Chapter 120 Energy Fusion and Spreading Corruption
Lyra: POV
The next morning, the gentle touch on my shoulder pulled me from dreamless sleep. I blinked awake to find Kael leaning over me, his eyes bright despite the early hour.
"Everyone's still sleeping," he whispered, excitement threading through his voice. "Perfect time to practice our energy blending."
I sat up immediately, sleep forgotten. Ever since discovering our shared abilities after that night together, I'd been eager to explore this phenomenon further.
"Let me check Nova first," I said, slipping out of bed.
Nova was sleeping peacefully in the temple's purification pool, the void energy basically eliminated from its small body. Satisfied with its recovery, I followed Kael outside.
We chose a small valley northeast of the temple, with a clear stream running through it and enough open space for privacy. The morning air felt crisp against my skin as mist curled around our ankles.
Be careful with your energy output, Stella warned in my mind. Cassius's detectors might pick up strong surges, even at this distance.
Kael positioned himself across from me. "Focus on your starlight, but this time, imagine a thread of my storm energy weaving through it. Think about how our energies felt when they merged."
Heat rushed to my cheeks at the memory, but I concentrated, summoning the familiar silver-blue glow to my palms. My first attempt produced only standard starlight, unchanged and pure.
"Try again," Kael encouraged. "Remember that day..."
I closed my eyes, recalling the sensation of our energies intertwining. This time when I opened my eyes, tiny electric arcs flickered around the edges of my starlight.
"I did it!" The excitement in my voice matched the thrill rushing through me.
On my third attempt, the purification beam from my hands had distinct lightning patterns running through it. I directed it at a void-tainted stone Kael had brought, watching in amazement as it purified twice as fast as normal.
"Your turn," I said, breathless from the effort.
Kael's storm energy swirled in his palm, electric blue and powerful. As he concentrated, silver starlight began pulsing through the storm. When he released it at another corrupted stone, the energy both shattered and purified it simultaneously.
"The hybrid energy is stronger," Kael noted, "but it separates back after a few minutes."
After practicing for an hour, Kael pulled something from his pocket—a small detection device. "Stole this from an Emberscale guard. Let's experiment."
We took turns testing. My pure starlight made the detector flash blue, while Kael's storm energy triggered green alerts. But our blended energies caused the device to display orange and emit confused, sputtering sounds.
"It can't identify what we're doing," Kael grinned, eyes alight with possibility. "This could be our advantage when infiltrating enemy territory."
"Stella thinks our dragon souls created some kind of permanent resonance that night," I said, unable to meet his eyes as I mentioned it.
Walking back to the temple, we debated telling the others. "This kind of energy blending is deeply private between soulbound mates," Kael argued, uncertainty in his voice.
"In normal times, I'd agree," I replied. "But with everything at stake, the strategic value outweighs privacy."
We found Thor reinforcing the eastern defenses while Marcus checked perimeter warnings. At breakfast, we demonstrated our discovery to everyone.
Aria's eyes widened. "This is extremely rare," she whispered reverently. "Ancient texts mention it happening only between the strongest soulbound pairs."
Thor immediately saw the tactical applications. "If their sensors can't identify this hybrid energy, we might have a way past their defenses."
Marcus nodded enthusiastically. "This could be crucial for disrupting Cassius's detection network."
"We could use this to investigate the forest or even approach the void rift!" Aria suggested.
Kael raised his hand. "We should perfect this ability first before using it openly. If Cassius discovers we can bypass his detectors, he'll immediately upgrade his technology."
"He's right," Thor agreed. "Save this advantage for when we truly need it."
Our discussion shifted to practical concerns—our food supplies would only last three days. I suggested establishing a hunting rotation, two people at a time for safety.
"Nova and I can handle today's first hunting trip," I volunteered. "He's recovered enough for short flights."
Kael's brow furrowed. "I don't like you going alone."
"Nova will be with me, and I won't go far," I promised, watching his reluctance war with practicality until he finally nodded.
Armed with water pouches and simple traps, I set out with Nova perched on my shoulder. We followed a stream downhill, with Nova occasionally flying ahead to scout. I extended my water element sensing outward, detecting movement within a hundred-meter radius.
What I found first wasn't prey but horror—a dead deer, its body corrupted by void energy, surrounding grass turned ashen gray. I tried purifying the area, but the contamination ran deeper than expected, requiring far more energy than anticipated.
Further along, I discovered a brook with unnaturally purple-tinged water, filled with deformed or dead fish. Nova suddenly sent a mental warning, directing my attention to a twisted oak tree, its bark covered in spreading purple-black patterns.
By the Stars, I thought with growing dread. The void contamination is spreading faster than we imagined—at least five kilometers from the rift already.
We eventually found healthy game on a slope away from the contaminated areas. Using water magic, I created a silent capturing dome, successfully catching a plump rabbit and two pheasants after carefully checking them for void energy.
On the return journey, I attempted to purify a small patch of contaminated grass, infusing a touch of Kael's storm energy. The mixed energy worked more effectively, though it drained my strength faster.
When I returned to the temple, everyone visibly relaxed, especially Kael, who immediately checked if I was safe. I described the forest's contamination in detail, marking contaminated areas on our map.
"At this pace, the contamination will reach nearby villages within a week," I explained as Nova projected images of mutating animals and plants, amplifying the impact of my words.
"If this continues, the entire valley will become void territory in two weeks," I concluded gravely.
Kael stood up, his voice resolute: "We must seal that rift. It's the only way to stop the contamination from spreading."
Aria pointed to an ancient text. "The old books mention that Storm Drake sealing abilities combined with starlight purification can close void passages."