Standing in the training hall, I saw the results of what was becoming of my body and auras. All around me lay broken training dummies, destroyed targets, and even knocked out sparring partners my father had sent in. Ice and vines still lingered on the ground, waiting for instructions, but the most terrifying thing to me was the black tendril still coiled in front of my feet.
"It's only been a few days since you became aware of your cores, and you've already reached this level of proficiency. I have to say, I'm impressed, little brother." Caleb said, his tone uncharacteristically proud, I wasn't used to having him around me. Let alone help in my training.
"Thank you... but I have a question. Do you and our father also possess multiple cores like me?" My voice was hesitant, I knew if Father asked him, caleb would never reveal anything to me.
"We do, but ours aren't anything like yours, ranika. I gained my second one after my reincarnation, and it provided me a significant boost in aura manipulation and potency, allowing for more complex techniques. However, me and father can't use multiple auras like you can, if that's what you are wondering." He replied, I was a bit shocked he told me all of this so easily.
"I see..." I got the answer I wanted, but I didn't know how to process this new information.
"You'll learn more about the forbidden arts and techniques of our clan when father thinks you are ready. So don't push your mind too much to understand it all right now, ok?"
"I'll try not to.. but I think I'm done training for today, is that alright?"
"Of course! Go take some time to rest and relax. Your progress is moving quickly, but I don't want you to burn yourself out." His answer was more supportive than usual, but I tried not to read into it too much.
Walking down the familiar hallway to my room, I paused on my mother's portrait, this time only for an instant. The guilt and sadness made it difficult to speak to her the way I used to, now that I knew her core was Inside me I didn't know what to make of the situation or if it was my fault she was now gone.
Had she become a part of some cruel experiment for my sake, or was her core being inside me just a coincidence? These questions had been terrorizing me since I woke up, but I knew I wouldn't be getting answers anytime soon, so I kept trying to push them back.
"Hey, how was training today, ranika?" Luna asked. She was leaning against my bedroom door, obviously waiting for me, for what reason I did not know.
"I think it went well, caleb seems impressed with my progress. It's still extremely difficult for me to manage all three auras at once, though..." I replied, my tone was laced with disappointment, not toward anyone but toward myself. The sooner I mastered these auras, the sooner father would give me the truth and answers I needed.
"Don't rush your progress too much ranika, pushing yourself that hard could be detrimental to your growth in the future." She chided, her tone wasn't harsh, but it still got the point across.
"Yeah, I know. So, why exactly are you in front of my room?" I asked, trying to find out the real reason for her sudden visit.
"I'm just...I'm worried about you. You still haven't given me any details on what happened in that duel. I don't blame you for keeping secrets, but at least help put my mind at ease." Her words were filled with desperation and sadness.
"I'll fill you in soon, I promise luna. Just trust me when I say I can't reveal anything just yet."
"I guess that'll have to be good enough for now.." She said with a sigh, then with that final sentence, she walked away.
'I get why she is worried, but with everything happening right now, I don't want her involved until I can guarantee her safety in this.'I thought to myself as I went inside. Collapsing on to my bed, I didn't even bother to change or clean myself up, I was both physically and mentally exhausted. Deciding to just sleep for a while, I closed my eyes, 'I'll find out what has been really happening soon enough.'
A year has passed by since discovering my cores, and every day had been essentially the same. Wake up, train, meditate, and then fall asleep. I've made considerable progress since I first began my training, and now I can handle using all three auras at once. Albeit only in their lesser forms, when it comes to advanced techniques or combo attacks, I can still only utilize two at the same time.
'Today is finally the day.' I thought while putting on a white tunic and black trousers. Yesterday, caleb had informed me that father wanted to see me this morning, and hopefully, I'll get some actual information this time. Every time I've asked, he's brushed off the questions or downright ignored them.
Leaving my room, I headed toward my father's private lounge. As I walked in, I noticed not much had changed since my last visit.
The walls were painted a familiar dark red, and they were adorned with flags that had the clans symbol displayed proudly. The room was lightly decorated. There was hardly any furniture with only two plush chairs seated in the center facing each other, and in one of those chairs was my father taven. He sat with a relaxed posture, a glass in hand with an amber liquid inside.
"Come, take a seat. There's plenty to discuss." He said after he noticed my arrival. Listening to his instructions, I took a seat opposite of him. He poured me my own glass and handed it to me.
"Let's begin. Today, I won't be withholding any information. So ask any questions that have weighed on your mind this past year ranika."
