Chapter 441
Speaking of the child, Xerosis looked around and found herself alone. Panic set in, never in her long life as a demigod has she gone through the feelings she was going through now.
Xerosis looked around frantically, her sharp eyes scanning the vibrant landscape of the spirit realm, but the child was nowhere to be seen. A cold weight settled in her chest, unfamiliar and disorienting. Panic. She had faced death, gods, and monsters without fear, yet this—this was something new.
Never in her long existence as a demigod had she been truly alone. There had always been someone at her side: her mother, her brother, or, in their absence, Crepuscular. But now, in this vast and beautiful realm, she was utterly alone.
Abandonment.
The concept was foreign to her. Even in solitude, she had always been tethered to someone. But now, there was nothing. No guiding voice, no reassuring presence. Just her and the endless, unknowable expanse of the spirit realm.
She clenched her fists, forcing herself to steady her breathing. She could not afford to break here. The words of the child echoed in her mind—her path to ascension was unlike that of her cousins or brother. It was uncertain, perilous. And if she faltered, there would be no second chance.
Closing her eyes, Xerosis inhaled deeply, centering herself before taking a single step forward. Then another. She trekked through the realm, taking in its wonders with cautious reverence. The towering trees whispered in voices too faint to grasp, the elemental treants moved with an ancient grace, and unseen eyes continued to watch her every move.
After what felt like hours, she stumbled upon a small house nestled within the ethereal landscape. It was unassuming in structure, but the air around it pulsed with an unmistakable aura of divinity. Power radiated from its walls, ancient and commanding.
Curiosity stirred within her. Perhaps this place held answers. She turned towards it and began to approach.
Or so she thought.
The more she walked, the farther it seemed. No matter how many steps she took, the house remained at the same unreachable distance, as if space itself refused to allow her closer. Time stretched, or perhaps collapsed entirely. She was unsure how long she had been moving, only that she had not moved at all.