Eric stood alone on the lawn, his heart hammering against his ribs in a rhythm that wasn't his own.
He looked down at the rifle in his hands. It felt heavy. Useless.
He coldly slung the gun upon his frame and closed his eyes. Calming his breath.
When he opened them his racing heart dropped to a steady beat.
Swiftly, he picked up the glass jar, uncorked its stopper and took a whiff of the liquid inside.
A thick scent of herbs, with a hint of blood overwhelmed Eric's sensitive nose.
'No obvious poisons I can recognise,' He noted.
His eyes attempted to peer through the opening, but all he could see was darkness.
Afterwards he spoke to the system within his mind.
'Can you analyse this mixture to know if it's poisonous?'
[SMEAR LIQUID AGAINST LOOM RING]
The reply came promptly.
Eric knew it spoke of the ring now on his index finger.
Not standing on ceremony, Eric placed the bottle over the ring and turned it.
He allowed the gooey substance within slowly slide out to reveal a deep crimson blob that moved as an incredibly cohesive whole.
When a tiny portion rolled over the tilted glass's edge, the strange viscosity it possessed was completely lost.
The single drop detached itself from the rest and fell as a tiny drop downwards, till it hit his ring's surface.
Eric watched in amazement as the little amount of liquid was absorbed by his ring before it could slide off.
[ANALYSING...]
[ANALYSIS COMPLETE. PRESENTING OBSERVED DATA.]
[TINCTURE OF CONDENSED ESSENCE]
[PARENT COMPONENTS: HIGH ENERGY PLANT BASED SOLVENT. BLOOD OF UPPER ORDER MONSTER.]
[LARGE CONCENTRATION OF VEIL (FORMERLY ANOMALOUS) ENERGIES DETECTED]
[INSUFFICIENT DATA TO DETERMINE PROPERTIES OUTSIDE APPARENT MEDICINAL INTENT]
[SIDE QUEST: CATALOG NATIVE ANOMALIES]
[ANOMALY 1: 69% ANALYSED]
Eric frowned. The analysis was technically complete, but practically useless.
'Monster Blood' and 'Veil Energy' didn't tell him if it would shut down her kidneys.
Though the provided information was still appreciated.
What caught his attention in the material's observed parent components, was the use of the word 'Monster' and what it meant.
This caused him to thin his lips while, returning the bottle's cork.
Another thing which pricked his interest was the system's apparently adaptive nature. It had changed it's terminology for the anomalous energy.
Eric didn't fail to note this was after his sister enlightened him on the world's hidden powers.
This also worked to confirm his suspicions that Damian, Narcosa and Baskar's abilities operated within the boundaries of the Veil.
A system he greatly believed existed separate from cultivation.
And the sight of his side quest progressing was an expected development considering Baskar's nature.
Eric released a tired sigh before beginning his march back towards the mansion.
The prince became engrossed in his mind as he walked.
'I am still weak!' He thought morosely.
'The most urgent matter though is Victoria's sickness.' Each step he took, his countenance embraced a cold chill.
'I'll have Silas use the clinic to analyse the mixture further.'
He could clearly see the mansion now, its presence steadied his turbulent mind.
'Relying on meditation alone to sense my Qi, is taking too much of time I do not have. Luckily, the only formation I can use at the moment is also supposed to help in fast-tracking this process.'
In his perusal of the human form cultivation initiation art, he'd noted an important point.
The time taken for Qi sensing could be expedited by meditating in an area of highly concentrated Qi.
And the Qi-Enrichment formation was directed at artificially creating such an environment.
But he'd need to gather the necessary materials based on the formation's requirements first.
Raz would be paramount in completing that aspect.
When he reached the door to the mansion, he inhaled a deep breath, before exhaling slowly, then he entered.
The night passed in a blur of restless and watchful silence.
By the time dawn's grey light filtered through the mansion's high windows, Eric found himself standing once more standing before Victoria's sickly form.
"Her condition is rapidly worsening, Your Highness." Raz said in a monotonous voice.
Eric looked upon his frail sister tucked into their parent's bed.
Despite the nostalgia the room brought, the occupants within only conjured a dreary atmosphere.
Silas, holding the bottle looked worse for wear.
After Eric had entrusted him with the liquid and with testing it for possible harmful substances, he'd had to spend the night familiarising himself with the minimal resources the clinic offered before he could start actual tests.
It was a demanding stretch of hours for him.
Silas had seen the break of dawn in the clinic, and the lack of sleep was obvious on the doctor's face.
Eric turned to the man standing to his left and gave a curt nod in appreciation as he collected the obsidian bottle.
"Thank you."
The doctor's efforts were not lost to the prince.
He'd been futilely meditating through the night as well and had caught Silas's hectic scrambling.
Despite his immense efforts, the doctor's analysis had largely been the same as the system's in terms of components.
Blood and other plant based biological matter was prevalent.
Though the presence of a strange energy was lost to the doctor.
He gave a personal note the liquid resembled a mishmash of materials that only had a conceptual relation to vitality.
