but its more than that. You control life force nearby, look at those crystals. The blood in my body quivered when the rain began. Only intense life energy can do that." She pointed her finger at the Crystal in the air and fired a beam that sliced it in half.
In the center of the giant crystal, was a ball of red and golden light. It appeared like a small sun. "See, you absorbed so much energy that it's concentrated."
The ball of red gold flew down and was directed into a high quality bottle by the Emperor. "Elementals are made of materials that formed a soul, naturally. Such a high level material can not be neglected, one day, it may foster life its own." The blood continued to fall from the open air and the Bloodgrass began to bloom.
Heartbeats soon echoed in the space, thousands of them. The strange phenomena was like panacea to the group, especially Vira. Her blood began to roil. Wu Hai opened the crystal box and caught some of the mist and inside it.
"This Blood Theater is a paradise of death and blood for Demons, your body will experience great advancement." Vira spoke to Ooran, he looked at his hands and agreed.
"Yes, but to be baptized in my granddaughters blood.. it gives me the creeps. Dissait, bring the birdcage next to the pool. Go sit in the tent afterwards."
"The Three-step Hummingbirds still require contracts but they can benefit from this place while you hatch the Egg.
Wu Hai turned to Hana, "In the future, I'll be sending many things to live in the blood theater."
The Astradon sprawled out onto the blood soaked soil. It loved the starlight, Veltin was fighting the Raiju because the Raiju tend to create storm clouds everywhere they go, blocking the starlight. They are natural enemies.
Before the Emperor Shut the Crystal box, having absorbed a little of the rain, he spoke to the Demon Hunter's soul within the crystal ball. " Next time you see me, will be with new eyes." Along with the Emperor's promise, the figure inside the crystal ball settle down and crossed its arms.
Mike coughed. "How much longer are we going to remain here? My clothes are soaked."
Vira smiled and passed the bottle of blood essence over. "This is fun and all but we still have territory to divide."
"Knock it off Vira, we've already begun to make the arrangements. Everyone who's coming, grab on." Wu Hai channeled the teleportation circle in his hands, they were soaked in blood. Flicking his finger to enter the spellwork, they vanished quietly.
Hana looked at them disappear, then at the crystal that hung in the center of the dimension. It was cut in half. Frowning, she asked her grandfather, "Can you go put those back together?"
"I think its better to leave two halves and begin again." He didn't refuse but gave her an option, Hana shrugged it off and laid out into the pool with the Egg in her arms. "We will be here for some time."
Patriarch Ooran sat down cross legged and did his best to meditate and calm his mind.