'Aetherium Heart!!!'
OHM!!!
OHMM!!!
The opaque orb suddenly became shiny as if awakened by its call, showing a strange green fluorescent liquid inside.
OHM!!!
An intense glow flashed intermittently from the center of the orb, and then a strange energy assaulted his mind.
There was no voice or image this time, but it was as if the answers were flowing into his mind literally from nowhere.
'...Plant the Illusory Eos Seeds in the Universe to cross the boundaries of Space and Time and make Aethereal Ebony Orchid bloom to open the gates of the Nihility Dimension. Bathe the Void Claw on the orb with your blood to release the seed, and then infuse your power into the soil to satiate the thirst of the Void. The doors to the Nihility Dimension will be opened only when the first flower blooms. The Nihility Dimension is like a parallel dimension outside the laws of the Universe. It exists simultaneously with the Universe and is always accessible to the bearer of the Aether Primeval Stigma. But if you want to break the laws of space and reach another place, only the Aethereal Ebony Orchid, the gaps in the Void, will be able to make the connections between that place and the Nihility Dimension.'
A massive load of details filled his mind, and they were so shocking that Atlas couldn't even believe it.
Indeed, it took him a while to recover from the shock.
"I see... So, it requires a blood sacrifice..."
Without delay, Atlas pierced his fingertips with its claws and let his blood flow down the orb's surface.
Crack!
A strange sound was heard, and then something fell from the bottom of the crystal, right where the claws joined and where his blood had condensed.
Shrouded in blood, he couldn't reasonably determine what it was, but when he saw it pierce the earth quietly, everything was clearer.
"Falgnis... the Illusory Eos Seeds has entered the earth... infuse your internal energy..."
Grarl...
"Damn... it wants to devour every form of energy on the island... how greedy!"
Sensing the seed's desire, the flames enveloping the creature pierced the ground, but they vanished instantly, devoured by a frightening power.
Grarl.
"Is far more wasteful than I imagined... You will find it difficult to satiate one of the seeds with your paltry power..."
The ground was literally seething and trembling at the spot where the seed had entered.
Between the burning flames of Falgnis and the devouring power of the seed, the surrounding space had become unstable, so Atlas quickly took cover and led his companion away from the epicenter of that disaster.
Grarl...
"Don't worry... the Illusory Eos Seeds can't hurt you... Furthermore, it is almost done..."
Flames kept gushing from the ground as if they were alive, and after a few seconds, something else popped out.
At first, it was as small as the tip of a thumb, but in the long run, the undulating torso of a pretty sprout emerged from the soft soil.
The cotyledons and primordial leaves became evident, and the torso elongated, bringing the Void Seed's shell skyward.
Everything happened in a few moments, and it was not over there because...
Grarl...
"One last effort..."
A blue flame flowed from the sphere to the ground and...
OHM!!!
Satiated with tremendous energy, the bud turned into a mighty flower with enchanting green leaves shining like emeralds.
The head was still developing, but the shape of the flower's golden petals was simply breathtaking.
No more energy was needed, so the flaming sphere leaped back beside the young man and enjoyed the birth of the first Void Flower.
The petals curled around the flower's heart opened very slowly, showing what they were hiding.
"Amazing..." Atlas stared spellbound at what looked like a golden diamond wrapped in black petals.
"So, this is the Aethereal Ebony Orchid... Fortunately, it has the power to hide its presence from unwanted glances."
Hearing his words, Atlas was astonished: "So... it can do that too... it's surprising..."
Grarl.
"Don't be so surprised... We are talking about a celestial object, after all."
"... Anyway, with the Aethereal Ebony Orchid on my island, you can come back whenever you want. And it will be advantageous to you, especially after finding my brothers... since you will have to fulfill their demands as well... Hehehe..."
Atlas was so taken with that flower that only after a few seconds did he respond: "What are you talking about? Why should I meet their demands as well..."
Grarl.
"If you wish to obtain power from the heavenly fruits, then you will also need another celestial fruit. If you consume the Celestial Scarlet Peaches in this state, your body will burn until it leaves only a pile of ashes. Little fellow... remember well that nothing is free in this world..."
"So, it's like this..." The boy had not thought about that possibility. Besides, after all that happened between him and Rose, he had to tell her the truth about the fruits.
"Hmm... they won't ask me to do impossible things, will they?"
Grarl.
"I don't know... each of them is a rather peculiar type. Our main goal is the same, though... So, you'll just have to deliver the missing Divine Fruit to each of us."
This did not seem like such an excessive request, especially now that he had the power of the Aetherium Heart at his disposal.
Now he understood why having found the Aether Primeval Stigma had led him into this hell.
The only unclear thing was that he had not yet seen the meaning behind the price he had to pay to restore the balance of the world.
Indeed, he had gone through dangerous waters, but Drunkum had made the journey much more manageable.
Moreover, he had only managed to rescue Rose and save himself from Falgnis because of Worfor's Artifact.
His luck had undoubtedly played a role, but it was clear that Nihilir's shady hand was behind all these events.
Indeed, it was unthinkable to complete this hellish adventure without his help.