Visarion

The gorgon froze in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. In her centuries of existence, no one, let alone a mere child, had dared speak to her this way. Yet she was helpless, unable to retaliate. Her jaw hung at an unnatural angle, its hinges bleeding profusely from the last attack she suffered. Her gaze locked on his eyes, which seemed to reflect the cosmos, their violet depths haunting and infinite. His hair, flowing unnaturally with his essentia, thrashed in violent yet graceful arcs, a stark contrast to his calm demeanor.

His grip tightened on her hair, and she winced, her hands reaching toward his arm. The blistering heat surrounding his body made it impossible for her to hold on, the searing energy charring her palms. With a sudden movement, his right hand shot out, grasping one of the stars orbiting him. In a flash of light and a resonant hum, the star transformed into a sword. The blade burned with pure fire, flickering chaotically between shades of orange and red, with hints of pink dancing at its tip.

Loretta tilted Eldryis's head, exposing her neck. He exhaled deeply and, in one swift motion, brought the blade down. Her severed head fell into his hand, her body collapsing with a wet thud. He stared at the gorgon's head for a moment, his expression empty, before his legs gave way and he fell unconscious to the ground.

Erenyx rushed to his side, fear and concern etched across her face. She hesitated for only a moment before placing her glowing green hands on his chest. A faint chuckle escaped her lips as relief flooded her. "This bastard isn't even hurt. What the hell?" she muttered, collapsing onto his chest. Exhausted from her continuous use of the butterfly arts, she succumbed to sleep beside him.

The shelter around them trembled, yet neither stirred. The field surrounding them dissipated, revealing the barren, desolate landscape where they had fought Kaneth. The scavenging beasts of the wasteland returned, creeping cautiously but keeping their distance. Even in slumber, the duo's aura was enough to cow the weaker creatures.

Loretta found himself adrift in the void of space. Stars whirled past in a dizzying blur, but he remained still, suspended amidst the chaos. His gaze fixed on a single star rising from Conravia, its light intensifying until it erupted into a supernova. As the star collapsed upon itself, a fragment hurtled toward the planet, crashing with a deafening boom. The shock jolted him awake.

His breaths were shallow, his chest rising and falling unevenly as he tried to steady himself. He glanced down to find Erenyx sound asleep on his lap, her locs spilling across him. Gently, he ran his fingers through her hair. She stirred slightly, a smile spreading across her face, though it was unclear if she was still dreaming. Loretta allowed himself a small smile, content in the quiet moment.

Erenyx yawned and stretched, sprawling across him like a lazy cat. He chuckled softly. "Well, good morning," he said, his tone warm.

"Morning to you too!" she replied, springing to her feet with an energy that belied the battle they had just endured. She stretched again before turning to him. "So… how the hell did you beat that thing?" she asked, nodding toward the gorgon's severed head.

Loretta scratched his head, looking genuinely perplexed. "I… don't remember any of it," he admitted.

Erenyx's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious. All of that, and you don't remember?"

He shrugged. "Hell no."

She exhaled in exasperation. "Man, I was gonna ask you about it, but whatever."

Shaking his head, Loretta retrieved the gorgon's head and secured it to his waist. "Back to Arystel?"

"Yup," Erenyx replied, already walking ahead.

Loretta frowned. "Then why are you walking?"

Realization dawned on her face. Before she could respond, Loretta flicked his hand, summoning a swirling vortex. From it, his motorcycle materialized. He mounted the bike, gesturing for Erenyx to join him. She climbed on, wrapping her arms around his waist as the bike roared to life and sped across the wasteland. The scenery blurred as they rode, slowing only to appreciate moments of exceptional beauty. For the first time in what felt like ages, Conravia seemed at peace.

"Hey, can we make a pit stop?" Erenyx's voice broke the silence. Her tone was unusually subdued.

Loretta glanced back at her. "Sure. Where to?"

"East," she replied hesitantly. "The Weeping Forest."

Loretta's grip on the handlebars tightened. "The Weeping Forest? You sure about that?"

She nodded firmly. "Positive."

The Weeping Forest was never meant to be a place someone would enter willingly, once you enter, that ever changing maze will never let you leave. The trees ghost white bark, twisting and turning so they look like they have the faces of the damned etched into them, screaming and screeching like their burning, that forest isn't where anyone would go for no reason, so what was hers?

As they approached the forest, the sounds of the trees screaming could be heard already, and they hadn't even entered it yet. The sound was eerie, unsettling to listen to, enough to make Loretta's stomach churn. "Hey, it'll be easier if we get off the bike now, I know the way." The flames spiraled around them, the bike vanishing, "The way where?" Loretta asked. Erenyx tilted her as if what she was about to say was prior knowledge. "Home, obviously."

Loretta stopped, he wasn't sure if what he heard was correct, there was no way someone was living in the Weeping Forest. "Come again??" Erenyx stamped her foot on the ground, "We are going to my house!" and before she could continue, Loretta shouted, "YOU LIVE IN THE WEEPING FOREST!?" Erenyx was a little taken aback by his reaction, "Yeah, why else would I come here?" Loretta looked like he was about to say something back, but he didn't say what he wanted to, simply saying, "Lead the way you strange bastard."

Erenyx began to lead the way, strange sparkles occasionally flying around her head, they looked like shining butterflies. She let a couple of them land on her finger, smiling each time. The forest's screams became quieter, slowly dissipating into the sound of the trees themselves twisting and bending. Still a haunting sound to have to listen to consistently.