Pausing for a moment to collect my thoughts before asking anything I observed my father, his face seemed to bear all of his emotions on display. There was guilt, regret, pain, and anger, 'so this is what he looks like with the mask he wears removed..' I couldn't imagine holding all of those emotions in constantly, and yet he does it with ease.
"I want to know what I really am...and why my mother's core is inside me." I finally spoke. My tone was stern and demanding.
"Very well, I guess I'll give you the short version."
I held my breath. This was one of the things that weighed heavily on me upon discovering her core inside of me. Now I'll finally understand why and how it was there.
"I had your mother killed by midnight in their duel -"
"You what?!" I interrupted with an indignant tone before I could continue to interject though he placed his aura on me. I immediately felt my whole body sink under its weight, forcing my mouth shut.
"You wanted answers, and I am giving them. The least you can do is be respectful and let me finish." He chided, then he slowly removed his aura. After seeing me clench my mouth shut, he continued.
"Your mother was..a very powerful woman. She was truly exemplary in everything she pursued, which includes raising you almost all by herself. Her power was a problem, though. The clan elders, as well as other vassal heads, became concerned she would vie for my position." He stopped for a moment, the regret growing heavier on his face.
"So it was decided in a vote that she would be a sacrificed for the greater good of the clan, after her death we used the forbidden arts left by our ancestors to harvest and transplant her core. Which you now possess." He finished, his tone had grown heavier.
"You didn't kill her by choice then..?" I asked, tears threatening to fall down my face.
"No.. I didn't. When the vote had been passed, I informed your mom ahead of time before the duel. All she asked of me was that you'd be the one to receive her core.."
"I don't know what to say.."
"I could understand your hatred for me because of what I have done ranika, but know that your mother didn't abandon you. She made the choice to live on within you."
Hearing those words, I finally broke. I let the tears flow free, guttural sobs wrenched from my throat. "S-she didn't l-leave.." I choked out. My father sat there watching me let out all the sadness i had built up over the years. His face was contorted into one of regret and shame.
"As for what you are, ranika.." He said softly, trying to restart our conversation. It took me a moment, but I finally was able to contain myself, becoming silent so he could speak.
"I guess the best way to explain this is that you are what our ancestors called a devourer."
"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you mean.." I replied, my voice came out slightly strained.
"A devourer in this context means you are capable of housing multiple cores, as well as using soul weapons. We don't know exactly why or how, but you are the only one capable of this. That's why you currently possess three cores, and unlike me or your brother, you didn't need to reincarnate to gain them."
"So what does this mean, and why tell me this?"
"It means soon you'll be stronger than all of us, given you can master each core. As for the reason I'm telling you...it's because we are about to go to war with the goddess of life."
-Gwenavere Harlow-
Upon hearing that the threat was killed, I was relieved, only to suffer from shock when I also heard tatiana and ranika have been injured in the process. After that news, I immediately notified sophie and olivia so they could meet me at the medical center near the center of town.
'Please be alright, or I'll kill you myself.' I thought while in transit, I knew ranika was strong, but I never thought I'd hear he took down a great beast almost singlehandedly. Pushing the awestruck feeling out of my mind, I focused as I arrived at the medical center.
It was a large building that was built in the old ways. It wasn't exactly pleasing to look at since it was basically a giant white rectangle. 'I'll never understand why humans began building things this way.' That thought was brief as I entered the large sliding doors.
After entering my nose, I was assaulted by the smell of medicine, disease, and sanitization. I hated places like this, mostly just for the aroma that medical centers always seemed to have in the air.
"Gwen!" A worried voice yelled out, turning my head. I spotted sophie and olivia. They both looked like they had rolled out of bed and rushed here in a panic.
"Hello again, you two, I'm sorry it couldn't have been under better circumstances.." I said softly.
"Don't apologize...I'm just happy you let us know. If not for you, I'm sure we wouldn't have found out for a few more days, so thank you, gwen." Her polite tone was a direct contradiction to her unkempt appearance. She had given me a small bow, making her pearl colored hair fall past her face, almost touching the ground.
Olivia mimicked sophie and bowed to me in gratitude as well. The young slave seemed to be far healthier than the last time I'd seen her. She was no longer gaunt and had a happier aura around her.
"Well girls...shall we go visit our lost little warrior?" I said, trying to lighten the mood.
Without hesitation, they both spoke at the same time, almost like they shared a brain.
"Yes, please!"