Aaryan crouched by the edge of the pond, eyes narrowing. It looked shallow. Peaceful. The water mirrored the cracked ceiling above, still and glassy, as if untouched by time.

But he didn't trust it.

Carefully, he scanned the surface—then the rocks lining the edges, the faint glow from beneath. No ripples. No sounds. Not even the faint hum of spirit energy. Just silence.

Too silent.

He circled the perimeter once, then again, slower. Still nothing. No runes, no inscriptions, not even a way marker. Just water that shouldn't be this quiet in a place like this.

Aaryan exhaled, stripped down to his inner robes, and stepped in.

The instant his body broke the surface, something shifted.

A pulse—not quite pain, not quite pressure—swept through him. Like slipping through a membrane of unseen force. His skin tingled. His breath hitched.

And then the world changed.

What had looked like a shallow basin from above was now impossibly deep. The rocky bottom was gone, replaced by a dark, endless descent, filled with twisting currents and strands of drifting light. Plants that hadn't been there before curled toward him. Strange fish darted past, their scales pulsing faintly blue.

Aaryan blinked, suspended midwater. 'Illusion.' That flicker of energy he'd passed through—it wasn't a barrier. It was a veil. A crooked grin appeared on his face.

"Tricky," he murmured, voice swallowed by the water.

He adjusted his breath and let himself sink deeper. At the third stage of body tempering, he could hold air for close to two hours—more than enough to reach the bottom. Hopefully.

Assuming this place had a bottom.

Because from here, it looked like the pond went on forever.

🔱 — ✵ — 🔱

Aaryan kept descending, legs kicking slow and steady. Minutes passed. Then more.

Still nothing.

No floor. No walls. Just water stretching in every direction, colder the deeper he went.

His muscles ached slightly from the strain of controlled movement and the cold bit deeper the further he went, clinging to him like a second skin, but he ignored it. Focused instead on the question clawing at the back of his mind.

Was he being led into a trap? Or just wasting time?

He paused, floating in the middle of the void, eyes scanning the endless blue-black murk below.

Tch. "I'm either swimming toward a treasure or drowning in a glorified puddle."

He glanced upward. Even the entrance was a faint blur now, distant and wavering.

He could go back. Regroup. Think of a new angle.

But just as the thought crossed his mind, his hand brushed against the egg inside his robes—still nestled close to his chest, faintly warm.

Aaryan froze. Then scowled.

"You know," he muttered, "it's you who wants whatever's down here."

The egg didn't respond.

Aaryan narrowed his eyes. "I've done enough swimming blind. If you're smart enough to want that thing, then you're smart enough to find it. So, come on—put in some effort too, little one."

A moment passed. Two.

Then the egg pulsed.

A soft hum, almost like a purr, vibrated through his chest. Faint at first, then stronger. It glowed—bright and shifting, the surface swirling with iridescent colours like oil on water.

The water around him shimmered in response. Like something had stirred.

The egg pulsed again, brighter this time—and moved. Not violently, not erratically. But with purpose. A tug in a direction Aaryan hadn't noticed before. Slightly to the left. Down. And something else—something beyond.

He smirked.

"Finally. Now we're getting somewhere."

With a flick of his legs, he followed the egg's lead, deeper into the unknown.

The current shifted subtly as Aaryan followed the egg's silent pull, deeper and deeper, until—finally—something appeared in the distance.

A shadow.

He narrowed his eyes. No, not just a shadow. A shape—rounded, jagged-edged, like a yawning crack in the world.

A cave.

Slowing his strokes, Aaryan circled once, eyes sharp, senses taut. No runes. No wards. But the water itself hesitated at the cave's mouth. It ended in a clean, unnatural curve—like an invisible wall held it back. Beyond that invisible line lay stillness. Dry rock. Air.

A pocket of air, untouched by the surrounding depths? No—something more deliberate.

He floated at the threshold, then slowly pushed a hand forward.

His fingers passed through without resistance. Just a tingle, like static brushing over skin.

A breath. A kick.

Then he stumbled forward, water dripping from his robes onto dry stone. The shift in atmosphere hit him instantly. The pressure here was immense—not spiritual, not physical, but primal. Ancient. Like stepping into a place that remembered more than it ever spoke.

