"I… I connected them to me?"
{Yes. The process is unique to you. By sacrificing their memories, you wiped away their pasts, leaving behind only raw essence—pure, untainted energy. This essence now resides within your core, adapting to your affinity and strengthening you. Their bodies faded because they were absorbed into your core, becoming part of your system.}
Caspian frowned, the weight of the explanation settling on him.
"But… why sacrifice their memories? Why not just take their essence as it is?" Caspian asked.
{Because memories are dangerous, child. They carry the weight of a creature's past life—their experiences, their fears, their desires. If you absorbed these memories directly, they would clash with your own, threatening to overwhelm you. Over time, your mind would become a chaotic battlefield, and you would lose your sense of self.}
Caspian shuddered at the thought.
{By sacrificing their memories, you strip away the baggage. The essence becomes pure energy, ready to be molded by your core. And more importantly, the creatures themselves are transformed. Without their memories, they no longer see you as an enemy or a captor. Instead, they recognize you as their savior, the one who gave them a new purpose within your core.}
Caspian's mind reeled as he tried to piece everything together.
He looked at the faint glow emanating from his chest, where his core pulsed softly.
"So… how many creatures can I… hold in my core?" Caspian asked.
{That depends on your growth. Your core has limits, but these limits expand as you grow stronger. With each rank you achieve, your core's capacity will increase, allowing you to house more essences.}
Caspian's brow furrowed as he absorbed the explanation.
Just as he was about to ask another question, Bloodmoon interrupted.
{But your core is impure,} it added.
"Impure?" Caspian echoed.
{Yes,} Bloodmoon continued once again.
{Your core currently holds only a single affinity—fire. This limits the type of essence you can fully integrate. Only creatures with fire affinity or those with neutral combat-oriented natures, like these mini goblins, will be compatible with your core.}
Caspian let out a slow breath, his fingers tapping against his thigh.
"So, you're saying I can't bind every monster I defeat?" Caspian asked.
{Precisely,} Bloodmoon confirmed.
{Your core's affinity shapes the kind of essence it can accept. While it doesn't matter for creatures like these goblins, you'll find that more specialized monsters will require an affinity match. Fire is your domain, for now.}
{You'll learn more as your core develops. For now, focus on mastering this process. Even with your limitations, your potential is immense.}
Caspian sat in silence, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.
The weight of what Bloodmoon had revealed was almost too much to bear, but at the same time, it filled him with a sense of purpose.
He glanced at the spot where the one of goblin had fallen.
His essence were Caspian now.
Standing, he clenched his fist, feeling the pulse of his core resonate within him.
"This… this changes everything," he murmured.
{Indeed it does,} Bloodmoon said.
{Now let's try to take essences of other mini-goblin}
Caspian steadied his breathing and placed his hand on another goblin's lifeless body.
Closing his eyes, he focused on connecting his core to the goblin's essence.
At first, the process seemed to mirror his earlier success.
The faint glow of energy began to form, and he felt the threads of his core reaching out.
But this time, something was different.
A sudden resistance surged through his body, an unseen force pushing back against his core's connection.
"What's that?" Caspian muttered.
{It shouldn't be draining your energy or resisting the essence,} Bloodmoon said.
{Once their memories are gone, the process should be seamless. This... this isn't right.}
Caspian gritted his teeth, his body trembling under the strain.
The resistance grew stronger, as if the essence itself were fighting to remain untethered.
"You fool!" Caspian barked suddenly, realization dawning.
"I've read about this before. Even when memories fade, a body's instincts remain imprinted. It's a natural defense—muscle memory rejecting external control!"
The unseen force intensified, and Caspian's connection snapped abruptly.
His eyes shot open, wide with shock, before his body gave out beneath him.
Eirlys, who had been watching from a distance, immediately noticed his collapse.
"Caspian!" she shouted, sprinting toward him.
She dropped to her knees, catching him just before he hit the ground.
Holding him in her arms, she saw his pale, exhausted face.
"What in the world are you doing to yourself?" she murmured, panic creeping into her voice.
But Caspian didn't respond.
His body had already succumbed to unconsciousness, leaving Eirlys to worry and wonder what had caused him to collapse so suddenly.