Ariella
Thornhill,
Vankar Island
Northern Isles Region,
Kingdom of Ashtarium
October 29th 6414
As soon as the black tendrils of darkness slithered into the stump of Lil's left arm, her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed unconscious before she hit the ground.
I shoved past Jen without a second thought, but before I could reach her, Lil's body jerked violently, arching upward as if yanked by invisible strings. Her sternum ignited, pulsing with a fierce, blinding glow—like something ancient had awakened inside her.
Then it happened.
A cocoon of pure, unrefined Essence erupted around her, swirling with chaotic energy. I skidded to a stop, rooted in place as the entire chamber trembled, the walls groaning like something massive stirred beneath them.
The very fabric of space cracked.
Web-like fissures splintered across the floor, spreading like glass under pressure. The same inky-black substance began to pour out from those cracks—living, writhing, pulsing. It moved purposefully, wrapping around us like a tide of shadows, swallowing us whole.
And then—
Darkness.
Total. Absolute. My senses vanished, smothered in a void so deep it erased the concept of sound, sight, and even thought. It was complete sensory deprivation, an unnatural emptiness that pressed against my mind, threatening to crush it.
Then—light.
Thin beams at first, piercing through the dark like rays cutting through water. Then a rush—a surge—as my senses came flooding back all at once. Sight. Smell. Sound. Touch.
I gasped, the world snapping back into focus.
But we were no longer in the Forgelab.
I looked around, disoriented, heart pounding. We were back in Enoch Forest, though not the one above—this was the Dungeon floor version, a denser, more primal reflection of the surface.
The Spirit essence around us was thicker, heavier, almost oppressive. I could feel it clinging to my skin, humming beneath my feet. It told me we were still deep within the Dungeon… likely back on the Tutorial Floor, the place where it had all begun. My first instinct was to search for Lil.
I turned—and there she was.
Lying next to me, still wrapped in the same essence cocoon, the light around her flickering like a dying star preparing to reignite. She was still unconscious. But something was changing inside her.
Something monumental. It was in that tense silence that my ears caught something—movement. A rustle, subtle at first, but growing. I turned my head sharply and saw the trees shifting, their branches swaying not with the wind, but with intention, like they were aware of us.
Jen reacted first.
Her blade flashed with white-hot light, carving through the air as a pair of twisting branches lunged toward us like serpents. They froze mid-lash, suspended in a sheath of glowing ice, cracked and brittle.
But it wasn't over.
With a sound like thunder splintering wood, more branches snapped toward us, faster than lightning. I drew the shortsword from my side, my reflexes barely keeping pace as I slashed through the incoming limbs. Beside me, Ben shifted into his combat stance, his claws glowing faintly as he ripped through the foliage with brutal precision. Neil, ever calm, extended his hands and summoned a sequence of defensive barriers, casting them around each of us like glimmering domes of crystalline light.
"Keep your eyes on the trees!" Jen shouted.
I did—and what I saw made my blood run cold.
One of the massive trees was trembling, its roots splintering the ground as they tore free, dragging up soil and stone. The entire tree began to move.
"What the hell is happening?" Ben growled.
"The trees…" Neil said slowly, eyes widening, "They're alive." No. Not just alive. But infused with powerful mana.
Only one race could do this.
The realization hit me as more branches surged forward, each one saturated with raw mana, thick enough to make the air shimmer. Neil's barriers cracked under the pressure—webs of light shattering into nothing as they buckled. Jen retaliated, unleashing another volley of crescent-shaped slashes from her sword, freezing every limb in her path. But this time, the ice shattered under the force of the branches' overwhelming energy.
We were overpowered.
Within seconds, the branches coiled around us, binding, lifting, pulling us from the ground like prey caught in a net. I struggled against them, cutting, twisting, trying to summon even a flicker of mana—but it was useless.
The branches were draining me, siphoning the energy from my core with relentless force. My strength slipped away like water through my fingers.
Then I saw it.
The branches were snaking toward Lil's cocoon.
No.
I thrashed, shouted—but my voice felt like it disappeared into the forest.
And just as the branches neared her, a beam of pure white light cut through the darkness like a divine blade. The first branch withered on contact, curling into ash. More lights followed—precise, fast, like arrows made of starlight. One by one, the branches unravelled, sliced apart by invisible force.