According to Silas, besides causing an upset stomach, it shouldn't have any fatal effects.
His results calmed Eric, but it only annihilated the possible harm that could come of the mundane and physical world.
The supernatural aspect of the medicine was unknown and would either save Victoria, or kill her.
This risk was one he couldn't circumvent by normal means.
He took another long stare at Victoria, hearing her laboured breaths.
A risk he was willing to take.
He'd rather grasp at the possibility, however uncertain, than give in to the certainty of death.
Uncorking the bottle once more, he tilted the top and let a small drop fall into her slightly parted lips.
A reflexive gulp followed, as Victoria swallowed the liquid.
Immediately after, a gasp tore from Victoria's throat.
Her eyes snapped open, dilated and wild, as if she were surfacing from deep water.
Startled, Eric stumbled back, heart racing.
He hadn't thought the tincture would be so effective.
For a moment, she just breathed, her chest heaving. Then, the panic in her eyes receded, replaced by a familiar, weary sharpness.
She tried to sit up, her arms trembling with the effort, but her voice was steady. "Took you long enough."
She stretched to ease her uncomfortable muscles while speaking.
Her trivialising words, made it as though she had only taken a short nap and not been unconscious for almost two days.
Eric held his eyes from twitching but he noticed Silas gawking at the Princess's attitude and apparent recovery which defied countless scientific principles.
Victoria stood up and turned to the tired doctor.
"Thank you, Silas. I know you need some much needed rest." Victoria said, dismissing him from the room.
Silas, languidly strolled away in subconscious obeisance. He was clearly overcome with doubt over his definition of reality.
Once the doctor was gone, Victoria turned to Eric. "Baskar will not be leaving me alone. And he'll always find us no matter where we go."
"Is the base compromised?" Eric asked in a barrage. His mind sharpening and recovering from Victoria's anticlimactic resuscitation
"How do you know of Baskar? And why can he track us?"
His eyes narrowed in apprehension as he spoke.
"The base is still safe" Victoria answered walking towards the small tea table in the room. "Baskar can find us because his soul is marked to mine."
"What?" Raz said, expressing Eric's shared astonishment.
If Eric had not briefed him on the strange pale man and the Veil earlier, he'd have been even more confused.
"While I was asleep, I came to understand what I am." Victoria said, while sitting in one of the four chairs surrounding the table. She gestured towards two other seats when Eric and Raz remained standing.
Eric was sure if Raz wasn't already familiar with the Princess's stubbornness he'd have remained standing.
"A Princess?" Eric asked sarcastically as he sat.
"An Aspect of the Veil" She replied.
When she remained quiet afterwards, Eric said in disbelief.
"That isn't really telling us much."
"Well I don't understand what it means too." She replied sheepishly. A sly smile Eric recognised adorning her face.
"All I know is, Baskar's lord places great importance on me, and he gave me Baskar as a show of good faith." She said.
"And the identity of this Lord?" Eric asked in exasperation. "Why can he place marks on your soul and what stops others from doing the same?"
"Hell, what stops him from doing more than just placing marks?"
"If I knew who they were, I'd tell you. I don't." Victoria's voice rose a noticeable pitch. Showing clear irritation at the obscurity of it all.
"As for the mark… I think it only worked because I was already connected to them somehow. A connection I think you also share.... They just gave Baskar access to my already existing bond." She said letting her strung nerves relax.
"So no one else can try it because whoever Baskar's Lord is, they have an intimate connection to us. And whatever their intentions or origins are they seem to at the very least be in alignment with me remaining alive."
Eric placed his elbows on his knees while he rubbed his fingers against his temple.
He was dumbfounded at his sister's situation, and even more so by how unusual the developments were.
"So we have a man of unknown origins who's also bound to your soul stuck with us." Eric said after a short pause. "Noted."
He couldn't think of a viable way to sever such a connection, so they'd have to live with the strange man around.
Perhaps in his servitude to Victoria he would reveal his master's identity and how to remove his influence.
"You feel fine though right?" Eric asked, his tone softening.
"Yes." She replied. "Though it's only temporary."
"And that's another use of Baskar. He's to help me figure out what being an Aspect means. Perhaps it holds the key to curing our illness."
Eric tersely nodded, while he clasped his hands.
Accepting his own inability was a feeling he'd never live to enjoy.
"Enough of the bleak mood." Victoria called, drawing him from his mind. "I know you've been brewing plans revenge on uncle dearest, because I definitely have." The princess released an unnerving chuckle as she spoke.
"It's about taking something he holds dear." Eric said, feeling his mood brighten at the prospects of vengeance.
Raz watched the siblings with an imperceptible smile on his face, content he could witness them scheme together again.
"Something he's desired and struggled to get for so long. Something he never deserved."
Eric met Victoria's menacing gaze with his own intense stare.
The darkness in her eyes mirrored his own. They didn't need to discuss the target. It had been the same since the night their parents died.
"The Throne." They said in unison.