A faint metallic echo drifted through the chamber as Skodor slowly regained consciousness. The world around him was blurred—shadows, lights, and strange vibrations melted together like a half-remembered dream.
When his vision finally sharpened, he found himself lying on a smooth, metal platform inside a colossal, high-tech sanctuary of blue light.
Pillars of crystalline machinery stretched up into darkness, humming with ancient power.
Blue streams of energy floated like rivers suspended in the air.
Skodor instinctively tried to sit up—
But a soft, gentle voice halted him.
"Do not move yet… your body is still fragile."
The voice carried warmth and authority combined—an impossible balance.
He turned his head.
And his breath caught.
A woman stood beside him, her form glowing faintly in strands of blue light. Her long hair flowed like drifting nebula dust, catching every flicker of the chamber. Her body was real, solid, and impossibly graceful—yet surrounded by an aura that made her seem carved from living energy.
Her eyes, deep azure and serene, held the stillness of an ancient star.
She wasn't illusion.
She wasn't projection.
She was real.
Skodor whispered, voice trembling:
"W… who are you?"
The woman did not answer immediately. She moved toward a towering cylindrical machine. As her glowing fingers brushed across its console, the chamber awakened.
Panels unfolded.
Lights spiraled.
A hidden compartment slid open, revealing rows of rare herbs, minerals, and shimmering crystals, each suspended inside flickering beams of blue energy.
Skodor watched, mesmerized, as she selected ingredients one by one.
Herbs – The Breath of Life
Lumerin Leaf
A silver-veined plant glowing softly—capable of repairing torn flesh and damaged nerves.
Starpetal Bloom
Petals like frozen stars—restores blood flow and stabilizes the heart.
Ferris Root
A violet root that generates internal warmth—boosts vitality.
Mistvine Fibers
Thread-like strands that dissolve into healing fog—purifying organs.
She placed each herb into the machine with surgical precision.
Blue mist rose instantly.
Minerals – The Bones of the Earth
Arkanite Dust
Electric metallic powder—seals bone fractures rapidly.
Vortan Sand
Floating golden grains—repairs micro-tears in blood vessels and increases oxygen flow.
Hearthstone Fragment
A warm, crimson mineral—stabilizes the spirit core.
Their energy crackled through the chamber as the machine absorbed them.
Crystals – The Heart of Power
Celestial Prism Shard
A multi-colored refracting crystal—awakens deep regeneration.
Azulite Crystal Core
A deep-blue orb—enhances energy absorption.
Etherpulse Crystal
A vibrating shard—keeps mind and body in perfect synchronization.
The moment she inserted the final crystal, the machine roared to life.
Cylinders spun.
Energy rings ignited.
A spiral of blue light surged upward, merging everything—herbs, minerals, crystals—into a single vortex.
Then…
Ding.
A small glass vial slid out, filled with a brilliant blue liquid swirling like a living galaxy.
The woman lifted it gently.
She came closer, kneeling beside Skodor, her expression finally softening.
"Drink. This will repair everything Kharsok destroyed."
She held his head and helped him sip the glowing elixir.
Warmth flooded his body instantly.
Bones realigned.
Muscles tightened.
Breath steadied.
Blue flames of light wrapped around him like protective wings.
Skodor gasped, staring at her.
"Why… did you save me?"
Her glowing eyes met his.
A quiet pause.
Then—
"Because your fate does not end in that ravine, Skodor."
"And because…"
She placed a warm hand on his chest.
"…the relic you carry chose you."
Skodor's heartbeat shook.
"Who are you… really?"
The woman rose, her figure framed by swirling blue currents.
"I am Vektri."
Her voice echoed like distant thunder.
"And from this moment… your life belongs to a destiny far greater than revenge."
Machines awakened behind her, responding to her presence like loyal guardians.
She walked a few steps, then looked over her shoulder—
her gaze powerful, unreadable.
"Rest now. When you stand again… your true journey will begin."