I dropped to the forest floor with a thud, the breath knocked from my lungs. Groaning, I forced myself up and stumbled toward Lil, still encased in her glowing cocoon. She remained untouched.
Then I heard it—movement from above.
Figures dropped from the treetops, landing silently in the underbrush. They wore leaf-shaped armor, natural yet reinforced, woven with spirit essence. Their tree-bark skin gave them away immediately.
Treants.
Feyborns, connected to the natural world more deeply than any Manaborn. The forest was their domain. One of them hissed, snarling toward the source of the light that had freed us.
"Take it easy, Mary. Don't kill them." A calm voice echoed from the shadows.
We turned—my team and I—and saw a girl holding a blade to the throat of the snarling Treant. She stood poised and unshaken, her movements clean and controlled.
Then, from the shadows, a tall figure stepped into the clearing.
He wore a flowing white robe, draped over a black battle tunic. His silver hair, long and shimmering, cascaded down his back. A cane tapped softly as he walked—not out of weakness, but as if to mark each step with presence. His face appeared youthful, mid-forties at most, but his aura betrayed age beyond mortal comprehension.
The girl—Mary, apparently—lowered her blade and moved to stand behind him. Her golden hair shimmered in the moonlight, her earth-toned skin glinting with gold undertones. Her eyes—indigo—reminded me uncomfortably of my own.
"Levi Avrams," the tallest Treant rumbled, stepping forward.
"Eiti," the silver-haired man—Levi—replied, voice calm and commanding.
"What is the meaning of this?" Eiti asked, his deep voice filled with tension.
"Do not worry," Levi said with a faint smile. "Mary will not kill any of you."
True to his word, Mary sheathed her blade and walked gracefully past the Treants, taking her place behind Levi. That's when I noticed the elegant longbow slung across her back.
She was the one who saved us.
"I meant—what are you doing here?" Eiti growled, the roots around him twitching in agitation.
Levi stood unmoved. "I'm here to stop you from doing something you'll regret," he said calmly, his tone layered with authority. "The girl is not yours to take."
"She has absorbed the Codex," Eiti countered, his bark-like voice echoing through the glade. "The seal is broken..."
Levi raised an eyebrow. "And I assume you mean to claim the Codex for yourself?"
Eiti said nothing.
"That power—"
"—Does not belong to you," Levi interrupted, his voice cutting through like a blade. "It chose her. And you would be wise to respect its decision."
With a graceful motion, Levi lifted a single finger. The essence cocoon holding Lil began to levitate, cradled by invisible forces. Raw, unrefined essence swirled around it, obedient to his will.
"I'll apologize for stepping into your territory," Levi said, his silver gaze sweeping across the assembled Treants. "But I'll be taking the girl… and the little ones as well."
His eyes landed on us. The weight of his presence hit like gravity—dense, ancient, suffocating. Even the Treants stilled beneath it. Eiti growled low in his throat, bark cracking along his skin, but made no move to stop us. Whatever power Levi wielded, even the Treants feared it.
And so we followed.
I stayed close to the cocoon, watching it float effortlessly above the forest floor. I couldn't look away—how was this man able to manipulate such a dense volume of Spirit energy directly? No spells. No catalysts. Just will.
Beside me, Mary walked in silence, steps light, almost soundless against the moss and brush. But I could feel her eyes on me—sharp, calculating, like she was peeling back every layer of who I was. Finally, she broke the silence.
"Why the disguise, Princess?"
I stopped walking. So did Ben and Neil. Their shock rippled in the air. Only Jen remained perfectly still, her face unreadable. I didn't even have time to process it before Levi spoke again.
"Mary," he said quietly, "the Princess's reasons are her own. That's not your concern."
Mary didn't budge.
"But Father… she's with comrades. Why would she hide herself from them?" She gestured at Ben, Neil, and Jen with a casual flick of her hand. "What's the point of loyalty if it's not met with truth?"
Her words hit harder than I expected.
I cleared my throat, forcing their attention back to me.
"Who are you people, and where exactly are you taking us?"
I couldn't sense their cultivation levels—they were shielded, deeply hidden—but I didn't need to. Their presence alone told me they were powerful. Far more than they let on.
Levi glanced over his shoulder. "I am Levi Avrams," he said simply. "And this is my daughter, Mary."
We continued through the undergrowth, the canopy parting above us just enough to let slivers of moonlight through. The cocoon floated between us like a silent guardian, casting a soft glow over the path.
