Twenty-four hours later.
Xavier slowly opened his eyes the first thing he saw was the beautiful white ceiling embedded with hundreds of diamonds that sparkled against the white background like stars in the night sky. As his gaze wandered left and right in a daze, he wondered where he was. After a moment, he recalled what had happened and immediately pushed himself off the floor to stand.
He noticed that his body no longer ached in any way; instead, he felt more energized than ever. Then he remembered the intense pain he had experienced before losing consciousness. Instinctively he used Essence Perception to check whether everything was okay and whether his core was in good shape.
"It's gone..." he whispered, his voice barely audible, as his eyes fixed on the spot where his core should have been. A shiver ran through him, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead. His hands trembled slightly as he touched the area, half expecting it to returnyet finding only a glass-like substance.
He couldn't quite find the words to describe it, but he was certain it wasn't his core. Yet somehow it seemed able to contain his Ziy. The more he studied this new "core," the more he realized it was composed of Ziy—or, rather, its form seemed sustained by Ziy itself.
As he stared at the glass core, Xavier noticed that, every now and then, parts of it would thin out, as though they were about to tear. Yet in an instant it would absorb his Ziy to repair itself. Oddly enough he felt no discomfort from this action, and a small smile trembled on his lips.
Could he finally leave this place? After so many days—he couldn't even say—he was free. He would finally see his family again, Tears of joy rolled down his cheeks as a flurry of thoughts crowded his mind.
What if time passed differently here than on the ship? How long had he been asleep? If time moved slower here, had he been gone for weeks, months... or even years? The twins might be all grown up by now, two beautiful young ladies—maybe even married. Wait, wouldn't that make him an uncle? His nieces and nephews might be the ones caring for his body while the girls had to work.
His face tensed as he pictured it, guilt pooling in his chest at the thought of being such a burden.
Unable to watch Xavier's frantic pacing any longer, Asrotth cleared his throat with an awkward cough to snap Xavier back to his senses. Xavier turned toward Asrotth, assuming he was there to send him home. He walked toward him with a huge grin.
"I guess I'm all healed up. I can get going..." Xavier said.
With a look of confusion, Asrotth responded, "Who said you were healed?" Xavier couldn't comprehend what Asrotth was saying—or rather, he didn't want to understand.
Asrotth decided to elaborate. "That pill was only meant to enhance your cultivation and rebuild your core," Asrotth began, his voice soft but laced with an unsettling calm. "I don't know if you've noticed, but that 'core' of yours tends to absorb your Ziy whenever it starts to weaken."
His emerald gaze locked onto Xavier's. "And if you haven't thought it through yet—what do you think will happen if it keeps draining your Ziy faster than you can cultivate? Eventually... you'll run out."
As Asrotth stepped closer, the weight of his presence grew, filling the air with a crushing intensity. Xavier's instincts screamed to look away, but his eyes were drawn to the god-like being before him.
Now standing right in front of him, Xavier could clearly see Asrotth's ethereal beauty: high cheekbones that framed his piercing green eyes, lips finely sculpted, and a face that seemed beyond mortal design. Dressed in a crisp white suit with an icy knee-length chlamys draped over his shoulders, Asrotth's appearance was flawless.
Every step he took, the white fabric flowed elegantly along his frame, catching the light in a way that made it appear otherworldly. Even with his slender build, the sharp lines of his suit revealed a form that was both graceful and unyielding.
"Allowing your phantom core to thin out will leave your Ziy exposed, flowing uncontrolled through every fiber of your being. Without restraint, it will drive you to attack anything and anyone in sight, with no thought other than tearing them to shreds."
Imagine it—the last image you see before slipping into the cold embrace of death could be the mangled bodies of your family: your mother, your father, your beloved sisters. Is that what you want?"
Cold sweat trickled down Xavier's back as he envisioned the horrific scene. He swallowed hard, feeling his mouth suddenly dry.
"No..." he murmured, almost to himself.
"Good." Asrotth's tone softened. "Then let's begin the final phase of your healing."
With those words, five pillars slowly rose from the ground, surrounding Xavier. Each pillar was etched with intricate carvings that seemed to tell a story of its own. At the top of each stood a statue—a representation of animals unfamiliar to Xavier.
The outermost pillar stood out, wrapped in a spiral of black and white patterns, the two colors appearing to battle for dominance, as though each sought to overshadow the other. At the top of this pillar stood a pair of koi fish, each closely following the tail of the other. The white one had a crescent moon symbol on its forehead, while the black one had the image of the sun and its rays.
They were beautiful, but as Xavier looked closely, he noticed the black fish was missing a fin, covered in scratches as if it had been in a wild fight and lost—but there wasn't a single scratch on the white koi fish. What exactly gave the black koi fish those scratches?
Then the bulkier pillar caught his eye. It stood firm, like an unwavering and immovable stalk. It was white with gold-orange stripes, claw marks all over it, and some parts chipped off. Yet it still stood strong... Like every setback it faced, it never gave up, nor did it break in the face of struggles.