The cave wasn't vast—an alcove maybe twenty paces deep—but it felt heavier than entire halls above.

Aaryan's breath hitched.

At the end of the chamber, cradled between fractured stalagmites, was the source.

A flower.

Twisted and wild, with black-violet petals that pulsed faintly like a heartbeat. No taller than his hand, yet everything around it recoiled, as if afraid to touch the very air it breathed. The space shimmered above it, warping with invisible heat—or was it energy?

His instincts bristled.

'Don't touch.'

But the egg stirred. It trembled with excitement, its warmth flaring into heat. Light shimmered across its surface in oil-slick swirls, brighter than ever before, throwing rainbows onto the stone walls like a prism spinning loose.

Aaryan stared at the flower. Then the egg.

"You're serious?" he muttered. "That thing's practically humming with death."

The egg pulsed. Once. Firm. Certain.

He rubbed his temples. "Of course. The treasure you want is some nightmare herb that probably feeds on—"

His words cut off.

A pulse rippled through his mind—not from the egg, but deeper. Older. A resonance of the Dragon's remnant will, neither hostile nor welcoming, just… present.

And with it, a name formed on the edge of thought, not spoken, not read, but known.

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'Nihil Bloom.'

A rare spiritual herb. Feeds on weak soul energy. But when consumed by a beast-egg or evolving creature, it forges a resilient bond between soul and vessel. Accelerates awakening. Strengthens essence.

Aaryan blinked, breath shallow.

So that was it.

"It'll help you hatch faster?" he asked.

The egg answered with a vivid pulse—hot, alive, certain.

And now that he knew its nature, the pressure made sense. The way the air curled away from the flower, the way his instincts screamed.

This thing didn't belong in mortal hands. It belonged to something becoming.

He glanced down at the egg. It quivered, light rolling across its shell like waves under moonlight.

Aaryan stepped closer, slowly.

His limbs felt heavier the nearer he came—as if the cave itself was testing his resolve. The floor pulsed faintly under his feet. Like the chamber had a heartbeat of its own.

"You better be worth this," he muttered.

And took another step.

Just as Aaryan's fingers brushed the edge of a petal, his instincts flared.

Danger.

He twisted on reflex—and something blurred past, slicing the air where his head had been a heartbeat ago.

He kicked off the stone and retreated fast, lungs burning. His back hit the invisible barrier at the cave's mouth, and there—looming before the Nihil Bloom—stood the attacker.

A beast.

Lithe and long-limbed, its body coiled like a panther's, but scaled like a serpent's.

Midnight-blue hide shimmered under the strange cave light, and two slitted eyes glowed with a faint, ominous crimson. Horns curled back from its skull—obsidian, ridged, ancient-looking. Steam curled from its nostrils with each slow breath.

It didn't snarl. Didn't charge. It watched. Waiting.

Aaryan's pulse slowed as instinct gave way to analysis.

'Sixth stage.'

He hadn't seen it coming. Had barely dodged. That kind of speed… only something far stronger than him could move like that.

"Great," he muttered under his breath.

He could push against someone at that level. Just barely. But this wasn't a someone—it was a beast. And beasts, with their raw physique and primal resilience, were another matter entirely.

The egg quivered against his chest—anxious, insistent.

"I know," Aaryan murmured, keeping his gaze locked on the beast. "I'll try. But if it gets too bad, we're leaving. No treasure's worth dying for."

He waved his hand and drew a curved dagger from his spatial ring. Reliable. Familiar.

The beast moved—and the cave erupted into chaos.

Aaryan ducked low, his blade scraping sparks across scaled hide. He twisted past a swipe, kicked off a stone wall, and slashed again. The dagger bit—barely. Then skidded, like metal against polished armor.

The beast didn't flinch.

Claws came down like Executioner's blades. He rolled, then struck at its underbelly—but the creature spun, lashing its tail. The blow cracked against his ribs and hurled him across the cave Like a dead leaf caught in a mountain stream.

His back slammed against stone. The breath tore from his lungs as blood flooded his mouth.

The egg stirred again, frantic now.