"Ay, we're almost here." Loretta felt a shift in the air as Erenyx said that, something close to dread, yet not that. The trees began to groan as they opened up and cleared a direct path upon a medium sized home. A dark skinned man dressed in a deep indigo kimono sat outside of the house, his pure white hair fluttering in the wind as it was tied up. Loretta began to speak, "Is that an elf…" but before he could finish…

"Uncle Beni!" Erenyx shouted while waving her hand, the man noticed and looked up, his purple eyes gleaming. Erenyx ran to him, giving him a big hug, the man gave a big smile, hugging the girl back, "Hey Nyx, It hasn't even been that long since I've last seen you, and you've already gotten much stronger. Blaid putting you through it?" The man's voice was deep and exuded power, yet you couldn't feel any essentia around him.

Erenyx shook her head, "Nah, that's thanks to him." She said while pointing at Loretta, who gave a light chuckle and a wave, clearly nervous. "Ah, boy, come closer, you seem quite strong." The man looked down at Erenyx, whispering playfully, "He's your boyfriend?" Erenyx shouted, "No!" and punched him in the side with some force, though he only laughed.

The man extended his hand to Loretta, "The name is Benimaru, pleasure to meet you, boy of Ra." Loretta was stunned for a second before remembering the mark on his forehead, the symbol of the clan's gifted. He shook Benimaru's hand, "Loretta Ra, Pleasure to meet you too." Benimaru smiled.

"Oh, old man Blaid isn't home, though we wanted me to pass on a couple of things Nyx." Erenyx looked at him with intrigue in her eyes, Benimaru creating a hole in the air next to him before retrieving a core from it. "Crystal Golem. He said you were lacking in variety." Erenyx frowned, "Thanks I guess, but it would've been nice to fight it at least." Beinmaru laughed, "I knew you would say that, you're just like Blaid when he was young." She smiled at that comment.

Benimaru took the core and walked to the clearing Erenyx used to train when she was younger, he planted the core into the ground and began to chant, his words infused with Essentia. "Loretta, you might want to back up now!" Benimaru shouted as he dashed away from the core, the earth groaning as it began to fuse with it. Loretta's feet flared into flames as he ran away, "Erenyx! The hell are you doing!?"

Erenyx stood there, a massive smile spread on her face as rock and crystal from the earth began to fly towards the core, building the golem right in front of their eyes. First the legs were formed, one by one, each glistening limb gigantic in stature was made. With a roar, the massive golem was alive, though Erenyx was already on the move, spinning her body as she was zoned in on taking the beast down from the legs. "Butterfly Blow!"

Blue butterfly wings sprung out of her back, essentia flaring from her right fist as it was engulfed by power, one punch shattered the golem's lower leg. With a loud groan, the golem came crashing down upon its right leg. Erenyx propelled herself into the air as the beast came down onto its back, her fist engulfed in the same azure blue as the butterfly wings on her back. Erenyx's wings flapped as she shot down to the earth, her fist going through the golem and shattering it completely, taking the Crystal Golem down with ease.

"What the hell…" Loretta muttered under his breath, Benimaru only laughed, his arms crossed under his Kimono, "Anytime she drains her Essentia completely, she gets a massive boost in power after she recovers, it's almost inhuman." Benimaru stared proudly at her, a bright smile on his face. Erenyx searched through the shattered crystal around her feet, finally grasping the core.

She held it close to her chest as it began to fuse with her body, sinking into her chest and giving her a soft pink glow. Erenyx's essentia flared, her aura palpable, trying to assert dominance over the Golem's core. The pink glow around her hardened, the golem trying to fight back but Erenyx's power was too much, and in the blink of an eye, both auras disappeared, the pink glow gone, and the core with it. 

"Let's go!" Erenyx shouted as she completely absorbed the core, her smile going ear to ear. She ran to Loretta and Benimaru with a smirk on her face, "That was wayyyyy easier than I thought it'd be!" Benimaru laughed, "You're practically a monster with how fast you grow stronger, without a doubt a trait from Blaid." Loretta paused, he kept hearing that name but he wasn't sure. "Like, the blacksmith Blaid?" he asked, his curiosity finally winning him over.

"Ah, I'm surprised someone as famous as you knows of such a humble blacksmith, but yes." Loretta was flattered. "All the fame is from my father…" He said while laughing, "But is Master Blaid really that strong, I assumed he was only a blacksmith." Erenyx perked up like a cat, "He's super strong!" she said with enthusiasm. Benimaru nodded in agreement. "Mr. Benimaru, are you as strong as Master Blaid?" Benimaru stopped his movements for a second, "Fuck no." He said bluntly, there was no question to his answer.

Loretta thought about it for a second before putting the thought to the back of his mind. Looking at Erenyx now is so different from when he first met her, now her energy is brimming to the surface, practically leaking as she exists. Erenyx looked at him with a grin on her face, "Loretta…" Loretta raised his eyebrow, "Let's have a match! Right here right now!"

"You deadass?" Loretta asked, surprised by her request. Erenyx nodded vigorously like a child. "Ah, fuck it, why not." They both began to make space between themselves, Erenyx forming her axes in her hands. Loretta clapped his hands together, fire sparking and a beautiful sword being formed from within, he brandished his weapon as his eyes locked onto Erenyx's. "I'll try not to disappoint," He says.

Benimaru pointed his finger into the air, shooting a essentia bullet, Erenyx charged as the signal went off.