When the morning rose, Valencia strode through the forest, heading inside the cabin. She stepped inside the door—
The cabin quickly disappeared. She looked behind her, not understanding that she had triggered the invisibility.
“Did it work?” she wondered. She frowned, observing around.
Vrastos suddenly appeared behind her.
“That pretty boy set up a comfy home for you. This is quite a wide space,” he claimed.
“Is it? Looks like a home—”
Vrastos pulled a knob as a dungeon door opened. Valencia gasped.
“Pretty boy got everything under control… I’m impressed.”
“You’re never impressed by me—”
“Careful, vessel. To impress me, you have to do something magical,” he cackled.
Valencia frowned, glaring at him.
“You choked the Tower Master, like his magic does nothing to you.”
“Because it doesn’t. Now, how are you feeling?” Vrastos wondered.
Valencia grunted as she brushed past Vrastos and entered the dungeon. She walked down the steps carefully before… her presence triggered a hallway of candles.
“Whoa…” she praised.
Vrastos frowned at her amazement, crossing his arms.
“This is nothing… stars are better,” he muttered. Then he flicked his finger in the air, casting stars on the ceiling.
Valencia gasped, turning her head to him with her eyes widened.
“How did you do that?”
Vrastos looked at her and smiled.
“Get in!” he commanded. Then a portal appeared before her, and he pushed her in.
“Hey!” she shouted. She paused and looked around. “Why are we in here?”
“To test your limit…” Vrastos claimed.
“But… if I run past my limit, how do I return?”
Vrastos looked at her, dumbfounded.
“Do you really think I’m going to let my vessel walk around with a depleting aura?” he questioned.
She flinched, thinking.
“No…”
“Good. Now show me what you have accomplished.”
Valencia nodded firmly, raising her hand. She looked at the void ball forming under her palm. Breathe… and calm down. A spear! The ball distorted into a spear.
“Apples!” Vrastos shouted.
“Huh?” Valencia froze, her void spear vanishing.
Vrastos raised an eyebrow at her, staring at her disappearing void.
“Unfocused. Again.”
She clenched her teeth and frowned. Petty God. She looked at her palm—
“Petty vessel…” he muttered.
Valencia closed her hands and glared at him.
“Okay! I get it! I will focus!” she argued.
For hours, Valencia practiced focusing on her void aura, channeling the power into what she imagined. Vrastos gave her his power whenever she felt depleted.
Once the second meal of the day was near, Valencia pouted her way out of the dimension. Vrastos slapped her back gently.
“You’ve improved,” he complimented.
She blushed and turned to him. Her eyes widened.
“Really?”
“You controlled yours faster than Eureon. That idiot took months to summon a Void ball,” Vrastos added.
She smiled and hugged him suddenly. Vrastos froze.
“You finally said something nice!” she chimed happily.
He flushed and pushed her head away.
“Leave… your pretty boy is waiting outside!” he grumbled. Then he closed the portal.
She chuckled and headed out of the dungeon. She looked out of the window, staring at Kael, who stood by the tree, waiting for her. Her heart ascendingly raced. Oh… is he picking me up because I took too long? She opened the door and stepped out.
The cabin reappeared as Kael gazed up toward her. He smiled warmly at her.