Chapter 205 - 204 : Path to immortality (2)
Astarte’s fingers tightened slightly against Arthur’s nape as her words lingered in the air.
"Do you want to die?" Astarte asked in a low voice.
Her killing intent pressed down on him like a mountain. The atmosphere around the dining table thickened until even air felt hard to breathe.
Arthur didn’t flinch.
He didn’t look back at her.
Instead, he reached for the glass sitting in front of him on the table, lifted it with a steady hand, and took a slow sip.
Inside, his thoughts were screaming.
’Fuck—I almost thought she’d take my head off...’ Arthur thought. ’But I can’t back off now.’
He set the glass down.
Astarte’s voice came again, colder than before.
"Do you even know what a soul bond is," Astarte asked, "to propose something like that, Arthur?"
Her tone sharpened.
"If you wanted to die," Astarte added, "you could have just asked. I would have fulfilled that wish easily."
Arthur kept his gaze forward, refusing to turn his head despite feeling her hand on his neck.
"A Soul Bond," Arthur said quietly, "is the highest and rarest spiritual covenant in existence—a sacred union that transcends flesh, blood, space, time, and even death itself."
His voice was calm, but serious.
"Unlike ordinary contracts or magical pacts," Arthur continued, "a Soul Bond is not built upon authority, servitude, or mutual benefit. It is the complete union of two souls, binding their very existence together for all eternity."
He breathed out slowly.
"Once forged, the souls of both individuals become inseparable," Arthur said. "Their fates intertwine, their karma merges, and their existence can no longer be considered independent."
His crimson eyes flickered.
"It is a bond so absolute," Arthur said, "that even the laws governing life and death acknowledge its authority."
He paused.
"Throughout the endless history of creation," Arthur finished, "only a handful of Soul Bonds are said to have ever existed."
Astarte stared at him as if she were glaring daggers.
She flicked her fingers.
A holographic screen materialized in the air above the table, glowing faintly. Lines of text appeared across it, explaining the Soul Bond in detail.
Arthur read.
_________________________________________
~Conditions for Forging a Soul Bond
A Soul Bond cannot be forced, stolen, manipulated, or created through deception. Every requirement must be fulfilled perfectly. The failure of even a single condition causes the ritual to collapse instantly.
~Mutual Consent
Both individuals must willingly accept the bond through their own free will. Even the slightest hesitation, fear, coercion, or hidden deceit is enough to cause the ritual to fail.
~An Open Soul
Both participants must lower every spiritual defense and expose their souls completely to one another.
~Equal Resolve
Each must possess an unwavering determination to entrust their life, future, and very soul to the other. If either heart falters, even for a single instant, the bond will never be born.
~Exchange of True Essence
Both parties must willingly reveal the true essence of their souls. False identities, disguises, soul alterations, or concealed origins invalidate the ritual immediately.
~Acceptance of Karma
Each must knowingly accept the other’s destiny in its entirety—their blessings, sins, burdens, regrets, curses, and future trials. Nothing may be rejected.
~Soul Resonance
The souls themselves must acknowledge one another. If their spiritual resonance fails to surpass the required threshold, no amount of power can force the bond into existence.
~The One Bond Law
Every soul is capable of forming only a single true Soul Bond throughout its eternal existence. Once completed, it can never be replaced, transferred, or recreated with another.
---
~Hierarchy of Souls
Although a Soul Bond unites two souls as one, it does not erase the difference between them.
The individual possessing the stronger soul naturally becomes the Dominant Soul, while the other becomes the Subordinate Soul.
This hierarchy is determined solely by the strength of one’s soul. Rank, race, bloodline, divinity, authority, or worldly power hold no influence over it.
Only by genuinely surpassing the other’s soul can the hierarchy ever change.
Despite these titles, the bond grants neither control nor ownership. Both remain equals in will, even if one possesses greater spiritual authority.
---
~Effects of the Soul Bond
~Dominant Soul
The Dominant Soul receives several natural advantages, though none grant absolute authority.
- Can instinctively sense when the bonded partner is in mortal danger.
- May willingly share portions of their own soul power to protect or strengthen the other.
- Their spiritual growth indirectly nourishes the weaker soul.
- Their karma continuously influences the Subordinate Soul, whether fortunate or disastrous.
- Cannot issue commands or enslave the bonded partner through the bond itself.
---
~Subordinate Soul
The weaker soul bears the greater burden of the covenant, inheriting both extraordinary blessings and immense risks.
~Demerits
- Inherits the Dominant Soul’s karma, whether blessed or cursed.
- Ancient enemies, divine punishments, heavenly tribulations, and hostile fate directed toward the Dominant Soul may also fall upon them.
- Suffers spiritual backlash whenever the Dominant Soul receives severe soul damage.
- Cannot conceal malicious intent or betrayal from the Dominant Soul.
- Should they willingly attempt to betray or intentionally harm their bonded partner, the Soul Bond itself will reject the act, inflicting catastrophic damage upon the betrayer’s soul.
