The rest of the conversation shifted to less serious topics. Even discussion of the battle was left out in favor of small pleasantries. Talking about the particular flavors of the dishes, introducing the ingredients to me. All the names of which were quickly forgotten in favor of just eating them.
Griffith had been asked several questions too, though, unlike me, he was able to answer each swiftly—an encyclopedia of knowledge on our continent. He responded with some questions of his own, but they mostly had to do with bird species migration patterns…
It was nice talking like this. With people who are ingrained into a society much more like my own, unimportant topics could be the focus of the evening rather than the constant stress of preparation for the future.
Even Mei’s probable visit to the Expanse was put aside. But, I couldn’t help but keep curious on how exactly Sei was planning to send his daughter with us.
Mei’s incessant, “Oh! Try this one too!” As she would scoop some other piece of food into my bowl would always put a smile on my face.
Not to mention, the interesting barrier around the food that allowed one to insert their hand in like some bubble, take out any food, then exit without causing any damage to that transparent shield.
More than a couple times, Griffith and I had to struggle to keep up with the others—Synthia too, but she was slightly more practiced—because the utensils were basically two polished sticks. At one point, I even willed the roots on my hand to keep one of them steady which offered a bit of relief to the demand on my dexterity.
But eventually, after eating dessert, Mei was dragged off with a moderate pout by Synthia, Griffith by Sei—only going after a nod from me, and I found myself walking in a hall with Rojin, still hearing a grumbling Mei: “It’s not even that late,” from somewhere on the other side of the building. Something about being too old for a bed-time too.
Guess Animora still lets you feel sleepy. Though, I was happy for everyone’s collective ‘bed time’ since I could finally get back to making some progress with my purification… Would be a good idea to ask where the bath is.
The automatic functions were working, but it was still not enough. The active performance was much faster. And, there was much more I needed to check within myself.
“I’ll take you to the guest rooms, there’s all the amenities you need in that hall,” Rojin explained from in front of me.
I stretched my arms wide, popping sounds coming from a few of the joints before saying anything. “Thanks. I won’t need much but a place to clean myself.”
We walked a bit further before arriving at a section with two doors facing each other on either side of the wall.
Rojin pointed at one: ”Bedroom,” then the other: ”Bathroom and toilet."
He then turned to me, giving a short nod. “I’m heading off now too, feel free to wander the garden if you wish, but don’t break anything… or go too far. It’d be bad if you get lost.”
“Won’t be a problem. I’ll probably be staying in all night.”
“Right,” he responded. “Well… Have a good night then.”
“You too,” I returned as he spun around, and began to walk away a little hurriedly. It was only a second that I watched before I slid open the door—the object smoothly sliding into the wall where it was fixed.
The room was simple, but pleasant.
The smell of that straw floor blasted into my nostrils, something I didn’t mind at all. A small cot placed on the floor with several sheets neatly folded at its foot. And that was it other than an open closet on one side and on the opposite from me was another pair of doors.
I opened them after walking over, seeing that it led to the garden that seemed to totally surround the home.
“Maybe it’d be better to train out there,” I muttered, not wanting to stain anything in here with whatever came out of me during training. Luna too, had occasionally been leaving trails of her thin shavings.
Wyrem? I called out inwardly, but there was no answer, so I didn’t push. And knowing Luna, if there was something she wanted to say, there would be no holding back.
Guess it’s a good indication I should start too.
I hopped over the railing, wandering around the neatly cut grass and smooth gravel until I found a large flattened rock that was perfect. Smooth. Large enough to work as a seat. And, at least for the moment, private.
And so, I got comfortable enough on it, making sure the robe was caught under me so that it wasn’t ruined, closed my eyes, and breathed out slowly.
My Inner Realm was unchanged, but that wasn’t my target. It was the former name Inner Space—now my Inner World that I sent my consciousness into.
“Hhhk!”
A gasp escaped my mouth at the drastic change. Not a gasp from the outside world. No, I mean from this… body? I scanned the surroundings, watching the orbs and tendril wrap around the World Seed at the center of this void.
