NOVEL WEB Chapter 39: Chapter 38
A.N. Do you guys think first person is okay or I should change it all to third person?
------------
The golden light of dawn streamed through the curtains as I sat up in bed, stretching. The weight of my family's uncertain fate still lingered, but it no longer crushed me. Asura's bond had eased the storm within me, grounding my resolve.
I summoned breakfast and prepared myself for the day, feeling a quiet confidence growing within me. It was time to turn my attention to my partners, especially those who had yet to see their potential fully realized.
--
Once breakfast was laid out, I summoned my partners to the room, leaving Voltis outside due to his sheer size.
Nyxarath, the shadow elemental, emerged from the corner, his form flickering and stretching unnaturally as he moved. His glowing crimson eyes narrowed as he glanced toward Asura and Lilia, irritation visible in the way his dark tendrils rippled.
Lilia, the forest fairy, fluttered in with a serene expression, a faint emerald glow radiating from her. She perched on the edge of the table, her eyes focused on a collection of vibrant plants I'd ordered for her.
Elythia, the venomous wasp, hovered silently nearby. Her sleek black exoskeleton shimmered faintly under the light as she used her razor-sharp mandibles to slice into chunks of insect meat laced with toxins.
Sangrelis, the bat-like creature, perched on a chair's back, his leathery wings wrapped around him like a cloak. He gnawed at herbivore meat with visible reluctance, his posture radiating unease.
Asura, ever composed, absorbed the flames I'd summoned for him, his presence steady and comforting.
---
I leaned forward, letting my gaze sweep over them. "How's everyone doing this morning?" I asked casually, aiming to set a lighter tone.
Elythia's antennae twitched as she spoke. "Are we fighting today? I didn't join you to waste my time." Her voice carried a sharp, stinging tone, much like her venom.
I nodded, meeting her multifaceted gaze. "Yes. Today's focus will be on the three of you—Elythia, Sangrelis, and Nyxarath. I apologize for neglecting you recently. I had... other matters to address."
Elythia seemed taken aback by my apology but didn't respond directly, her wings fluttering faintly as she returned to her meal.
---
Sangrelis's leathery wings unfurled as he spoke, his tone dripping with disdain. "What benefit can you offer us, human? You just want to use us for your gain."
Asura bristled immediately, emerald flames sparking around him. "Watch your tone, bat. Our master deserves respect!"
"Enough, Asura," I said, raising a hand to calm him. Turning to Sangrelis, I met his glare head-on.
"Let me ask you something," I said calmly. "Where would you be without me?"
Sangrelis hesitated before snapping, "I would've served a noble vampire. I would've gained noble blood and evolved. You stole that from me!"
I raised an eyebrow. "And that's your dream? Becoming a lowly servant, forever stuck in the shadows of others?"
"You don't understand!" Sangrelis hissed, his claws digging into the table.
"I understand more than you think," I replied. "You're settling for scraps when you could have the world. With me, you could become a vampire of the highest rank—someone the dark empire would respect, not pity."
---
Nyxarath, who had remained silent until now, shifted slightly, his crimson eyes narrowing. "You speak with confidence, Akira, but where's the proof? Do you truly believe you can elevate us to such heights?"
I gestured toward Asura. "Do you think I chose you all by accident? Each of you has untapped potential. And I'll prove it."
---
Elythia buzzed softly as she leaned closer, her wings quivering. "Fine. Let's say you're right. What's your plan for me? What kind of evolution do you think I can achieve?"
I smiled faintly. "A Royal Knight."
Elythia froze, her mandibles clicking together in disbelief. "A... Royal Knight? Do you even know what you're saying? There are only ever ten Royal Knights in my entire colony. Do you have any idea how rare that is?"
"I do," I said simply. "And I know the path to get you there. Your next evolution will lay the foundation for it."
She hovered in stunned silence, her antennae twitching as if trying to process my words.
---
I leaned back in my chair, letting my words hang in the air. "You don't have to believe me now. Time will prove everything I've said. For now, our goal is simple: helping all of you evolve. Together, we'll reach heights none of us could achieve alone."
The room fell quiet as they absorbed my words.
Elythia's wings fluttered nervously, a mix of hope and doubt in her expression. Nyxarath's tendrils shifted uneasily, but there was a flicker of interest in his glowing eyes. Sangrelis remained sullen but no longer combative.