We walked in silence for what felt like an eternity, the forest growing denser and quieter with every step, until we reached what appeared to be a weathered wooden fence surrounding a modest hut. The structure looked simple, almost humble, yet something about it pulsed with quiet magic—ancient, subtle, undeniably alive.
Mary stepped forward and opened the gate, pushing it open with ease. Levi lingered at the entrance, his posture still and patient, waiting for us to enter.
I glanced at my companions—Ben and Neil looked worn, their shoulders sagging slightly; Jen's face remained unreadable, ever the sentinel. I stepped through the fence. And stopped.
The space beyond was nothing like I expected.
What lay before us wasn't a hut's interior, but a vast, open field, stretching into soft, golden hills. Farmland. Lush and fertile, it sprawled out like a hidden sanctuary. Scattered across the land were Magic Beasts—some grazing peacefully, others lounging in the tall grass. They resembled cows, goats, and sheep, but there was an otherworldly edge to them: glowing horns, iridescent fur, slit-pupiled eyes that tracked our movement.
In the distance, a woman in white robes tended the fields. She moved with the grace of someone who belonged here, effortlessly guiding the beasts into their separate enclosures. A large woven basket rested on her hip, filled with herbs and small fruits glowing faintly with Essence.
When she sensed our presence, she turned.
Her eyes locked on us, and something in me shivered.
She appeared to be in her thirties, but I knew better. That wasn't her true age. Power radiated from her—not loud or aggressive, but steady, ancient, and deeply rooted. She approached, each step deliberate, her gaze passing over us like a judge sizing up new petitioners.
"I see you reached them in time," she said, voice warm but tinged with authority.
"Yes, Mother," Mary replied. "The damned Feys were about to kill them, but I stopped them."
The woman smiled gently, the stern lines in her face softening. "Very good, my sweetheart."
Then her attention shifted fully to us. Her eyes softened further with something like pity, though not condescension—more like a quiet mourning for the burdens we carried.
"Mary, why don't you take our guests inside. Let them rest, wash up, and recover what they've lost."
I shook my head, heart tightening. "I'm not leaving, Lil."
The woman studied me with an unreadable look before speaking.
"Do not worry, Ariella Ashtarmel."
Her use of my full name made me stiffen.
"Lilith Kain is undergoing an Awakening. Unless you possess the ability to accelerate such a process—which I doubt you do—I suggest you rest. You've endured much… more than most could withstand. There is no shame in drawing breath before the next storm."
I wanted to argue. To insist I was fine. But then I looked at Ben, who could barely stand straight. Neil, pale and glassy-eyed. Even I could feel the emptiness gnawing at me—my mana was gone, my stamina drained, and worst of all, the slow itch creeping at the back of my throat.
The hunger was stirring.
Only Jen looked unbothered, standing tall and composed as if untouched by the draining assault we'd just endured.
"...Alright," I said at last, my voice low.
Mary gave a satisfied nod and gestured for us to follow. "Alright, Princess. This way."
And just like that, we left the field behind, stepping further into whatever fate awaited us in this strange sanctuary.
****
The room Mary led me to was far more spacious than I expected—a warm, earthy chamber, with a large wooden-framed bed draped in soft linen and surrounded by shelves carved into the walls, each one brimming with old, leather-bound books. The scent of aged wood and dried herbs lingered in the air, grounding and oddly comforting.
Mary lingered in the doorway, a soft smile tugging at her lips. For some reason, it unsettled me. Not in a threatening way—just… off. I couldn't place why.
What caught my attention was her skin.
Like the others, her complexion had a strange sunlit quality, as though the light had kissed her flesh. It wasn't just a trick of the golden hue in the room. The sunlight streaming through the window—real, warm, and impossible—bathed her in a gentle glow.
Since they were still inside the Dungeon, this sanctuary wasn't just unusual—it was strange and weird to have humans, who looked like Awakened Manaborns, living within such a place. And then there was the sun… the warm, shining light that made my skin tingle. I could feel it. And while it didn't affect me—thanks to my unique constitution—it seems to have some effect on our host.
Which begged the question: Who were these people?
"There's a bathhouse inside," Mary said, gesturing toward a carved archway in the stone. "You can use it to freshen up."
I dropped my bow and sword beside the bed, scanning the room once more. Everything was made from living materials—stone, wood, and thread imbued with spirit essence, humming faintly beneath the surface. There was no metal, no artificial glow.
