Before leaving the Vossmere Consortium, Ash couldn't depart without bidding farewell to Elara. Much like Katherine and Summer, he hadn't bonded with her—primarily because of the memories. Not that he didn't desire her, but he didn't want extra complications for the moment… he had enough on his plate.
He spread his mana sense outward, a subtle ripple through the vast interconnected star system, until he located her in her private chambers—cultivating with eyes closed, silver hair cascading like liquid moonlight, aura serene yet potent.
With a thought, he teleported—rose-pink space folding silently.
He materialized in her chamber—a lavish space of adaptive silk drapes that shifted colors with her mood, floating orbs of starlight providing gentle illumination, the air scented with exotic void-spices.
Elara sat cross-legged on a plush cushion of shadow-silk, robes flowing around her curvy form, eyes closed in deep meditation, adaptive skin glowing softly pearl-gold.
The ripple of his arrival stirred the air.
Her eyes snapped open—violet swirling with surprise, then warmth, hair lengthening in flustered waves as she rose gracefully.
"Ash…" she breathed, a sultry smile curving her lips as she stepped closer, robes shifting to highlight her figure.
"Sneaking into a lady's chambers? Bold."
Ash's smile was teasing, his dual-hued eyes roaming over her appreciatively.
"Well... I couldn't leave without saying goodbye."
Elara closed the gap, fingers trailing across his chest.
"Goodbye? Already? We've... barely begun."
He caught her hand gently.
"You wicked woman... I have things to take care of, and my journey must go on. But Layla mentioned the event in five years... I'll be there. With you."
She pouted playfully, though her eyes softened with understanding.
"Ugh, five years feels like forever… but I'll wait. Only if you promise it'll be worth it."
Ash drew her close. "Always."
Words faded.
Hours blurred—passion flaring, bodies entwined in a long, heated embrace, the chamber's drapes shifting to deeper rose hues, orbs dimming to a gentle, intimate glow.
Time ceased to matter.
Much later, they lay tangled in shadow-silk, Elara's head resting on his chest, fingers tracing the curve of his wings.
She stirred, her sultry smile returning as a holographic projection flickered to life from her adaptive eyes.
"Before you go… interesting news."
Two headlines flickered into view.
First: Acclaim spread across realms and factions—Ash's creations celebrated as masterpieces, forgers left in awe, markets surging with demand, the enigmatic artisan spoken of in hushed reverence.
Second: His likeness captured—otherworldly beauty, twelve faint wings—paired with a Nocturne bounty: 500 worlds, 500 billion mana stones. "Dead or alive."
Elara chuckled, teasing and warm.
"Liam was your old acquaintance, wasn't he? Looks like he didn't take rejection gracefully."
Ash grinned, fangs catching the light.
"Old acquaintances have a habit of lingering."
She leaned in, eyes bright. "Need a hand? Our faction's neutral, sure… but Grandfather and Grandmother wouldn't mind helping you personally. They do things individually. I could ask—"
Ash shook his head, pulling her into one final, deep kiss.
"Nah. I handle my messes. But… thanks."
He rose—dressing in rose-pink ripple—then kissed her forehead.
"See you in five years.... Don't have too much fun without me."
Elara pouted playfully, watching him vanish.
"Never~"
-----
Ash reappeared in the naked vacuum of space, stars streaking distant like forgotten memories, the cold void pressing against his skin.
[So, are we finally going to expand the Primavus race?]
"Wait, love..." Ash said dramatically, listing his 'to-do' list as he floated lazily, arms crossed.
"Alright… help if I'm missing anything… but we currently have a galaxy-wide bounty on my head, five years till the tournament, twenty years till the Astral Clan problems… then we have Aurelia and the Phoenixes… oh, let's not forget about the Ruin Sea."
[Oh, don't forget… EXPANDING YOUR RACE!] Elysia sarcastically exclaimed before continuing. [Then becoming stronger… also let's not forget Eliya Radi. Who knows what your little endeavor caused, oh maybe even the Noctis Vampires as well. Did you forget, their two heirs were slain by you as well. I'm sure they have found some lead by now. And… let's not forget the most important thing: your family and clan.]