He gritted his teeth. "I'm fine," he rasped. "I'll find something else for you, alright? This isn't worth—"

A claw strike interrupted the promise. He barely twisted aside, landing hard near the cave's exit. Cuts lined his arms, one eye swelling shut. He could feel the bruises blooming beneath his robes.

This was a losing fight.

The egg pulsed.

Not a gentle flicker—a flare. Light spilled from it, bending the air. For a single breath, everything changed. Sound dulled. Colour bled thin. The beast froze… then sniffed the air and turned away, confused.

As if Aaryan wasn't there.

He didn't waste the moment. Slipped behind a jagged outcrop. Waited.

One breath. Two.

By the fifth, the beast's head snapped toward him again, and it charged.

Aaryan barely dodged, stone splintering where he'd stood.

Another shimmer—and once more, the beast searched blindly through the shimmering haze, pacing in circles, snarling in frustration.

Aaryan's skin prickled.

"You're doing this?" he whispered.

A pulse. Faint, but clear. Yes.

But it was weaker now. Flickering at the edges.

"You can't keep it up," he murmured, catching the strain.

No reply. Just a dim glow, like a guttering candle.

He clicked his tongue. "Didn't think it was free. Alright. We'll make it count."

He moved carefully, using the egg's veil like a cloak of smoke. Step. Vanish. Slash. Reappear behind. The illusion was short-lived—but enough to draw blood. Enough to confuse. He fought like a shadow, carving in slivers.

Another glow—and the veil held for three breaths. No more. The beast was adapting, reacting faster each time, claw swipes catching the edge of Aaryan's robes.

He ducked, bleeding, breath shallow. "It's weakening... figured."

The egg vibrated again—this time like an apology.

He touched it briefly through his robes. "Not your fault. You bought us this far."

Then he looked up at the beast.

Its breath steamed in the cold cave air. Eyes narrowed. It was bleeding now too, thin lines across its flank and jaw. But it was angry. Alive. Strong.

Aaryan exhaled, slow and sharp. A grin split the blood on his lip—crooked, reckless.

"Well then. Let's kill this guardian."

The egg sparked one last time—faint, flickering. The veil that followed barely lasted a heartbeat. Aaryan struck—and this time, the beast caught him. A claw skimmed his side, shredding cloth and skin. Hot blood spilled down his ribs.

He rolled aside, coughing. The egg didn't glow again. It was done.

"No more tricks," he muttered, pushing himself upright. "Alright then."

The beast paced low, lips peeling back in a snarl. Aaryan steadied his stance. Muscles screamed. Ribs throbbed. His vision swam—but he stood.

He didn't need a miracle. Just an opening.

The beast leapt.

Aaryan twisted into the attack, letting it clip his shoulder—pain burst white-hot—but he was inside its reach now.

He drove the dagger up and in, under the chin and into the soft palette. Metal crunched through bone and buried deep. He twisted.

The beast spasmed. Gurgled. Collapsed in a jerking heap.

Aaryan staggered back a few steps, chest heaving, blood soaking his hand. His fingers trembled.

Then he dropped beside the twitching corpse, breath ragged.

"Remind me…" he panted, head against the wall, "…never to fight one of those again."

The egg pulsed. Faint. Gentle. Grateful.

Aaryan chuckled dryly. "Yeah, yeah. You better be worth it, little monster."

He let his eyes close.

For the first time since diving into that cursed pond… he let himself be still.

After some time, Aaryan wiped the blood from his face, breath still heavy. His body ached with every motion, but strength was slowly trickling back—enough to stand, enough to walk.

He glanced at the beast's corpse.

Kneeling beside it, he cracked open the skull—but found no core.

A heavy sigh slipped past his lips. "Of course. Kill a sixth-stage guardian, get nothing for it."

The disappointment was sharp—but brief. He'd learned not to linger on what he couldn't change. With a final glance at the shattered stone, he turned back toward the Nihil Bloom.

The flower still stood, its pale petals untouched by the chaos. He stepped toward it—slowly, cautiously—until he was within arm's reach.

Then the egg stirred.

It slipped from his chest—not broken or hatched, just… emerged. Hovering in the air.

Aaryan took a step back as it began to glow—bright, shifting colours flickering across its surface. One. Two. Three… nine shades in total, blending like liquid fire. Crimson. Azure. Jade. Gold.