I was breathing. My eyes were moving. Everything felt… natural. Unrestrained.
Real.
“H—hello?”
My voice came out naturally, without any resistance, and with it, the Voidrace creature shuddered, almost jumping with the sound.
Next, I rolled my shoulders, shifting my gaze to my body. Well… what currently existed of it. And what it was gave off an eerie resemblance to something I had seen before. The energy beings. Those that had created the massive cosmic beast in my visions.
A collection of tiny little nodes of light made up of my Internal Force in a collection of radiant gold, deep red, and a cold blue dancing around together making up just the top of a torso and two nubs that extend just past the shoulders.
It made me a bit anxious to watch the nubs wobble when I attempted to move my ‘arms’, so I stopped as soon as I tried once.
“A body?” I mumbled, trying to process the changes. I don’t recall Mei saying anything like this. Most of her information was based on the World Seed egg thing. But it seemed like that was the way this was heading.
Another body within my own. Hidden deep in my Nexus.
No wonder it was impossible to move when we first got here. It was just our mind. Over time, with the injection of our power, this would—I assume, become more complete.
I rolled my neck in wonder at the development.
“But what exactly do I need a body here for?”
I shook my head quickly, throwing the thought aside. The matter would reveal itself anyway with time. For now, my focus was drawn to the Voidrace soul.
It had been convulsing violently, since I spoke, maybe trying—but failing, to say something.
“Listen. If it’s about that other guy, it’s fine,” I said, trying to sound reassuring. “If I saw my family again I’d… Anyway, I’m not angry.”
I waited a moment as the trembling stopped, apparently my guess being at least partially correct. “I don’t know why you’re helping me, but you are. When you’re able—tell me what you want, but this guy… He’s trouble. At least for now.”
There was nothing offered in terms of significant movement, so I assumed the matter was settled, and he was back to providing this space with his dark energy. Which… I’ve yet to see any change in here.
Another matter to address later, I guess. And really, there hasn’t been much significant from my Inner Realm as well. Sure, there were his tentacles which assisted me in core swapping, but that was it so far.
And I suppose the complete destruction and recreation of my foundation.
Still… why?
Last thing I needed to check.
The thin trail was hardly even that. More of a whisper—a thin trail of smoke with its predicted vibrant, neon-blue hue mostly absent. Too thin to show its true radiance. But it was there. Like the rings of a planet, orbiting around my World Seed.
Animora.
Weak, but certainly present.
It didn’t do much, definitely not lending any power to its host, but this was only the beginning. My expectations weren’t so high. But my curiosity was. What could I use it for? Would I end up needing implants or mechanisms like so many did here?
Mei mentioned some sort of conversion process that could occur by itself—inefficient, but also a manual one. If of course, one could access this space like I could. Maybe it was just too small an amount and already converted.
More ideas ran through my mind.
Would I be one of those with talent, with the ability to find something that is uniquely suited to me?
The thought of the feline qualities that Mei absorbed resurfaced. The speed she gained. The sharpness of her eyes right before the features disappeared. Predatory. The terrifying claws that literally dripped with power.
With my Spiritual Weapon, what could be accomplished?
Speaking of which, I still haven’t really fulfilled my promise to show her a technique.
I took one last look in here, at the changes, and the things that remained the same. Then exited with a single mental command, instantly leaving.
Then, for something I had done so many times before. False core formation and dispersion.
The energy implanted somewhere in my body that I still couldn’t pinpoint. But slower this time, signifying its near completion. My nerves tensed with the thought of the transformation that would come this time, but for now, I just absorbed the World Force around me.
Time passed.
And my mind stilled until…
“Fascinating.”
My eyes shot open, the lean frame of Sei’s form greeting me.
Our eyes locked together.
“I’ve never felt an energy in the air like this,” he marveled, his hand stretched out, as if feeling something invisible.
No, not as if… Sei’s hand was tracing the stream of energy that had just been heading for me.
“Is this what got my daughter so excited?”