Spirit's Awakening: The Path of Lightning and Water

The cliffside was desolate and silent, save for the soft whisper of the wind and the distant cawing of birds.

The most uptodat𝓮 n𝒐vels are published on freёwebnovel.com.

At the edge, a haggard-looking man sat with his feet dangling precariously over the void, staring down into the abyss below. His clothes were tattered, his hair unkempt, and a thick stubble covered his face, indicating days, if not weeks, of neglect.

A short distance behind him, nestled among the rocks and trees on the plateau, stood a modest cabin formed out of nature. Its walls were made of intertwined branches, rocks and vines, giving it an almost organic appearance as if it had grown from the earth itself.

The man sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping under the weight of unspoken grief.

This was Hallen, and for nearly five years, he had been consumed by the disappearance of his young master, Lassim. The pain of that loss had etched itself into every line of his weathered face, and the search for Lassim had become his singular obsession.

Footsteps approached from behind, soft but deliberate. Hallen did not turn, but he knew who it was. The Royal Prince of Aetheria, Prince Kael, came into view, his presence a stark contrast to Hallen’s disheveled state. Kael’s regal bearing and pristine attire seemed almost out of place in this rugged landscape.

"Hallen," Kael called out gently, his voice tinged with concern. "It’s been almost exactly five years since Lassim disappeared."

Hallen did not respond immediately. He continued to stare into the crevice below, his eyes reflecting the abyss he felt within.

Finally, he spoke, his voice rough and weary. "Five years... and still no trace of him. Not a single clue. I’ve failed him, Prince Kael. I’ve failed the Rohese family."

Kael stepped closer, his expression sympathetic yet firm. "Hallen, you did everything in your power. No one blames you for what happened. The Rohese family understands the dangers and uncertainties of our world."

Hallen shook his head, his hands clenching into fists. "You don’t understand, Your Highness. I was tasked to protect him through the start of his journey. We got here, but I’ve failed the family. I’ve given up everything. I left the family business, I left my responsibilities.

How can I face them if I don’t return with him safe and sound? How can I look them in the eyes, return back to my previous activities, when I’ve failed them so completely?"

The prince’s eyes softened, and he placed a reassuring hand on Hallen’s shoulder. "You have not failed, Hallen. The fact that you have not given up, that you continue to hope and search, speaks volumes about your dedication and loyalty. The Rohese family would never consider you a failure."

Hallen’s gaze remained fixed on the void below, his voice barely a whisper. "I swore I would never return to the family unless it was with Lassim. I can’t break that vow. I won’t break it. The Young Master must come back home."

Kael sighed, knowing the depth of Hallen’s resolve. "If you need anything, anything at all, send a messenger. I’ll make sure you get it. You’re not alone in this, Hallen, and the royal family is forever thankful for the Rohese family’s great artistry and skill. Once you return to work, we’d be glad to commission another contract from you directly."

Hallen didn’t respond. He simply waved off the prince’s words, his mind already retreating back into the depths of his sorrow.

Kael lingered for a moment longer, then turned with a sigh. He walked away, his heart heavy with the weight of the situation.

As the prince’s footsteps faded into the distance, Hallen remained at the edge of the cliff, staring into the crevice below.

