Genetic Ascension

1616 Thank You

There was something about the shaking of the sphere that was particularly unsettling for Fifth Prince Sona. It didnʼt feel as though there was a battle, but almost as though something was awakening.

What he didnʼt understand was what any of this had to do with Starell, and why these idiots were touching such a reverse scale. Didnʼt they see her wings? Even Leia had gone out of her way to stop Nosphaleen from doing something stupid.

If the wrong person was angered by this, all of them would be implicated. It wouldnʼt be

a matter of logic and reason anymore.

”Fuck,” Fifth Prince Sona cursed to himself.

He had really gotten himself in some real shit this time. He knew that eventually, his need to participate in everything would come back to bite him, but couldnʼt it wait a few more years? It was already too late to not be involved.

Nosphaleen couldnʼt seem to see Leia looming over her at all. In fact, it was hard to see much of anything, her gaze being filtered through blood and blurred vision.

Even so, the sphere in the distance was like a burning beacon to her. The moment it shook, she felt waves of relief, and quite quickly, that made the situation of her body all the worse.

The instant she relaxed, all the injuries she had been suppressing burst. Her healing factor was excellent, especially in this partial beast form. But Leiaʼs energy was too high level. It would take her days to recover without Sylas, and that was before she went all out just now.

But none of it mattered... none of it mattered so long as he was awake.

The sphere shook again and an opening split open.

A head of wild hair rose. Somehow, it both looked like the erratic hair of a wild man and a prim and proper one. It stuck out in jagged edges, but there wasnʼt a single split end or dry strand. Every dense curl and tight loop was well-maintained and perfectly groomed, as was the handsome face it was all attached to.

Sylas stood to his full height, his eyes still a bit unfocused.

The sphere of silver split open completely, unfolding into a disk that lay beneath his feet. And that was when they saw it.

Starellʼs eyes were opened wide, looking up into the skies with a half-vacant gaze. Sylasʼ claws dug into her neck, her head snapped back toward her spine.

What breath was left in her was so shallow it was hard to say if she was still alive at all, but Sylas seemed to have no concept of what he had done at all.

He needed Starell because she was the easiest to control. She was part of the Serpent Lineage and didnʼt stand a chance against his Will even while unconscious.

If things continued as they were going, it would take him at least another week to wake up. However, after using his Grimblade Lineage to devour Starellʼs Will... The timeline was cut short.

He was barely able to regain a small bit of consciousness to get this information to Nosphaleen just now. But even if she had thought of it on her own before, it would have been worthless unless he was awake enough to do what needed to be done.

This was the earliest it could have been executed, and as far as Sylas was concerned, it was just in time.

He didnʼt seem to feel how close Fifth Prince Sona was to him. His gaze shifted and landed on Nosphaleen, who was still gasping for breath on the ground, an unfamiliar young woman standing over her.

Sylas looked from Nosphaleen to Leia with an almost eerie sort of calmness. His pupils dilated, the weaving lines of varying shades of emerald in his eyes moving in relation to one another as a subtle pull on time swept over the region.

Leia felt her heart skip a beat as Sylasʼ gaze swept over the battlefield. It was like he was peeking through the fabric of time, reconstructing everything that had happened while he was out.

He didnʼt say a single word, but the longer he remained silent, the more time Leia and the Fifth Prince both seemed to have to regain their focus as well.

”Do you have any idea what youʼre doing? Do you know where she comes from?” Leia growled, her Emperor Lion Armorʼs helm moving almost as though a real golden lion was roaring at him.

Sylas didnʼt respond. He knew some things about the Universal Gene Lock on angel wings. As a Reaper Sealwright, he could feel it even clearer without needing to have the knowledge at all.

But there was a prioritization of things that needed to take place. And right now... a loss was unacceptable.

What they had done to Nosphaleen?

Even more unacceptable.

Sylasʼ claw flexed, his palm expanding and his claws unhooking from her neck.

He took a step and vanished.

Leia reacted fast, her staff striking out with a vicious momentum. Sylas hadnʼt prepared anything—the thought that he could just take advantage of a Spacetime affinity to get to her was nothing more than a joke.

Clearly, he didnʼt understand who the Analei were.

They were a race of beings who danced with time as though it was their closest friend. There was no sort of spacetime manipulation her eyes couldnʼt see through.

Her staff hit nothing but air.

Leiaʼs eyes widened, her head snapping back, but there was no attack coming. All she could see was Sylasʼ broad back lowering by Nosphaleenʼs side.

Slowly, he picked her up, his senses sweeping over her body.

He could see all of the problems with a glance, but just under the effects of his presence alone, they were already beginning to heal.

Nosphaleenʼs lips curled into a smile as her consciousness faded to black. She really didnʼt have the slightest bit of energy left.

”Thank you,” Sylas said simply.

It was the last thing she heard before her world faded to black and her body disappeared into the Hibernation Realm.