The two blushed hearing that, cheeks blooming crimson under the realm's soft, ethereal light—Fay's fair skin turning rose, Sia's pale complexion glowing faintly as clouds around her throne swirled in flustered chaos.
Then the questions came in droves, tumbling over each other like an avalanche.
"What… what happened to you?" Fay asked first, emerald eyes unable to pull away from his blood-drop gaze, voice breathy with awe and something warmer.
"In… in just a few weeks, you've grown even stronger than us?" Sia added, pale blue hair drifting as her gaze traced every inch of his massive bat-like wings, the rose-pink veins pulsing like living starlight.
Her words carried disbelief, but her tone betrayed fascination.
The questions continued to flow—rapid, overlapping—as Ash floated cross-legged before them, the cloud thrones shifting slightly to face him fully.
Ash chuckled softly, scratching the back of his head with casual ease.
"Alright… allow me to explain first," he said, voice warm and resonant, carrying that effortless command that made the realm's winds still.
He began to narrate his journey—calmly, vividly—from the moment they parted: the kidnapping by Raven, the Crucible domination, the Astral Clan, and the shattering of barriers and elders alike.
At the end of it all, the two women were beyond stunned—eyes wide, mouths slightly parted, clouds and illusory leaves frozen mid-swirl.
"The Nocturne Clan kidnapped you?!" Sia asked, shock cracking her usual composure.
"And you bedded their princesses?" Fay nearly fell over, hand clutching her throne as she leaned forward, blonde hair spilling like golden waterfalls.
Ash raised a brow, amusement glinting.
"Uh… is that all you got from that?" he said, chuckling low.
He leaned forward slightly, the air between them thickening with his presence.
"Anyways… I've come here for a few reasons."
The words snapped them to full attention, playful shock giving way to serious focus.
"The first is…" His gaze shifted to the floating orb behind them—the World of Elaris, its surface now almost entirely swallowed by the expanding wall of death, that faint crack glinting unnoticed.
"I want that artifact."
The two women frowned instantly, affection long past 80 % warring with the weight of everything they'd risked and sacrificed.
"How can we part with it so easily?" Fay asked in a soft voice, emerald eyes searching his face.
"The artifact is near completion…" Sia added, clouds tightening around her throne like a protective shroud.
"And even both of our champions are nearing a collision."
Ash smiled—slow, knowing, utterly confident.
"Fear not… I won't leave you empty-handed," Ash said, voice smooth and confident as he leaned back slightly in the air, wings rustling softly.
"I have two opportunities that will do you much better than this artifact."
He thought of his inner cosmos evolution and Desire Manifestation. Although he was almost 1000% sure the Origin Orb was still worth more… they didn't truly know that.
The women raised delicate brows, curiosity and caution mingling in their expressions.
"And that is?" Fay asked, leaning forward on her cloud throne, long blonde hair shifting like golden silk.
Ash didn't speak further. He simply activated his talent.
|Desire Manifestation|
The air shimmered with rose-pink light.
Two items materialized, floating gently before him—tangible, radiant, bound to his will.
The first: Eternal Nature Elixir - A vial of shimmering green liquid infused with Paragon Ranked Elven essence and natural growth aura. Consuming it purifies elven bloodlines by one full rank, amplifying resonance to Nature Laws (growth, life, etc) by 500 %, allowing seamless comprehension and increased control over nature and bow usage.
The second: Primordial Adaptability Elixir - A vial of glowing blue fluid forged from Paragon Ranked Human essence and adaptive essence. Consuming it refines human bloodlines by one full rank, boosting resonance to Adaptability Laws (flexibility, evolution, quick mastery of various affinities) by 500 %, granting increased comprehension, adaptation to environments, and combats.
The women nearly jumped from their seats, eyes wide with undisguised shock and longing.
Fay reached out trembling fingers toward the crown. "This… this is…"
Sia clutched the pendant, clouds around her throne swirling chaotically.
"Impossible… how did you…?"
Ash smiled and floated the items to them with a gentle push of mana.
They accepted, hands closing reverently around the treasures.
"There is another opportunity as well," he added, voice casual. "Much better than this. But you'll have to wait a bit for that."
Hearing this, they didn't even need details. Trust—built on his power, his mystery, and the burning affection now past 80 %—won out.
"Fine…" Sia said softly, pendant warm against her chest. "But I should warn you. Your eldest brother is my champion… assimilating the orb will kill him as well."
Ash's brow rose in genuine surprise. "Oh? Aster… he's still alive?"
He had honestly forgotten the guy. With the mention, two other names surfaced.
"What about my mother and eldest sister?" he asked.
The women frowned, expressions turning somber.
"I'm not sure entirely…" Sia said, clouds stilling around her. "As you know, time inside the artifact moves one year for each day outside…"
She continued carefully.
"For about fifty years, your mother and sister were together. But sixty years ago, they entered the Wall of Death… since then, we haven't seen them."
"They're not dead, though," Fay chimed in quickly, blonde hair shifting as she leaned forward. "If they were, we would've known—the wall would've reacted, spread faster."
'Interesting…' Ash thought, mind flashing to the faint crack he'd seen on the orb's surface.
'Did they escape… but how?'
He kept the thought to himself, smile returning.
He decided to put this on the back burner for now.... He then moved on to the next topic.
"Fine… next thing is…" Ash continued, voice calm but carrying that effortless weight that made the realm's winds still.
"You won't have to worry about the Eternal Nocturne Clan anymore. You two shall be free to move around. However, I would advise for all of you to leave the world of Astralis immediately."
He explained the Astral Prime Clan—their sudden return, the hidden Seventh Calamity ancestor whose presence alone eclipsed anything the Nocturne could muster. He kept her exact power vague, but the implication was clear: something none of them could handle.
The girls tensed, edges sharpening in their postures—Fay's illusory leaves flickering defensively, Sia's clouds coiling tighter.
But good news followed.
"We can at least return to our home world then," Fay said, exhaling a long sigh of relief, long blonde hair shifting as tension drained from her shoulders.
"Nearly 250 years away…" Sia murmured, pale blue hair drifting gently. "I'm glad."
Ash tilted his head, curiosity glinting in his blood-drop eyes.
"Uhh, are you two perhaps from the same world?" he asked, noting their different races—one elven, one human—and assuming separate clans or factions.
"Same world and same sect," Fay answered with a nod, emerald eyes soft.
"Our world is the Myriad World of Races, claimed by the Galactic Myriad Sect."
Ash smiled—slow, genuine.
'Wouldn't this be perfect for them to find their paths?'
"Good," he said. "Here's the plan… I will leave with you two."
His smile turned playful.
"However, before that, I need to handle some things. So just be ready in about three days."
As he spoke, he approached the floating Elaris Origin Orb. With a casual wave, it shrank and vanished into his storage ring.
Then he disappeared—space rippling softly where he had been.
Leaving the two women alone on their cloud thrones, vials warm in their hands, smiles blooming on their faces—excitement, relief, and the promise of power yet to come.