Using {Crossbreeder} for the second time felt much smoother and took half the time. His soul looked more magnificent than the first time he saw it.
His soul's flame was not much bigger, but the edges gained a sunny yellow sheen. His 6 talents circled the green flame, mesmerizing him. The edges of the flame now held a yellow hue that seemed to define the flame even more.
While admiring his soul's beauty, he noticed a shadow flicker in the corner of his right eye. With the increase in his intelligence, his memory is outstanding, and there wasn't a shadow here the first time.
Instantly, the hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up. Slowly, he turned his head in that direction hoping it was not who he thought it was. Sadly, it was exactly who he thought it was.
"Hello there, my dear sapling. I see you've been growing like I asked," the shadow said casually.
Vars was frozen in place, unable to speak. Staring at this being made of shadows for the second time, a well of emotions was contained inside of him.
Rage, fear, curiosity, disgust, and closeness were some of the things that he was feeling. With these feelings came a slew of questions he couldn't contain any longer.
"Who are you? What do you want with me? How are we connected?" Vars spewed out as his fear was replaced with anger.
"Well, it's lovely to see you too. From what I've seen you've been working hard and you deserve to know the truth. Not like you can change anything so, here's the story of how I saved your life." the shadow spoke casually.
"I'll make a long story short you weren't supposed to live bud. It wasn't because of some dumb ass loan shark you miraculously survived, it was me! You see Vars, your parents weren't looking at you with hate like you think. They were looking at me."
A grin wider than possible for any creature known to Vars was plastered on the shadow's "face". It was enjoying the roller coaster of emotions Vars was going through as if this was all a game.
"Yes, I saved your life. Your parents found a way to contact me and we made a deal. I will help you grow healthy and in return, their next child would have been my fleshy mecha until I got bored again. They loved you so much that they agreed," the shadow spoke cackling at the thought.
"W-what do you mean at the time and this other stuff about a fleshy mech? What even are you?" Vars shakily asked. He was stuck in between fear, sorrow, and intrigue.
"Ahhh yes well to heal you I had to dwell inside you. Hence, this convo, and I'm not the strongest of my kind so it took years for me to fully heal you. During that time your parents took loans to research whatever they could to get out of the deal.
There's no way to get out of a deal but there are loopholes. That pig Franky Dresco killing them was one of them and that was the plan. See your parents were talented people and I learned many things about this world through your eyes. They had even come to earn my respect but a deal was a deal and they knew this." the once charming voice now conveyed a sense of melancholy and even slight rage.
"They dropped hints to Franky about where they were hiding knowing that nothing good would come of him finding them. They were hoping Franky would put them to work and take you under his wing but clearly, they were wrong." the shadow no longer held a grin.
Vars was stunned by what he was hearing. His origin story from this entity's perspective sounds completely different than what he remembered. 'I guess even with a high intelligence for my age my brain still couldn't handle the trauma.'
"So what happened next? Why are you still here?" Vars questioned. The fear he felt was gone. Now he wanted nothing more than to understand this being.
"Well, Franky burned your parents alive that part is true sadly. I then took over your body and killed him and his 2 bodyguards. That part I made sure you didn't remember. I always made sure you didn't remember the bad parts.
Vars over the years you began to mean something to me. Your parents were intriguing but you, you awakened something in me. The process of healing is something that is forbidden for my race but I'm a known rule-breaker and this was an opportunity for something completely foreign. A year into the deal I figured out why." The shadow took a long pause as if taking in a deep breath before it continued.
"We became connected to a degree that makes me uncomfortable even now. I care for you as if you were a youngling of my race. As if you're my own actually and it's only gotten stronger. The contract between your parents and me was broken but I stayed to protect you. Plus, anywhere is better than home.
My race is an old one. We were here even before the spirits but in a separate dimension. This world is split into 3 different planes and with the plane of the spirits having been absorbed already, it's only a matter of time before my home follows. Believe me, Vars, if you plan to survive then you will have to be considerably stronger than this." The shadow's now held the tone of a concerned parent with a sense of urgency.
"Well, considering I do have a companion named Bloodbag I can't say that's too far-fetched. You still haven't even told me what you are and urging me to get stronger for the second time. Cut to the chase," Vars demanded with a glare.
"Hehe, okay okay fine. My plane is of a higher dimension than yours and the Spirits. Long ago worlds were once connected but my kind, the Narkalis, were undoubtedly the rulers of the world which is why the world is called Narkaz.
This renaming of the world was strike 1. Strike 2 was the war between us Narkalis that began to decimate everything. Strike 3 was because our ambitions led us to attempt to breach the firmament before Gaia allowed us to. She awakened and separated us by dimensions to allow the world to heal for everyone. In our dimension, we are like humans but here in your dimension we gain our original strength.
The silver lining to this is that like Spirits we have also known Gaia and our births are tied. The difference is that unlike Spirits we are not born connected. We are born at the same time as humans but we live our lives by 3 mottos: eat or be eaten, kill or be killed, and serve or die. After Gaia spits us out and imparts basic knowledge unto us we have to fend for ourselves. For the most part, you have been raised the same way and my gift to you will be well-equipped for the future."
'Well, that's some interesting history. I have even more questions for Gaia now and I now have an uncomfortable amount of trust in this so-called Narkalis. I wonder what the offer will be.'
"Continue."
"Well, like 5 minutes ago was the first time I gazed upon your soul since you awakened. My curiosity got the best of me and I touched it for barely even a second. In that split second your soul absorbed part of my soul and assimilated it as a sort of protection around your soul. That is why you now have that yellow outline.
I'm going to give you all of me. From what I understand your Chronicle will handle most of the work and it may hurt. On the plus side, you will be stronger and I won't be wandering around inside you anymore. I have been supplying you with my energy your whole life so it should be easier to assimilate. Hopefully, you can use that talent of yours to bring me back in a sense. That would be fun."
As the Narkalis' voice began to trail as if its imagination began to take over.
"Well, my young sapling this is where we part ways. In all honesty, even though all Narkalis aren't bad those that are are horrible. I'd rather leave my will to you and enjoy my eternal dreams. Take care, little brother."
Before Vars could protest or question it any further the shadow dove into the flame. His soul absorbed all of its soul before his eyes. He watched as the bright yellow soul of the Narkalis mixed with his forest green becoming a chartreuse color.
{You have absorbed the soul of Lv. 0 Genesis.}
{Due to absorption from an outside source only 1 characteristic may be augmented.
Class: 1 class option is guaranteed to have Narkalis traits.
Race: Become half-human/half-Narkalis.
Essence Shard: The Narkalis' soul is used to make an essence shard.}