Luna

  Nil was lying on the ground with his head in my lap, completely dead to the world. Nil worked himself to the point where his body simply couldn’t keep going despite having False Immortal’s Serum keeping him technically intact. Seeing someone clearly well beyond their limit pushing forward like a zombie was unsettling and a bit terrifying. I had an odd mix of emotions as I saw Nil keep standing back up as his body greatly protested the training that he was enduring to be able to help everyone tomorrow. Nil always was willing to go as far as he needed to for what he cared about; that part of the emotions I was feeling was a pleasant warmth Nil tried that hard for everyone. It, just, made me feel like I was still falling behind him. I stroked his hair a bit more as he kept recovering.

  Lux was closer than I was to Nil, and she felt far off of him as well. I hoped when I had all my like him I could close the gap somewhat, but even now he just seemed to make the difference in our abilities larger even faster. I looked at Krahinn who was still seething on his throne, clearly annoyed such a method was not brought up before. Regardless, the catalyst for the monstrous growth was undeniably Krahinn; his insight and knowledge truly put Nil’s past , Ori, to shame.

  I ran my hand along Nil’s horns a little, trying to focus a bit. It stung. That fact hurt. Nez helped me learn , Krahinn would occasionally give me a bit of his insight, and Empress Senna would discreetly help me with knowledge of the Imperial Family, yet I still felt like I was so far behind. I know I was better at dealing with other people than he was, but was it that greedy to want to be able to stand by his side and help him fight when the time came too? I was already on the path to me much stronger this time around, it simply felt so lacking still. For now, all I could do was assure Nil it was going to work out and I was here for him. How much longer did we need to rest here? I know Krahinn wanted to make the most out of every possible second that we had.

  “How much time is left?” I asked him. Krahinn’s numerous eyes shot to me, emitting waves of wrath.

  “About a minute.” Krahinn snapped. I definitely made sure my mind was shielded from him as I thought of how cranky he was likely going to be for the next several days.

  “Should I stir Nil?” I probed, looking at my dorky prince.

  “Probably not a bad idea.” Krahinn agreed as he made his throne vanish.

  I gently shook Nil who barely moved in response. His eyes groggily opened, looking around to see Krahinn standing. Nil adjusted slowly, his entire body quivering as he moved. It was in his eyes just how fatigued Nil was because he refused to stop moving forward. Krahinn tossed him another ration bar which I was beginning to suspect were a bit more than met the eye. Nil was able to eat it without assistance this time. I helped him walk forward as Krahinn unfolded the around us, welcoming the pungent stench of the Wastes to my nose. In retrospect, I was glad I would be spending my time on Phestia and not in the Wastes at least because the smell was unbearable. Krahinn opened a portal, stepping through with a purpose as we emerged back in Umbra. Emperor Father Nil saw his grandson staggering forward with that forlorn stare he had going and gave Krahinn a stern glare. Emperor Azzeck and Empress Senna also noticed Nil’s less than ideal state, giving Krahinn additional glares. Krahinn paid them no mind as his eyes bore holes through Nez’s soul.

  “First order of business, where are the siblings? They need to be kept with Luna so nothing happens to them. They will be joining her on Phestia before the army arrives.” Krahinn announced, his voice still incensed. At no point did his gaze stray from Nez.

  “We appreciate you having such a secure idea for them. What is wrong with Nil? Why are you staring so intensely at Nez?” Prince Nox checked to break the odd silence that followed, clearly not a fan of his husband getting stared down by Krahinn.

  “Tired.” Nil answered, his voice while sounding better was still a bit weak. I dreaded what the price entailed once the False Immortal’s Serum wore off.

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  “Someone, in all of our conversations, somehow, never seemed to have brought up the fact that apparently on Tenebrae, there is a method for purifying one’s .” Krahinn taunted in his actual voice.

  “There is, I assumed you already knew a better version of it as the one that exists is horribly inefficient. Most you either knew or had a variant you knew of that was about the same or slightly better. Is that unique in some way?” Nez answered, grasping the sheer enmity coming from Krahinn.

  “Let me be clear, there is no other Realm such a method exists. If there is a Realm other than here that does, I do not know of it. You all have, to my knowledge, what sounds like a method of increasing the of ones , and all somehow do not grasp just how major that is.” Krahinn explained. Nez looked at Krahinn a bit baffled.

  “What do you mean, increase the ? The method removes traces of other and you build your with aligned to your natural to increase the potency and efficacy of your . While useful, I do not see how it could increase the like you think.” Nez informed Krahinn.

  Krahinn closed his eyes and took a deep, deep breath as his slipped for a moment. I nearly fainted from the sheer amount of Krahinn possessed. The walls and bricks cracked and crumbled from the pressure he exuded as Krahinn calmed himself down. After what had to be the longest second, Krahinn got his back under control; he took another massive breath, letting out a massive, exaggerated exhale. Krahinn put his hands up as he clearly thought of how to articulate his thoughts politely.

  “So, is a measure of how close to the concept of the initial you are. Impurities decrease the of a , correct?” Krahinn asked Nez.

  “Yes, it dilutes the to less pure forms, hence why removing them and replacing them with better, more aligned to your makes one stronger, but it never increased someone’s .” Nez answered, not grasping Krahinn’s point.

  “And you measured that fact? When on Tenebrae is that checked?” Krahinn inquired. Nez clearly put some pieces together.

  “When someone is young, but could you go from to Nil’s ?” Nez checked as he was clearly realizing something important.

  “If you replaced it with sufficiently pure , it’s theoretically possible. Now I really, and I mean feel the interest all of them had in the answer.

  “How could I?” I blurted out as it dawned on me that Krahinn meant me.

  “Someone has and can enter Utol’s domain temporarily, and that should be the purest variant of hers you can find. You are the perfect

  “But Krahinn, what about that is special? Or are you stating the removing of impurities and other is unique to Tenebrae?” Nez inquired in a tone like he didn’t believe it.

  “That is exactly the point I am making. The concept of building and cultivating with pure, aligned to your is a concept older than me, but getting rid of part of your to get rid of dilution is something beings have struggled to find for eternities. Yet somehow, none of you realize that it is special.” Krahinn confirmed. I was willing to try; I had to try.

  “I’ll try it. I know how to purify my already as well.” I informed them.

  “Show me, right now.” Krahinn demanded. Wait, did he not think I knew the method?

  “Why not ask me in the ?” I checked. Krahinn bobbed his head as I did not immediately comply with his request.

  “I was not sure what all the conditions for it were, and I was thinking about other things. But as we have a moment to spare, I want to see it.” Krahinn answered with a slight pleasantness to his tone.

  I helped Nil sit in a chair and cleared a small place on the ground to sit. I immediately began circulating my , pruning off the pieces in my extremities while circulating the remaining back into my . As I did this, I could feel Krahinn’s eyes analyze absolutely every aspect of my being, capturing every detail possible. The tried to rejoin the rest of mine, but I pruned it again, stopping it from rejoining the rest. I circled the slightly purer through my , pruning and preventing the little bit I severed from rejoining for several rotations, waiting to finally feel it fade into the ambient around us. It took me a solid five minutes to complete enough cycling of my to get rid of the tiny bit of impurity out of it. Krahinn nodded his head, smiling viciously.

  “I see why you called it inefficient, but it does actually work. That might just be possible.” Krahinn chimed, sounding happy for once.

  “I’ll keep at it and see if it can be done.” I told him. I was going to increase my , or prove it couldn’t be done.