Mary turned to leave. "I'll leave you to it, Your Highness."
"I'm not a princess anymore," I said, brushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. "You can drop the title."
She paused, eyes narrowing with a quiet intensity.
"But you're of Ashtarmel blood," she said softly.
Something in her voice made me look up.
She didn't just say the name. She invoked it—with a strange reverence, almost a touch of awe. There was something layered beneath it: not just respect… but expectation.
"The Ashtarmel are the rulers of these lands," she continued. "It's only a matter of time before you take back what is rightfully yours, Princess."
Then, without waiting for a response, she turned and disappeared down the hall.
I stood there, staring at the door after she left.
"Take back what's rightfully mine..."
The words echoed in my mind, sharp and unfamiliar. I'd never once considered reclaiming the throne. Why would I?
I wasn't the heir.
I hadn't been trained in diplomacy or governance. My uncle had taken the crown after the collapse, and I… I had walked away. No, I had run. All I'd ever cared about was growing stronger, becoming powerful enough to—
I stopped the thought before it finished. I could feel the emotions rising again—dark, twisted things, festering for years in the quiet corners of my heart. I swallowed hard and pushed them down, as I always did. I hadn't even noticed the tears until I felt them trail down my cheeks. I wiped them away quickly.
No point in thinking about useless things. Not now. I took off the rest of my gear, placing each piece with care, and walked toward the bathhouse.
When I got out of the bathhouse refreshed and clean, there were clothes waiting for me on the bed, and a mug on a desk with a note.
This should tide you over till dinner
I sniffed the air, the smell of blood hitting my nose. I regarded this mug of blood, as its scent made the hunger fully realized. This was no Synthbood, the artificial alchemical substance that I know of. Since awakening my Vampirism, synthblood had been the only blood I had ever had. No fresh blood, no living beings' blood. So this Mug would be the first natural blood that I would drink.
For a moment, I hesitated, not knowing if it was a good idea to drink it. But then I chastised myself for thinking that way. If they wanted to harm me, they could have done so from the start. I sipped the drink, the taste sending explosions of flavor and delight within my taste buds. It was unbelievable, the sweetness, so I began gulping it down. As soon as I was done, the itch was gone, and my body felt so invigorated. Like my cells were on fire and sparking with so much energy.
Normally, Vampires were able to cultivate through blood drinking. It was a special path of cultivation for our kind, but it was one that you were normally taught how to do. Taking the Life essence from the blood, then converting it into mana to grow one's mana core. It was not something I had been taught how to do yet. So instead of refilling my Mana reserves within my Mana core, the Life essence was refined into vitality to strengthen my vitality forcefield. This was good. Vitality played an important part in my physical refinement, making me physically stronger.
After I was done feeding and dressed up in the blue dress, I stepped out of the room, looking around in the corridor. I wondered if I should expand my senses, but then thought better of it. I moved towards the staircase when I heard voices coming from up. Even without my internal senses, my natural senses were still sharp. So I was able to pick out the words that were coming from above. I climbed the stairs, reaching the upper floor, where the door to a room was slightly ajar, and I could see Levi and his wife, Leah, in the room whispering and talking.
"....it seems the Cambion was dropped somewhere else on the dungeon's floor after the codex bonded with her...."
"If it's making its move once again, then that means the seal is about to be broken."
"But why now, of all times, would it..."
"Sssh!" And then the door to the room closed, a click, and I couldn't hear anything coming from the room, like a barrier had been set up. I stood there, trying to make sense of what they had been talking about. The Codex. Wasn't that what Levi and the treants had called the thing that had attached itself to Lil? And then there was something about a broken seal and a Cambion. What in Sheol's name was going on?
****
Dinner with the Avrams, while awkward at first, gradually softened into something warm, almost comforting. The tension faded with each shared plate, each passing moment. It wasn't exactly home, but the feeling of the place was enough to forget the heaviness pressing on my mind.
After the strange exchange I'd overheard between Levi and Leah, I had returned to my room. The cryptic tone of their conversation lingered like a phantom, but I forced myself to push it aside and focus.
Meditation.
I threw myself into it with relentless focus, trying—desperately to strengthen my mana core. The hunger to grow stronger had become all-consuming, clawing at me from the inside. It wasn't just determination anymore. It was something raw. Something close to desperation.
Hours must have passed.