"Tsk, alright," he said before beginning to smile.
[Enough sulking?] Elysia asked in a teasing manner.
"Right, so let's kill a few birds with one stone." Ash spoke as he began walking in space as if it was solid ground.
"My race can be expanded as we travel. I will release more powers through the bloodline, allowing the others to further expand their branches. You can create several unique items and spread them through their Nexuses."
As he said this, he continued, tapping his chin. "And I… hmmm, shall I go with an OP maid squad?"
[Eh… what about the Primavus Valkyries?] Elysia suggested, which immediately made Ash's eyes brighten.
"Perfect… now in the meantime, where is the most optimal place for the next adventure?"
[Some place interesting, Master. However, I won't spoil the fun… let's just head to the World of Aet. There is a realm that has been opened for about a month now.]
"A month? Wouldn't all the good things be taken by now?"
[Well, I doubt it. Most people are searching for Aether Mutation Essence. This is a unique mutation of mana, similar to the unnamed essence you made… but much weaker. This essence is used to boost an entire race by a rank.... What we are looking for is a hidden gate…]
"You're really not gonna tell me anymore, are you?" Ash asked while shaking his head.
[Nope, hehe.] Elysia teased, but before Ash could even respond, he felt a change in the space around him.
HUMM!!!
In an instant, space locked around him—an immense power weighing down like invisible chains, the void itself compressing as if to crush him into oblivion.
Ash did nothing but raise a brow—his aura flaring subtly, holding the lock at bay without effort.
Although the power felt devastating, it was really… not much at all.
Then from the void, a being appeared.
Vyrn the Hollow—a gaunt figure cloaked in tattered gray robes that seemed to absorb light, skin pale as bleached bone, eyes sunken sockets of endless emptiness, hair wispy shadows drifting like smoke.
His presence was a void—hollow, emotionless, as if he were a walking absence in reality. Peak Stellar Sovereign aura pressed like a silent scream, title "The Hollow" from the Records manifested as faint echoes around him, whispering nothingness.
Ash's head tilted, eyes appraising the fellow.
'What a damn coincidence… but how could he find me?' Ash thought, recognizing the name from the story Fay and Sia told him.
"You're not easy to find… Ash… Originat, isn't it?" Vyrn's voice sounded—flat, toneless, simply hollow, like wind through an empty cave.
"Tsk, what, here to claim the little bounty?" Ash asked, arms crossed, his tone as casual as if speaking to an old acquaintance. Truthfully, he didn't have to ask the guy... he could read his desires plain as day.
"Heh, of course. Who would dare miss such an opportunity?" Vyrn spoke before the space around them shifted once more. Before it was like a loose net being placed around Ash... but now it felt like a true prison was set.
'No teleporting?' Ash thought... before he smiled while cracking his neck. Then his wings unfurled completely spanning for thousands of km.
"Come get the job done then...." The moment those words were spoken the two of them moved.
BOOOOM!!!!
They met nearly instantly in a head-on collision—no weapons, no laws, just pure power. Vyrn was sent back instantly as Ash didn't budge an inch.
[Master, I will focus on copying all the important things from him. Something interesting is his race... he's no human nor anything like most races. Instead... he is the void. Like the Void Beast roaming around, he is one of them with sentience...]
Ash didn't respond to Elysia but he acknowledged her.
He had already reengaged with Vyrn who was holding his own as the two went blow for blow.
Ash dodged a punch thrown by Vyrn then immediately swiped his hand upwards...
SHK!
Primordia appeared in his hands mid-swing and one basic cut struck Vyrn, splitting his head down the middle from bottom to the top.
Ash gained some space as he moved to unleash his next move, however Vyrn's body dissolved into nothingness, then the space itself began to warp and formed chains and weapons that bound and attacked simultaneously.
BOOOOOM!!!!