The meeting continued as Volten’s spirit sense at the Spirit Prince level swept over the Southern Continent.
With a flourish, he rolled out and reviewed a map of where the remaining Sun Sect demons were still causing havoc.
Then, after a moment of silence, he removed the markers for several locations from the cities of the southern continent.
"Thankfully, some of the other smaller sects and cities were more useful than expected. It looks like quite a few of the demons were dealt with without too many issues. Even Meadow Grove’s old ancestor seems to have come out from his basement to assist," Volten muttered as he flicked the remaining marks on the map.
"These are the targets you need to focus on now." His gaze fell on the First Blade and Lassim. "Some of these spots are teetering on complete destruction. Move fast, or we’ll lose even more."
The First Blade inclined his head. "We’ll handle it."
With a dismissive wave, Volten stood up from his seat. "Lassim, you’re going with them. Stay sharp, and close any new portals if they try to open them."
His eyes flickered toward Lassim, as if waiting for any questions or concerns. When none came, he smiled slightly and added, "Keep up with them. Don’t fall behind."
Lassim nodded, a mixture of eagerness and nervousness building within him.
He quickly glanced at Lustria, who stood quietly beside her master, her presence seemingly activating and masking itself towards becoming the embodiment of a shadow in the night.
They left the meeting hall swiftly, and soon enough, they were flying through the open skies toward their first target on the deck of the shadow sect’s flying ship vessel. It was sleek, triangular and had several enhancements to hide its presence, turning it effectively invisible.
The cool night air brushed against Lassim’s face, but the perpetual storm clouds still loomed overhead as they left the central region, casting flashes of lightning across the horizon.
He couldn’t help but think back to the day when he and Lustria had flown together on the back of the cloud serpent on their way to the Academy, when their futures seemed so much simpler.
As they soared through the air, Lassim gradually moved closer to Lustria, feeling the tug of the Soul Echo necklace around his neck as he went to stand beside her near the First Blade.
The connection between them had always been strong as friends, especially after he endangered her life so drastically with their first serious mission that left her scarred, but now it felt different—more intense, more meaningful.
He knew he couldn’t let this opportunity pass by without speaking to her, especially after eight long years apart.
Foll𝑜w current novels on fɾēewebnσveℓ.com.
"Lustria…" Lassim called softly, his voice just loud enough for her to hear over the rushing wind. "It’s been too long. What… what have you been through all this time?"
Lustria glanced at him, her shadowy and somewhat crimson amethyst eyes glowing faintly under her hood. "A lot, Lassim. More than I can easily explain." Her voice was quiet but carried the weight of years of tough experiences.
"After you left the Academy, things were… quiet for a while. Sirium and I stayed behind to finish the curriculum slowly, but once I reached the Spirit Growth stage, I knew it was time to try and catch up to you. I was determined to join the Shadow Sect, so I made my way to the Northern Continent with help from my family."
Lassim nodded, listening intently. "So, what was it like?" he asked, curious to know how she’d fared in one of the most feared and respected sects in the world known for training the world’s best assassins.
Lustria’s lips curled into a small smile, though it was tinged with exhaustion from the memories. "Tough. Harder than anything I’d faced before. But I passed with the highest scores in every category."
She paused, glancing at the First Blade flying ahead of them. "I caught his attention after four months in the sect, and he’s been… well, spoiling me with resources ever since."
Lassim raised an eyebrow, "Spoiling you?"
Lustria’s eyes twinkled slightly. "Yeah, he reminds me of my grandfather most days, giving out cultivation resources, special shadow element techniques. He’s honestly given me more than any other disciple ever receives in the sect by a lot. It’s sped up my growth, helped me advance faster than I ever thought possible.
I thought I was going to be somewhat similar in strength to you, but here you are… already Spirit Ascension! I mean, seriously what in the nine hells Lassim?"
Lassim chuckled. He was about to continue when he heard a soft cough from the front of the group.
The First Blade, who had clearly overheard their conversation, rubbed the back of his head awkwardly, clearly a bit embarrassed by Lustria’s description of him as some sort of doting mentor.
"I’m just making sure my best disciple reaches her full potential," the First Blade muttered, though there was no mistaking the pride in his tone.
Lustria smiled slightly, though she remained focused on the task at hand.
"So," Lustria said, turning the conversation back to him, "what about you? You’ve clearly gotten stronger. Are you going to tell me what happened after you left the Academy? You cultivated fast before, but this is insane honestly."
Lassim sighed, running a hand through his velvety blue hair. "It’s been… a lot." He glanced at her, trying to gauge how much she wanted to know.
"After I left, I went on a bit of an adventure, but not by my own choice. I can’t fully tell you what happened, but let’s just say I was forced to end up in a hidden dimension where I met the Drow."
Lustria raised an eyebrow. "Drow? I’ve never heard of them."
Lassim’s eyes lit up with a fondness and warmth as he explained, "They’re an ancient race—mostly pale-skinned, with crazy root-like tattoo marks across their bodies and faces, and they worship the space elemental Goddess Khaalseru. They’re a people who mainly live underground and were forced to live in a harsh snow landscape.
They have their own kingdom and culture, completely cut off from the rest of the world. I stumbled into their realm by accident."
Lustria looked intrigued. "And I’m guessing you made friends with them?"
Lassim grinned. "Yeah, kind of. I helped them out with a few—important—things, and now, well, I brought them with me and they live on my family’s lands, back at Swallowtail Mountain City. I’ll introduce you to their priestess, Sanvra, someday. She’s brilliant—really helped me and became my dear friend when I was there."