~Benefits
- Receives constant nourishment from the Dominant Soul’s spiritual essence.
- Their soul gradually grows stronger over time.
- Gains exceptional resistance against soul attacks, curses, possession, mental corruption, and spiritual erosion.
- In moments of extreme peril, may temporarily borrow a fraction of the Dominant Soul’s spiritual power.
- Their lifespan, soul stability, and spiritual foundation continue to improve as long as the Dominant Soul grows stronger.
- On failure to form the bond, the death of the weaker one is guaranteed.
---
~Shared Karma
The instant a Soul Bond is completed, the karma of both individuals becomes forever intertwined.
From that moment onward, neither can escape the consequences of the other’s existence.
Blessings earned by one may strengthen both.
Likewise, curses, divine judgment, heavenly punishment, catastrophic misfortune, and the hatred of powerful beings may spread across the bond.
To become bound to a great existence is to inherit not only its glory, but also every burden it carries.
---
~Immortal Souls
The greatest gift bestowed by a Soul Bond is true spiritual immortality.
As long as one bonded individual continues to exist, the other’s soul can never be permanently destroyed.
Even if one soul is shattered, erased from existence, scattered across countless worlds, or consumed by forces beyond creation, the surviving partner’s soul will preserve its existence. Given enough time, it will slowly gather the lost fragments and reconstruct the fallen soul.
Only one method exists to destroy a Soul Bond forever—
Both souls must be annihilated at the exact same moment.
If even a single soul survives...
The other can always return.
---
~The Forbidden Covenant
A completed Soul Bond cannot be severed.
Not by gods.
Not by demons.
Not by dragons.
Not by primordial beings.
Any existence foolish enough to attack the bond itself will find the damage reflected equally upon the two bonded souls—and upon themselves.
For this reason, Soul Bonds are revered as sacred taboos among the oldest races of creation.
_________________________________________
Arthur finished reading.
His mind weighed each condition, each risk, each promise.
Astarte’s cold voice cut through his thoughts.
"Now do you fully understand it?" Astarte asked. "It’s not some trivial thing that can be implemented just because you want to."
She stepped around the table, her hand finally leaving his neck as she faced him directly.
"You can also die while forming it," Astarte said. "Ask for something else. This is impossible."
Arthur’s expression cooled.
"It looks like you cannot keep your promise after all," Arthur said quietly.
He sighed and turned his eyes toward her.
"Or..." Arthur added, in an even lower voice, "are you afraid that I will die?"
The moment the words left his mouth, killing intent exploded from Astarte.
It hit him like a physical force.
Arthur’s knees buckled.
He dropped to the floor, one hand bracing against the tiles to keep himself from collapsing completely. His lungs burned; his heart hammered.
Astarte walked toward him slowly, each step echoing.
"Don’t try to play games with me, Arthur," Astarte said.
Her voice was sharp, layered with suppressed rage.
"I know what you’re trying to do," Astarte continued. "But do you have any idea the sin and karma that a demon lord carries?"
She looked down at him.
"You will be cursed beneath it," Astarte said. "You will beg me to kill you—if we even succeed in forming it."
Her killing intent receded gradually, pressure easing from Arthur’s shoulders.
She stopped in front of him.
"I’ll ask again," Astarte said. "Make your choice carefully."
She leaned down slightly.
"What do you want as your wish?" Astarte asked.
Arthur coughed, a small spray of blood landing on the floor, the taste metallic on his tongue.
’Dammit... you could’ve held back a little...’ Arthur thought, wincing.
But his eyes didn’t waver.
"My answer won’t change," Arthur said.
He looked up at her.
"That’s my wish," Arthur said. "Fulfil it if you can."
He paused.
"Otherwise," Arthur added, voice turning sharper, "you’re worthless to me."
Astarte’s eyes widened.
For the first time in her long existence, she felt anger bubble up in a way that genuinely surprised her. If it had been anyone else, she would have killed them instantly for daring to say such words.
But the darkness she sensed in this boy—
Strangely matched her own.
She didn’t move.
She just looked at him.
Silent.
Time stretched.
The room felt suspended between two choices.
Suddenly, Astarte turned around.
She started walking away without a word.
Arthur watched her back.
’Damnit... my ticket to immortality is walking away,’ Arthur thought, frustration prickling at the edges of his composure.
"My lady," Arthur said, voice echoing in the quiet hall, "is that a no for my request?"
Astarte halted.
Her back still to him.
"Pack your bags," Astarte said. "We will be leaving this place in two days."
Before Arthur could respond, her form dissolved into black mist.
She disappeared.
Arthur remained kneeling on the floor of the dining hall.
For a moment, only the echo of his low laughter filled the room.
’Two days, huh...’ Arthur thought. ’That’s not a no.’
He tilted his head back, exhaling.
Without him realizing it—
The golden egg resting on the dining table began to glow faintly.
Its shell shimmered with gentle light.
As if it had heard everything.