At the top of it stood a mighty tiger, its muscle fibers taut as if ready to pounce on its prey. In the holes of its eyes were two beautiful red rubies.
The third pillar was smaller compared to the others but made up for it with its eccentric carvings. From the bottom, it depicted a story of life and death, of both man and nature, and how life was a circle. At the top was an egg, with a strange bird perched atop it, its wings' tips flickering with flames.
Xavier had never seen such a bird. Its beauty was otherworldly, captivating in a way that defied words. The bird, though small, radiated an aura of quiet command, its wings etched with delicate precision, glowing warmly like a symbol of creation.
The egg beneath it was smooth and polished, adorned with intricate carvings that hinted at the mysteries of life within. The transition from the chaotic narrative at the base to the serene presence of the bird was seamless, almost alive.
Xavier's gaze lingered on the bird's sharp, regal face, its gemstone eyes gleaming with an intelligence far beyond his comprehension. It wasn't just a statue; it felt like a sacred symbol of hope, quietly observing and waiting.
The fourth pillar seemed plain at first, black with little spots that looked like stars. The more Xavier stared, the more they shone, and he noticed they formed shapes—unique, yet each seemed to carry a deeper meaning.
At the top of this pillar stood a majestic falcon, its powerful eyes fixed on Xavier as if watching his every move. Its feathers were brown, or a color that seemed brown-like, and its bronze beak and emerald green eyes made it seem both fierce and beautiful.
At the top of the fifth pillar, a stag stood poised in mid-leap, its antlers vast and branching like a sacred tree reaching toward the heavens. The stag shimmered with an ethereal glow, its form translucent, as though it was both there and not.
The veins of its antlers pulsed with silver light, each pulse resonating with a quiet hum that filled the air with calm and reverence. Beneath its hooves, small flowers of every imaginable color blossomed, only to wither and bloom again in an endless cycle of renewal.
Its eyes glowed faintly, mirrors reflecting a world Xavier could not yet comprehend. The stag emanated a sense of timeless wisdom, as though it carried the memories of countless lifetimes within its being.
Xavier felt his breath hitch as he gazed at it, the weight of its presence overwhelming. It wasn't just a pillar; it was a bridge—a connection to something far greater.
Asrotth slowly walked up to Xavier and stood just outside the circle formed by the pillars, then began speaking. "This is the final phase, Xavier. Are you ready?"
Xavier, his face set with determination, looked up to meet Asrotth's gaze and nodded in confirmation.
"Good." A subtle smile appeared on Asrotth's face as he continued. "These are the pillars of heaven, essentially the paths of Ziy. Everyone is born with at least one of these paths, and it dictates everything about them. If I were to explain it to you here, it would take forever. It's better if you see it with your own eyes."
As soon as Asrotth finished speaking, the eyes of the beasts carved into the pillars began to glow. Light began seeping from beneath each pillar, shooting toward Xavier.The beams moved up his feet, binding him in place. As the light closed in, one of the beams wrapped tightly around Xavier's face, almost suffocating him. He struggled to break free, but his hands refused to move. His knees hit the floor with a thud, and he slowly lost consciousness once again—but this time, it felt different.
Xavier suddenly opened his eyes to a vibrant lavender hue dancing across the evening sky , which he knew wasn't the library. He was sure this wasn't his house. But Somehow, he felt at peace as the gentle breeze of a summer evening brushed against his glistening skin damp with sweat, he watched as the clouds went by without any care In the world, could his life ever be this peaceful he asked himself with his left arm outstretched towards a cloud with the shape of a shell as if trying to catch it before it escaped. Only if he could stay here forever
But he knew better his family was waiting patiently for him to recover. He picked himself up from the sandy beach-like ground, if this was the last thing holding him back from seeing his family he was more than ready to walk a thousand miles.
Seven hour Later
He has been walking for so long but still nothing in sight—not even a single blade of grass. Yet he could constantly hear water splashing against rocks as if an ocean were nearby. But for reason he couldn't find it
As he kept walking in hopes to find a clue or at least something that could help him or give him answers as to what this place is. He spotted someone sitting on the sand, meditating or something similar. Xavier felt a surge of hope and sprinted toward the figure, his heart pounding in anticipation.
As he grew closer, the figure's features were still unclear, but he could tell from their height that the person was around his age. He continued running, feeling like he was sprinting for hours, until he finally got close enough to make out the person's features.
The figure was undoubtedly male, a fact Xavier could confirm, given that he wasn't wearing a shirt. The person had golden hair—identical to Xavier's. In fact, their hair color and even their shorts matched Xavier's almost exactly.
A chill ran down his spine as he grew closer, a sense of dread creeping in. His suspicions were starting to feel all too real.
With only a few steps between them, the person turned and opened his eyes, revealing a stunning set of blue irises that made him seem noble.
"Hello Xavier." He said as a cold smile formed on his lips
The person standing before him was none other than Xavier himself.