The jungle stretched out before me like a living labyrinth, a symphony of sounds and scents that assaulted every sense. Even after the Blood Beast's annihilation, the Beast Vein's corruption left the environment hostile—twisted flora, carnivorous plants, and the ever-present thrum of predatory spirits lurking in the undergrowth.
I spread outward, my Swarm form dividing into ten thousand glimmering points of Frostfire light, each one a fragment of myself, slipping through vines, flying over roots, and skimming the surface of winding jungle rivers. Swarm travel made the impossible natural; I no longer ran—I flowed through the jungle, weaving between predator and prey, sensing the pulse of every living thing.
A giant venus flytrap, its leaves razor-edged and tipped with venomous spikes, snapped shut mere inches from one of my Firefly points. It hissed, steam rising as its digestive enzymes reacted to the frostfire aura—but the swarm blinked, dodging effortlessly. Another point of light glided past, from within it my hand shot forward, plucking a luminescent fruit dangling from a vine, its essence already translating into Vestigium force in my bloodstream.
Felicity's voice threaded warmth through my dantian. "Master, these resources—they're beyond rare. Be careful."
I laughed softly, the swarm pulsating in tandem with my heart. "Every hazard is an opportunity."
A pack of spirit beasts—sleek, feline-like forms with scales that shimmered silver and shadow—stopped mid-hunt as the Frostfire aura swept through their territory. Their eyes glowed in recognition, tails lashing, but their aggression faltered. Even they understood the presence of a King. Some stepped aside, offering a silent passage through their domain.
Hours passed—or perhaps only moments; time fractured in the swarm. Roots of rare medicinal plants glowed faintly beneath the canopy, fruits of impossible color hung in shaded nooks, and phosphorescent fungi threaded the trees like ghostly veins. I absorbed what I could, leaving no trace, storing the nutrients and Animus energy for cultivation.
Then I saw it: a waterfall cascading from impossibly high cliffs, the water glowing faintly under the moonlight, mist spiraling into rainbow hues. The basin below formed a natural pool, surrounded by smooth black stone, with ancient roots curling over its edges. The place radiated pure Beast Vein energy, untouched and potent.
I condensed the swarm into a single form, landing softly on the wet stones. Frostfire flames danced along my scales and electrical arcs over my raptor feathers, steam rising where my energy met the jungle's humidity.
"This will do," I murmured. My right eye shimmered blue again as the absorbed energy from the jungle had restored it's vital energies. But glacial soul essences remained in my Emberfire core, merging subtly with the Embercoil essence. "Here…we cultivate."
Felicity poured herself out of my body, silver tendrils converging into her familiar sleek body, the vibration of it was soft and grounding. She strutted up to me wrapping her arms around my chest, I hugged her back. "Even the jungle bends for you now, Master. She said looking up at me with her almond shaped silver eyes."I can feel the energy…pure, untamed, ready to obey."
I exhaled slowly, pressing my forehead against hers, inhaling the unique scent of her Animus, tasting it with every fiber of my heightened senses. The jungle's raw power swirled around us, but all I could focus on was her.
"That may not be the only thing that bends for me."
Felicity's silver eyes widened just slightly, her lips curving into a knowing smile as she felt the pulse of my King Intent through her own veins. A subtle vibration hummed through her, soft and grounding, yet charged with something far more electric.
She leaned tight into me, her body pressing with an almost magnetic force, as if the entire jungle had compressed into this single point of contact. Every beat of her pulse, every shimmer of her silver blooded essence flowed through me.
"Then Master," she purred, the word vibrating along my bloodstream like a melody of power, "let us evolve our contract to the next level… allow me to teach you."
She paused briefly, lips curling into a mischievous grin, fangs peeking just so. "The Heavenly Organa Sutra technique…" Her voice was breathless, husky, yet carried the weight of authority, an invitation and a challenge at once.
Around us, the jungle seemed to still—the rustling of leaves, the distant cries of predators, even the waterfall's cascade faded to a quiet hum, as though the Beast Vein itself had bowed to the gravity of our merging. In that moment, our bond became absolute—a fusion of crimson hoarfrost Animus and Vestigium force, Silver-Blooded essence, and indomitable will.
The waterfall tumbled in its eternal rhythm nearby, yet around us, time itself seemed to bend. Our essences co-mingled and pulsed like twin heartbeats of the world, weaving together, expanding outward, folding back, entwining again. Every brush of her tendrils, every shimmer of my Embercoil flames, was mirrored, reinforced, magnified. Hours passed unnoticed in this ethereal dance of energy, a meditation of body and spirit.
Finally, we broke from the Heavenly Organa Sutra state, breathing together in the hush of the awakened jungle. I could feel the subtle shift—her essence had deepened, resonated more completely with mine, and the jungle itself seemed to vibrate in approval. This was no longer merely co-cultivation; it was evolution.
Felcitys silver eyes were wide, "Master," she murmured, her voice curling through my blood like a warm current, "The Primal essence in the land...it will respond to me now."
I felt the shift immediately—the dense, primal energy of the jungle bending subtly toward her Silver-Blooded will. Tendrils of life pushed up from the soil, leaves trembling, blossoms opening along unseen vines. Felicity's gaze softened as she knelt, brushing her hands over the earth, whispering in a language older than words.
From the ground, tiny fruits began to sprout at her command, each one glowing faintly with the latent primal essence of the Beast Vein. One hovered in her hand, a luminous cherry, the color of starlight pressed into crimson.
She fed it to me carefully, her fingertips brushing mine. The taste was electric—a rush of mystic mental energy that sank straight into my mind. My thoughts sharpened, every thread of Animus awareness tingling with clarity.
"These are Mystic Mind Cherries," she explained, feeding another into my mouth, one after the other. "They enhance your mental energy pool. Every bit of your consciousness, every dantian copy, it will think faster, adapt faster. You will be able to spread your mind further, farther, coordinated beyond instinct."
I swallowed, feeling the effect almost instantly. I could my mental energy pool grow, my mind sharper more acute, more aware, making new connections. I looked at her, amazed.
"You… can grow them anywhere?" I asked.
She smiled, silver eyes gleaming. "I can grow what's native to the area we are presently at, it will change from location to location, and it also hinges on that area's primal essence. But yes, the land responds to me now. The jungle itself becomes my garden."
Felicity purred softly, the vibration tangible through our bond, as she leaned into me. Around us, the Beast Vein jungle hummed in response, alive with potential, the area around us began sprouting fruits. And for the first time, I realized that co-cultivating with her wasn't just survival—it was a forging of something deeper, something that would make both of us stronger, together.