Eventually, Mary came to retrieve me for dinner. At first, I asked about Lil. A part of me needed to see her—to know she was okay. But Mary gently reassured me that Lil was still safely cocooned within the energy containment. There was nothing I could do for her right now. And she was right. So I ate—because strength wouldn't come from worry. Only from fuel and focus.
The Avram dining table was a feast of their cultivation—meat, fruits, and herbs harvested from a field filled with domesticated mana beasts. That alone was staggering to think about. Mana beasts were usually dangerous, wild, and nearly impossible to control.
But the Avrams had tamed them.
Thankfully, these were non-awakened types—animals infused with mana, but lacking the intelligence of higher-tier beasts. Knowing that made it easier to stomach.
And the taste… gods.
"This... this is amazing," Neil said between mouthfuls, tearing into a slab of grilled meat with eyes wide like a starving man discovering fire.
I couldn't argue. The food was rich with mana, every bite surging through my limbs like sparks catching flame. It was the kind of meal you didn't just taste—you felt. And for a brief moment, I forgot the weight that was within my mind.
"Seriously, who are you guys?" Ben asked, his mouth half-full as he tore through another helping of meat like a man who hadn't eaten in days.
"We're the Avram," Levi replied casually, pouring himself a drink. "As I said before—we're the caretakers of the tutorial floor of the Dungeon."
I paused mid-bite, brows furrowing. "I... I didn't even know people could live inside the Dungeon."
"Oh, princess," Leah said with a knowing smile. "There are those who not only live here—but thrive. Some choose this life willingly."
That single word—princess—fell like a blade across the table.
Ben and Neil froze.
Their heads turned toward me in unison, eyes wide, searching. Hurt.
Especially Neil. I could see it written all over his face—the quiet sting of betrayal. Of being lied to by someone he thought he could trust.
"I'm sorry," I said quickly, my voice low. "Lil and I... we didn't mean to lie. We just—"
"You were trying to protect us," Neil finished for me, though his tone was unreadable.
I nodded. "If you knew who I really was… there was a chance you'd get pulled into something dangerous. Something you weren't ready for."
Neil's jaw clenched. "Why is the Princess of the Kingdom on the run? Everyone thinks you died in that fire—the one that tore through the capital two years ago."
I looked down at my plate, the warmth of the food suddenly gone.
"And I'd like to keep it that way," I said quietly. "Because if they find out I'm still alive... the people who destroyed my family won't stop until I'm dead, too."
Silence settled over the table. Heavy. Charged.
No one spoke for a long moment—until Ben, with his usual tact, muttered, "Well… dinner just got a lot more intense."
Neil didn't laugh.
And neither did I.
"Don't worry, Ella," Jen said, placing a reassuring hand on my arm. "We won't say a word. Right, guys?"
Ben and Neil exchanged a brief glance, then nodded in unison.
I let out a slow breath. "Thanks."
"So," Mary interjected, her tone laced with curiosity, "can we drop the disguises now?"
I hesitated, then gave a resigned sigh. Reaching for one of the enchanted bracelets on my wrist, I tapped the embedded rune. The glamour spell flickered, then shattered like mist dissolving under sunlight.
In an instant, the illusion masking my true appearance was gone.
Neil and Ben stared—stunned into silence.
My silver-blonde hair spilled over my shoulders like moonlight, catching the glow of the lamps. My skin, pale as polished crystal, shimmered faintly in the dim room. And my eyes—now unveiled—burned with a radiant indigo hue that marked my Ashtarmel lineage unmistakably.
A child of royal blood. A descendant of the ancient vampire line.
"Y-You're even more beautiful..." Neil stammered, his cheeks flushing a deep red. His gaze lingered, reverent and wide-eyed, like he was seeing a goddess instead of the girl he'd traveled with.
If he'd been infatuated before, I could feel it now—stronger, deeper. The glamour had held back the truth. But now that it was gone, there was no veil between us.
I sighed inwardly. Of course this would happen.
As a direct descendant of Asmodeus—the Prince of Lust—I bore the weight of a dangerous legacy. My very presence exuded a passive charm, a magnetic pull that stirred longing in others, whether I wanted it or not. The glamour spell I'd worn had kept it muted, suppressed.
But now that it was gone… the allure flowed freely, rolling out in subtle, insidious waves.
Jen and the Avrams, bound by bloodline and resistance, remained unaffected.
