Early in the morning, Ava, Roy, and the military Soul Weavers woke up and packed their gear before resuming their search for survivors.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the forest, Sirius stirred awake inside the hollow of the tree he had slept in the night before. He stretched, wincing slightly from lingering pain, though his body had improved overnight. His soul, however, still felt dark silver-purple, its presence firm but unchanged. Yet, something felt different—his soul's foundation seemed deeper, more stable after a much-needed rest.
He shifted his focus, glancing deeper into the recesses of his soul where a swirl of ethereal energy lingered.
"The soul shards I collected from those Abyssal Shades… so, they're still here." He examined them briefly. "I could weave them into threads, but it's not enough to make me an elite anytime soon," he mused before brushing the thought aside.
Sirius turned his attention back to the world around him, grabbing his handmade sword from the hollow and stepping into the dead forest. He began his search for Xander or other survivors, eventually finding a narrow part of the river—the same one Xander and his group had crossed earlier. His instincts told him to cross as well.
The steep slope on either side of the river was troubling. He had no desire to climb down, swim across, and scale the other side, especially with the possibility of running into more Abyssal Shades lurking below.
Sirius scanned the area and found a moderately large tree. With care, he chopped it down, avoiding his left hand, and rolled it across the gap to create a makeshift bridge. He reinforced it with his salt touch, ensuring it was sturdy before cautiously walking across to the other side.
Once across, he glanced back at the log. "I could leave it for survivors to use, but…" His mind raced. "Shades could use it too. The fewer of those things I deal with, the better."
With that thought, he kicked the log into the river and continued on.
He trekked throughout the day, only stopping for brief rests. Along the way, he encountered a few Abyssal Shades—weak ones, at least weak enough for him to handle without too much trouble. By nightfall, he found another hollowed tree to take shelter in, the same routine playing out again. The number of soul shards he had collected were already more than a few dozen.
Food was scarce. Forced to survive on raw shade meat, Sirius grimaced at the taste, though his body had grown more resilient since becoming a Soul Weaver. The silence of the forest was oppressive, gnawing at his mind. It was unnatural—no child should have to endure this kind of isolation, with survival hanging by a thread.
Why him?
The calamity that had taken his family now seemed determined to claim him too. He had given up on becoming a Soul Weaver, yet here he was, thrust into the heart of danger, forced to awaken powers he had never wanted. He might not even survive long enough to officially earn the title.
His thoughts darkened, and indignation flared within him.
'I won't let what killed my parents kill me.'
His eyes burned with determination.
'These stupid gates have been plaguing the world for too long…'
He glanced up through the twisted branches toward the distant red suns. "I'll close these gates for good one day." His voice carried through the air, filled with resolve.
"I will kill the god!" He vowed
A moment passed before he shook his head, squinting as if dismissing his lofty thoughts. "First, I need to survive," he muttered, resuming his journey through the cursed forest.
---
Elsewhere in the forest, Xander knelt before a dead Abyssal Shade, panting heavily. Soul shards floated around him, ready to be absorbed at any moment. Philo stood nearby, returning his daggers after helping Xander land the killing blow.
"Alright, Xander. You should start weaving your soul core before those shards dissipate," Philo said, impressed by Xander's efforts. Although he'd assisted, Xander had held his own against the shade.
Xander sat cross-legged and began to absorb the soul shards, turning them into threads within his soul. Philo placed a hand on Xander's shoulder, using his soul perception to monitor the process.
"Relax. You don't want to rush this. A mistake could lead to corruption," Philo warned gently.
Xander calmed himself, carefully weaving his soul core, connecting each thread with precision. Soon, his soul coalesced, solidifying into a core. A wave of energy radiated outward, strengthening his muscles, bones, and senses. The fatigue melted away, and Xander breathed a sigh of relief as he inspected the pure white core within him.
Jumping to his feet, he grinned widely. "I've awakened!"
Aurelia scoffed at his excitement, thinking him foolish for getting worked up over something as simple as becoming a Rank 1 Soul Weaver. She had been far less excited when she reached that milestone.
But Emilia shared none of Aurelia's reservations. She clapped her hands, beaming. "Yay! You're finally a Soul Weaver!" she cheered, her joy infectious.
Xander grinned, joining her in a brief moment of celebration.
Philo smiled at the scene, the rare happiness starkly contrasting the perils they faced in this accursed world. He let them enjoy the moment before reminding them of the harsh reality.
"Alright, guys. We can't linger here too long. This is still the Abyssal Plane, and we're in a cursed forest. We need to move."
Their expressions grew serious once more as the weight of their situation settled back in.
"Let's survive," Philo said.
And survive they did—for now. But who knew what the future had in store for them?