Philo, Aurelia, Xander, and Emilia had already run far from the site of horror. They raced until they reached the dark river Sirius had once fallen into, though this area was devoid of the piranha-like shades. The river was narrow enough that Philo spotted a long tree trunk, felling it and place it across the river, allowing them to walk across to the other side. Immediately after he threw the tree into the river.
While the landscape was still littered with dead trees, at least they weren't on the side haunted by those terrifying shades. This was their silver lining.
Everyone was exhausted. Xander and Emilia were particularly fatigued from their ordeal, while Philo, despite his earlier energy, recognized that the fight had taken its toll on them all. They decided to walk downstream, hoping to escape the forest and its dreadful inhabitants.
After a while, Xander suddenly spoke up, "I want to awaken."
Everyone turned to him, curiosity piqued. Philo looked into his eyes, and Aurelia's intense gaze bore down on him. But Xander only focused on Philo.
"I'm weak. I was too weak to help in that battle when we were nearly overwhelmed by that horde. I couldn't even run fast enough and felt like a burden. Both I and Emilia." Xander's voice trembled with determination.
Hearing him mention her name, Emilia glanced at the ground, feeling ashamed. She wished she could be as brave as him, but she lacked the talent to become a soul weaver.
"I want to become stronger, for both of us," Xander continued. "I don't want us to be a burden anymore. I want to be able to run on my own two legs when we face monsters like that again and help fight the abyssal shades at our level."
Emilia was grateful but anxious. "Xander, I—" she began, but Aurelia cut her off.
"You shouldn't say anything. You probably can't awaken, right? That's why you didn't speak up with him just now," she declared.
Emilia fell silent, her secret laid bare. Aurelia, however, continued, "If he wants to work for both of you, then let him. After all, he's your best chance of escaping here alive, isn't he?"
"Shut up, Aurelia! Just because she's not as gifted as you doesn't mean she's worthless!" Xander shot back, anger flaring in his voice.
Before the situation escalated, Philo clapped his hands to regain everyone's attention. "I can teach you how to fight and help you slay a shade," he offered.
Xander nodded, determination in his eyes. "I'm already well-versed in a few fighting styles and know how to use weapons, but I might need guidance."
Philo considered this before pulling out a short sword from his space ring and handing it to Xander. "This was my weapon before, but it no longer fits my style. Seeing as your soul weave aligns with shadows, I think you'll find it more suited to your agility in battle—at least until you prove otherwise."
Xander accepted it with a nod of appreciation. Philo then looked at Emilia, conjuring another object from his space ring. "This is a limited edition Prime gun. I heard more are coming out, but not many people have it. It's too expensive and usually reserved for soldiers with merit. You can use it for now; it will increase your chances of survival in this world," he explained, smiling gently as he handed it to her.
With tears in her eyes, Emilia bowed her head. "Thank you."
"Alright, let's move. We don't want that abomination to catch up with us now, do we?" Philo said, and they all nodded, following him downstream.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Sirius was grimacing in disgust as he chewed on another piece of the abyssal shade, his enhanced teeth ripping through the flesh. He swallowed, gagging a bit, but managed to force it down. He was cautious about making a fire, knowing better than to attract unwanted attention from the shades lurking in the dead forest. For now, he was lucky and wanted to maintain that streak.
After finishing the last remnants of his meal, he leaned back against a rock, contemplating his next move. Suddenly, he remembered, "Yeah, there's that ring Aunt gave me. She said I should wear it when I'm about to awaken." He pulled it from his pocket, staring thoughtfully at the wolf-headed crest embedded in the gem.
"Why couldn't Dad come up with a better crest? I hate almost anything tied to that family," he grumbled, slipping the ring onto his finger.
Immediately, he felt a pinch and winced. "Ouch! What was that?" he exclaimed, incredulous.
Before he could take it off, a shift occurred in his soul, sending waves of unfiltered pain coursing through him. He collapsed to the ground, squirming as a dark, silver current surged within him. His soul was a chaotic mess, and amidst the turmoil, he glimpsed a seal unraveling at its corner, releasing its grip on him. Purple strands began to weave through, fusing and mutating his essence. His soul took on a dark, silvery-purple hue, appearing stronger at its foundation.
Despite the agony, Sirius focused on enduring the pain. He screamed and writhed, but then, suddenly, relief washed over him. The pain dissipated, and his body felt lighter. He stood up, though his injuries remained; they hurt less and healed much faster than before. Curiosity piqued, he inspected his soul again, shocked by what he saw.
His soul had transformed into a silvery-dark purple tapestry, intricately woven and brimming with potential.
"What is going on?" Sirius muttered, puzzled. Unfortunately, there was no one to answer his questions.
"It seems I have even more reason to find Aunt now," he said, standing tall.
With fatigue lessened, he examined his injuries and noted the most severe ones: his broken ribs. Ignoring the pain, he resolved to continue his quest to find Xander and their allies.
Just as he was about to move, something caught his attention—a dark, purple-silver grass that appeared to be made of crystalline fibers.
"What the...?"