The glow spilled forward, enveloping the flower in a gentle swirl of light.

Aaryan's eyes narrowed. "What are you doing now?"

No answer. Just a hum, low and resonant, like a distant chime underwater.

The Nihil Bloom quivered. Its petals trembled… then darkened. A moment later, it withered entirely—curling inward, blackening, crumbling to dust.

Gone.

The egg hovered for a heartbeat longer, then drifted back to his chest, nestling inside him once more.

It pulsed—once. Soft. Warm.

"…You absorbed it," Aaryan muttered, blinking. "Didn't think you were that hungry."

He shook his head, a dry laugh escaping his throat. "You better be a damn phoenix when you hatch."

Shaking his head, he returned to the beast corpse. The heart still held warmth. He drew a vial from his ring and extracted blood directly from the ruptured organ. Thick. Potent. Essence blood like that would fetch something decent.

As he shifted the organs aside, his fingers brushed against something hard—smooth and cold, unlike bone. He frowned, digging deeper until he pulled it free. A shard of dark crystal, jagged at one end, runes faintly etched along its surface. Not natural. Not part of the beast.

A key of some kind?

He turned it over in his hand. There was a subtle pulse to it—barely there, but unmistakable. He didn't know what it opened, but instinct told him it was important. Dangerous, maybe. Useful, definitely.

He slipped it into his ring.

The claws came next. Not precious, but sturdy and sharp—worth selling, at least.

When it was done, he stood, body sore but steady. The cave exit waited, the same way he'd come in. He dove into the water and began swimming upward, the cold pond wrapping around him like a shroud.

Then—breach.

He leapt from the surface, landing on the stone rim with a satisfied grunt. Water dripped from his clothes, and for the first time in what felt like hours, he smiled.

And then he saw them.

Two figures stood across the pond, watching in silence. Disciples. He couldn't place their sects from here, but he didn't need to.

Of course someone saw.

Aaryan exhaled slowly. His smile faded into a grimace.

"…Can't have one peaceful exit, can I?"

He didn't move at first. Just stood dripping on the stone rim, watching the two figures across the water.

They were whispering. Poorly.

He didn't recognize their robes—not Cloud Pillar or other two, nothing that mattered.

Small sects, likely. Their eyes lingered on his soaked robes, the faint insignia of Evernight barely visible through the blood and water.

One of them frowned. "He's Evernight…"

The other glanced around. "Alone, though."

A moment passed. Then they stepped forward, trying their best to look confident.

"Hand over whatever you got from the pond," the first one said. "We'll let you walk."

Aaryan blinked. Then smiled—broad and baffled.

"Wait, hold on. This is a robbery?" He swept a hand toward them theatrically. "You see someone crawl out of a forbidden pond, half-dead, and think, 'yeah, let's go bother that guy'?"

The second disciple scowled. "You're injured. And you're a stage below us."

"Oh, now you've studied me." Aaryan gave a slow, sarcastic clap. "Tell me—do your sects offer refunds for broken bones, or is this a non-refundable lesson?"

They didn't reply. Just surged forward.

Aaryan moved faster.

He ducked beneath the first's strike and slammed his elbow into the man's ribs, drawing a sharp wheeze. The second tried to flank him—Aaryan stepped aside, grabbed his robe, and drove a knee into his gut. A flick of his wrist, and his curved dagger was back in hand, flashing cold in the cave light.

By the time both disciples hit the ground, one was unconscious, the other groaning and clutching his stomach.

Aaryan crouched beside them, checked their robes, and plucked out twenty spirit stones total from a pouch. Not bad for a back-alley mugging.

He stood, weighing the stones in his palm. "Appreciate the donation," he said. "Consider this an Evernight tax."

Then he walked.

The stone hallway beyond the pond chamber stretched wide, carved with age worn patterns that glinted faintly in the low light. Aaryan moved carefully, but not cautiously—he was bleeding, sore, and half-ready for a nap, but adrenaline kept him sharp.

At the end of the corridor, the passage opened into a vast, circular chamber.

His steps slowed.

More disciples were already inside. Maybe a dozen in total, scattered in small clusters.

And near the centre of the room, looking entirely too smug, stood Rudra.

Aaryan's eyes narrowed.

"…Well, Hello there."

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