Asura stood beside me, his fiery presence a silent testament to what was possible.
"Finish your meals," I said with a faint smile. "Today, we take the first steps toward your true potential."
Sangrelis' Perspective:
I perched on the back of the chair, my claws gripping the wood as I glared at Akira. Every word he spoke grated against my pride, but I couldn't deny the flicker of curiosity his promises stirred.
What did he know about loss? About being taken from your purpose? I was destined for greatness within the Dark Empire. Even as a lowly bat, my kind were prized for our sharp senses and loyalty. My noble masters would have rewarded me with their blood, allowing me to evolve into a true servant of the night—a minor vampire, sure, but one worthy of their respect.
Instead, I was here, bound to a human.
Akira's voice was calm but unwavering. "Is that all you aspire to, Sangrelis? A silver rank servant among millions?"
His words felt like poison in my ears. "Silver rank is more than enough," I snarled. "Most creatures don't even reach that level. You don't understand what it means to be chosen for something greater."
Akira's gaze didn't waver. There was no pity in his eyes, only a maddening confidence. "I understand perfectly. You dream too small, Sangrelis. The nobles would use you and discard you when you became inconvenient. With me, you can rise higher than you've ever imagined—higher than they'd ever allow you."
I wanted to scoff, to call him delusional, but the certainty in his voice froze the words in my throat.
Could he be right?
No. Impossible. He had no noble blood, no connection to the Dark Empire's power. What did he know about evolution? About the glory of serving the true masters of this world?
Yet... I couldn't ignore the truth in his challenge. A minor vampire was just that—minor. Even if I reached my intended evolution, I would always be beneath the feet of others, another pawn in their grand games.
---
Akira leaned forward, his voice soft but cutting. "I didn't choose you for no reason, Sangrelis. I saw your potential. I see what you can become. But if you'd rather settle for mediocrity, you're free to leave."
Free to leave? The thought was absurd. I was bound to him, and he knew it. But still, the way he spoke, as if he were offering me a choice, gnawed at me.
"You speak as if you have all the answers," I hissed. "But where's your proof? Talk is cheap."
Akira smirked. "You'll see it soon enough. My ability lets me see paths others can't. And your path? It's far beyond silver rank. I'll make you stronger than you've ever dreamed—strong enough that even the nobles of the Dark Empire will bow their heads in respect."
---
I hated the way his words resonated with something deep inside me. Part of me wanted to reject him outright, to call him a liar and lash out. But another part—a small, nagging voice I despised—wondered if he could be telling the truth.
Asura's flames flared beside him, the elemental's presence a constant reminder of Akira's power. Lilia sat nearby, her serene glow a stark contrast to my simmering frustration. Even Nyxarath, the arrogant shadow elemental, seemed intrigued.
Could Akira really deliver on his promises? Could he take me beyond what the Dark Empire had planned for me?
I clenched my claws tighter against the chair, the wood creaking under the pressure.
---
For now, I wouldn't trust him entirely. But I'd watch. I'd wait. If he proved himself, if he truly had the power to elevate me, then perhaps...
Perhaps I could find a path greater than the one stolen from me.
And if he failed?
Then I'd make sure he paid for filling my head with false hopes.
Nyxarath's Perspective:
I rested in the shadowed corner of Akira's room, my amorphous form blending seamlessly with the darkness. I didn't need to be near the others; their constant chattering grated on my existence. Asura's prideful flames, Lilia's childlike optimism, and Sangrelis' incessant whining—none of it interested me.
Yet Akira... he intrigued me.
I'd seen many humans in my time, most of them clinging desperately to power they didn't deserve. But Akira was different. There was a confidence to him, a certainty that burned brighter than any torch. It wasn't arrogance—it was a steady flame, unwavering and deliberate.
---
As he spoke, his words cutting through Sangrelis' pitiful excuses, I couldn't help but pay attention.
"You dream too small, Sangrelis," Akira said. "A silver rank servant among millions? With me, you can be something more. Something unique."
It was bold. Foolish, even. But it wasn't empty. Akira's tone carried conviction, and that was what held me still, listening.
I drifted slightly closer, my form shifting like tendrils of smoke, unseen by the others. This human—this master of ours—was playing a dangerous game. He spoke of legend ranks, of evolving us into beings of unimaginable power. It sounded absurd. Impossible, even.
But something about the way he said it...