The world around him continued its indifferent march forward, but for Hallen, time had stopped the day Lassim disappeared.

~~~~~~

A tall young man, standing at 195 cm, walked through a bustling, snowy village. His velvety blue hair moved with a slight, almost ethereal motion, as if caught in a gentle stream of water.

He watched as the village around him was alive with activity. People chatted animatedly as they moved about, carrying unique looking poles, and others pushing carts filled with fresh vegetables, or transporting animal carcasses ready to be butchered.

As he made his way through the village, the young man observed the transformation that had taken place over the past few years.

The snow, now only a couple of inches deep, revealed patches of earth beneath. It was a stark contrast to the near-meter-deep snow that had once blanketed the area continuously.

He caught sight of two young Drow children, probably around three or four years old, chased each other through the village, their laughter filling the air.

Suddenly, in their play, they accidentally bumped into the young man, falling back onto their behinds in the snow.

Quickly, they scrambled to their feet, looking up at him with wide eyes.

"Ah, sorry, Mr. Star guy! We were just playing!" they apologized in a somewhat coherent version of the common tongue of Nexaria instead of their native language.

The young man, Lassim, smiled warmly in reply. His power now resonated at Spirit Transformation stage 5, a testament to his incredible progress in just a short few years.

He ruffled the hair on their heads gently, helping them to their feet.

"It’s alright," he said kindly. "Just be careful next time, okay?"

The children nodded enthusiastically before resuming their game, laughter echoing behind them.

Lassim watched them for a moment, a sense of satisfaction filling his heart as these two children were just a couple of the nearly 100+ new Drow children born in the last four years.

Their improvement in living conditions and availability of easy to access meals had been a boon for the Drow’s way of living and overall health. Also, the celebrations and feasts he’d held occasionally, whenever a new milestone in cleansing the plane occurred, had certainly been catalysts for some of the more energetic and romantic members of the tribe to expand their families or start new ones.

Watching them scurry off and continue playing, he then continued on his way, heading towards his destination within the village.

It had been nearly five years since Lassim first landed inside this plane. He was now 13 and half, nearly 14 years old. An age which, back in Nexaria, would see him soon graduating from the Myriad Spirit Academy and then joining a sect or profession.

Yet, he was still in the Drow’s plane, and a great deal of changes had occurred.

With the steady progress of the cleansing of the plane, Lassim had been able to advance to level 5 within the Spirit Transformation stage of cultivation.

His power had grown immensely, and the crystal within his heart world was now fully fused with his soul. It constantly emitted a radiant glow, and the once sparse puddle of water that had been left over after forming the crystal had now expanded into a vast, small ocean. Occasionally, Mari would dive in and swim around for fun when she was bored.

This small ocean was many times larger than its maximum size during the peak of the Spirit Growth stage, a testament to his higher cultivation level. It would likely continue to grow in width and depth as he progressed towards the peak of the Spirit Transformation stage, but that was just Lassim’s conjecture as he wasn’t too sure about the changes that led to the Spirit Ascension stage.

He would’ve learned in the Lightning Sect, but life had different plans for him so far.

The realm itself had seen significant changes. The snow level was lower, and the amount of snow falling was less, marking a unique and recent transformation.

Another oddity was the forever-lit full moon in the sky, which occasionally flickered. Though it didn’t happen frequently enough to cause major concern, it was still peculiar.

A more troubling development had started around a year ago when the entire realm shook violently one day. A few Drow were injured, but thankfully, no one had died that day.

There was a scare with one family’s newborn’s room having collapsed as they were still living underground and hadn’t transitioned to a surface village yet. The mother was horrified and rushed back home when she heard the news about a collapse in that section of the underground.

She was one of the recent village logistics assistant job women as support for coordinating the village’s supplies and people was becoming a more important and necessary job since the transition to the surface. Luckily, the father had taken the newborn baby out for a walk to stretch his legs as he’d be sitting down with the child for most of that morning.

Serendipity allowed them to safely be away from the collapsed area at just the right moment.

Since that day, the plane sometimes experienced random earthquakes at various intervals. Lassim and Sanvra were still unsure what was causing these tremors, but they had become more frequent as their progress in cleansing the realm continued.

Lassim made his way through the village, heading towards Sanvra’s home to discuss the earthquake that had occurred that morning.

As he walked, his thoughts were filled with the recent developments, but also his heart ached for a return to Nexaria. He wished that he could at least let his family know he was safe, but alas… He was unable.

Upon reaching Sanvra’s home, Lassim knocked on the door and waited. The door opened, and Sanvra greeted him with a concerned expression.