"That sounds… incredible," Lustria admitted, but her voice and expressions became a bit rigid and tense. Her spirit pressure and a faint bit of bloodlust that Lassim didn’t catch, but her master certainly did, leaked out. "You’ve really been through a lot."
Lassim nodded, oblivious, but continued on as there was more to the story. "After that, I ended up traveling to a place called the Queen’s Threads. I don’t know if you’ve heard of it but it’s back on the Beridian continent quite a ways south of our Aurora Kingdom. It’s a land of mainly arachnid folk—massive spiders, some even humanoid in shape but with distinctly arachnid features.
That’s where I met—or rather was kidnapped by, Silvari, their current Spider Queen Princess."
"Spider Queen Princess?" Lustria echoed with a bit of surprise and more jealousy invading her pressure. Some shadowy tendrils were leaking from her fingertips.
Lassim laughed softly. "Yeah. She’s still a child, but she’s incredibly spoiled and demanding. I had to stick with her for days, while under threat from the Spider Queen’s Widows, just to satisfy all her whims. Thankfully, I’d learned some of the spider language from a few apothecary friends I made while I was there, so I was able to communicate with her."
Lustria smiled, shaking her head slightly in disbelief and calmed down a little when she heard the word child. "You’ve had some wild adventures, Lassim."
Lassim shrugged. "Yeah, and eventually, I made my way to the Lightning Sect. That’s when things got… complicated." He sighed, glancing toward the distant clouds. "Let’s just say I didn’t exactly hit it off with Sect Master Volten at first."
Lustria raised an eyebrow. "Really? I can’t imagine why?"
Lassim smirked. "Yeah, well… he’s not the easiest person to get along with. I also don’t quite get it, but eventually, to answer you about my current cultivation level, I managed to pass the Water Goddess’ God’s Trial and reached the Spirit Ascension stage."
Lustria’s eyes widened. "You completed a God’s Trial? Our sect has one too, but my Master is having me wait a bit longer before he permits me to enter it."
Lassim nodded, but his expression darkened slightly. "Yeah, but it wasn’t without consequences. I received a reward—Leviathan’s scale—which helped me advance. But I was also cursed by the Leviathan in the process."
"A curse?" Lustria’s tone shifted to one of concern.
This time it was the First Blade that seemed to have connected the dots, "Boy… don’t tell me… How are you even alive?! Did no one warn you what making a constellation out of a living Demi-God can cause to happen? ESPECIALLY THE LEVIATHAN?!"
"I know," Lassim said, his frustration evident. "But there’s nothing I can do about it right now. No one warned me, and I believe even the other gods had a hand in making it happen. Well, it’s whatever. I just was forced to make a promise to free her someday, and that’s what I’m going to do. I just… need more time.
More strength."
Lustria was quiet for a moment, her eyes softening as she looked at him. "You’ve been through more than I thought."
Lassim smiled, though it was a bit forced. "Yeah, well… It’s part of us being Spirit Warriors, right? But enough about me. What about you? Other than being spoiled, what was it like training in the Shadow Sect? It’s one of the most feared sects in the world.
Can you silently orchestrate the killing of a king from the Northern Continent like the stories say?"
Lustria exhaled softly, her gaze drifting forward. "It hasn’t been easy. I knew it would be hard, but nothing could have prepared me for the trials they put me through." She hesitated for a moment, as if unsure how much to reveal. "The training is brutal. They push you to your limits, physically and mentally. You’re expected to live in the shadows, to be unseen, unheard.
To strike with precision and disappear without a trace. I’ve had to be incredibly creative while being completely blind like in the darkest of nights. I basically lived in the shadows entirely for those first four months, but I guess my performance made an impression. It’s gotten easier, but I’ve learned more under the First Blade’s instructions since becoming his disciple."
The First Blade’s chest seemed to puff out a bit and his ears turned a little red, unseen under his hood at her words.
Lassim nodded, "Wow. But you made it through so far. You’re definitely stronger now, all the way at the Spirit Transformation stage."
Lustria smiled faintly. "Yes, I am. But it came at a cost. The Shadow Sect isn’t a place for the faint of heart. You have to become someone else entirely—someone who can live in darkness. I honestly was worried you might not like what I’ve started to become and what I further will become in the future."
Lassim swallowed, feeling the weight of her words. "Well, ehem, I don’t care if you turn into some sort of Night Assassin Sniper Goddess that’s cold… I just hope you can keep your promise and eventually stay by my side for the rest of our lives."
He tried to put on a cool and stoic posture, but was a bit stiff.
She looked at him then, her eyes softening for the first time since they’d reunited. "And I never plan to go back on that promise, Lassim. You’re still ahead of me right now, but I will catch up to you to stand by you. I know you’ll do great things and I—I want to be there with you…"
Lassim’s heart swelled at her words, the tension of distance between them easing just a little.
There was so much more he wanted to say, so much more he wanted to ask, but now wasn’t the time. They were on a mission, and they had a job to do.
They neared the first target, to which the First Blade’s voice broke the silence. "Alright boy. We’re approaching the village. SHADOWS! Prepare yourselves!"
Lassim’s eyes sharpened as he prepared for the fight ahead, but even as he focused on the task at hand, the warmth of the Soul Echo necklace against his chest reminded him of his other half. For the time being, he felt a wholeness.