---
I had never trusted humans, and I wasn't about to start now. They were weak, fleeting creatures, consumed by fear and ambition. Yet Akira didn't behave like the rest. He didn't bark orders or flaunt his authority like so many tamers before him. Instead, he sought to understand us, to challenge us.
He didn't need my loyalty, but he wanted it. That was different.
"You're delusional," I heard myself say, my voice echoing softly from the shadows. "There is no way any of us can reach legend rank. None of us possess the bloodlines or lineage for such things."
Akira turned to the source of my voice, his eyes piercing through the darkness as though he could see me. "You're wrong, Nyxarath. Your potential isn't bound by bloodlines. It's bound by your mindset. With me, you can transcend even your wildest imaginations."
---
His words stirred something deep within me, something I hadn't felt in a long time: doubt.
I had always known my limitations. I was a creature of shadow, born of the darkness and destined to remain within it. I had no noble lineage, no extraordinary heritage. My existence was one of utility, of survival. To think otherwise was foolish.
And yet, Akira's certainty made me question everything.
Could he truly see something in me that I could not?
I watched as he silenced Sangrelis with ease, his authority unshaken. Even Elythia, the haughty wasp, seemed intrigued by his words.
---
"You're either a genius or a fool, Akira," I said, my form shifting into a vaguely humanoid silhouette. "But I will humor you. If you truly believe you can take me beyond the limits of my kind, prove it. Show me what makes you worthy of my trust."
His gaze didn't falter. "I'll prove it to you, Nyxarath. But you'll have to be patient. Evolution takes time—and trust."
Trust. A foreign concept to me. But perhaps...
Perhaps this human was worth observing a little longer. If he could deliver on his promises, if he could truly make me more than just a creature of shadows, then maybe I could follow him.
And if he failed?
I would dissolve into the darkness once more, leaving him to contend with his shattered dreams.
Elythia's Perspective:
I perched on the edge of the windowsill, my sharp, angular body gleaming faintly in the morning light. My wings buzzed softly as I watched the others eat. Asura basked in his flames, Lilia nibbled on her plants, and that insufferable bat Sangrelis whined about his pathetic dreams.
And then there was Akira.
The human had yet to truly prove himself to me. He talked a big game, throwing out words like "legend rank" and "potential" as if they were easy goals to achieve. Did he even understand the intricacies of my kind? Of the hierarchy within a wasp colony, where only the strongest, most cunning warriors could dream of ascending to the rank of Royal Knight?
It wasn't something just anyone could promise.
---
Still, I couldn't deny the weight in his voice. When Akira spoke, it wasn't just empty bluster. He had a plan, or at least the confidence to make me believe he did.
"Royal Knight," he had said to me earlier. "Isn't that the path you desire?"
Those words... they sent a chill through my exoskeleton. How could he possibly know that? I had never spoken of it. Not to him, not to anyone. It was a dream buried deep within me, one I had all but abandoned.
Only ten Royal Knights existed in a colony of millions. The idea of becoming one was as ludicrous as it was enticing.
---
"Do you even understand what that means?" I had asked, my voice sharper than my stingers. "Even among my kind, such an evolution is nearly impossible. And you think you can make it happen?"
He didn't flinch. "I know the way, Elythia. I've seen your potential. If you trust me, I can guide you to that path."
Trust. Another fragile, fleeting word.
But as much as I hated to admit it, there was something in his tone that made me pause. Akira wasn't like other humans. He didn't treat us as tools or trophies. He spoke to us as equals—or at least as individuals with our own ambitions and desires.
---
I watched as Akira addressed Sangrelis, cutting down his excuses with precision. Even Nyxarath, who usually hid in the shadows, seemed intrigued by his words.
Could this human truly see what others couldn't? Was he capable of taking me beyond the limits of my kind?
---
"I'll give you a chance," I said finally, my wings vibrating as I spoke. "But know this, Akira: if you fail to deliver on your promises, you'll lose more than my trust. I don't follow weak leaders."
He met my gaze, unwavering. "You won't regret it, Elythia. I'll prove to you—and to all of you—that your dreams are within reach."
His confidence was maddening. Yet, for the first time in a long while, I felt a flicker of hope.
If Akira could truly help me ascend to the rank of Royal Knight, I would follow him without question. And if he couldn't... well, I would make sure he regretted wasting my time.
For now, I would watch. I would wait. And I would test him at every turn.