Ben, however, had gone completely still. Though he tried to keep a straight face, I saw the tension in his jaw, the way his fists clenched at his sides, as if holding himself back from reacting.
He was fighting it. Hard.
I turned away, frustrated. This wasn't who I wanted to be seen as. Not a temptation. Not a fantasy. Just... me.
But the legacy in my blood didn't care.
I pressed the rune once more, and the glamour shimmered back into place, cloaking my true form beneath the familiar mortal disguise. It was better this way—easier for all of us. As soon as the charm lifted, I saw the shift.
Ben exhaled a deep, relieved sigh, tension bleeding from his shoulders. Neil, though less visibly shaken, still bore the subtle signs of having been pulled under the sway of my blood's allure. His gaze lingered longer than it should have, his silence too weighted to ignore.
"I guess the disguise is... necessary," Mary murmured, eyeing me with a mix of sympathy and understanding.
I turned to the Avrams. "How did you know who I was?"
Levi leaned forward, folding his hands calmly. "I knew your father—King Rafael Ashtarmel. The Avrams and the Ashtarmel bloodline have a long, intertwined history."
A strange chill prickled down my spine.
"You… you're not one of them, are you?" I asked slowly, the pieces falling into place in my mind. My voice dropped. "You're not just caretakers."
There had been barely any records—just scraps and whispers. Since the Age of Eternal Night began, their kind had vanished from history. Faded into myth. The few fragments I had found hinted that they had migrated to Sanctuary Sites—places unknown, untouched by war or the world's chaos.
But now the truth stood in front of me.
"You're part of the Children of the Light," I said quietly.
Neil's head snapped toward me. "Children of the Light? You mean the ones who fought the Vampires in the war?"
"I thought they were extinct," Ben added, eyes narrowing.
"Have we?" Mary said, tilting her head slightly, her voice cool. "You've been traveling with one of us this entire time. I would've thought you'd know better than to assume my kind had disappeared."
"One of you?" Neil said, his voice rising. He dropped his fork and knife with a soft clatter. "You don't mean—Lil is—"
"Her name is Lilith," Leah corrected gently. "And yes. Lilith is one of us. A member of our race."
She paused, her tone more serious now. "That's why I sent my husband to find you the moment she appeared in the Dungeon. When a Child of the Light returns from exile... It's never by accident."
Hearing the Avrams refer to Lil as one of the Children of the Light didn't shock me as much as it did the others.
I'd always suspected something.
Yes, she looked like a Manaborn human—but even among the Manaborn, her strength had always been… wrong. Not just impressive—impossible. Especially for someone who hadn't even awakened yet. From the very moment I met her, she'd possessed a power that defied classification. Superhuman. Instinctive. Raw.
And then, after learning about the Kain family—their strange ties to both the Merciless Light and the Mother of the Night—I began to connect the pieces. I knew Lil had to be bound to one of those ancient legacies. Either the Vampire race… or the elusive Children of the Light.
Now I had my answer. The real thing stood in front of me, confirming what I had only dared to theorize.
"What's happening with Lil?" I asked, voice steady despite the unease creeping in.
"She's come into contact with a powerful grimoire," Levi replied calmly.
"A grimoire?" I repeated, frowning.
"It is no ordinary tome," Leah continued. "It's the Codex—a living repository of ancient power. It has bonded with her, chosen her. In time, the Codex will awaken her soul core... and from there, she will begin her path of ascension."
There was a long pause. Then:
"Wait… you're saying that monster is going to get even stronger?" Ben said, slack-jawed.
His words weren't cruel. Just stunned.
I set down my utensils slowly, the weight of them suddenly too much.
Lil… becoming an Ascendant.
It should have filled me with pride. Relief. Even joy. I knew how much she had once longed to understand cultivation, how she had asked questions, watched me meditate, studied the path from the outside like someone pressing their hands to the glass.
And now… she was walking it.
But instead of happiness, all I could feel was the ever-widening distance between us.
She's already stronger than I, I thought. And now she'll only keep climbing. Faster. Higher. Further.
Even if I reached the Master Realm… would I ever catch up to her? Would I ever stand beside her? Or would I always be a step behind, watching her rise into something that was beyond me?
"For now, you guys should rest here, wait for Lil to recover, and return back to Thornhill," Leah said. I nodded along with the others, returning back to the dinner the Avrams had prepared for us.