Chapter 18: Soul and Flesh
Dylan hurried to grab another gem, but the moment he felt something clutch his heart—as if twisting it—a sharp pain made him grit his teeth, doubling over with a harsh groan.
"Dylan... what did you do!?" the young elf woman cried, springing to her feet and rushing toward him.
He felt like his eyes were about to burst from their sockets, dark veins snaking all over his body as if they were going to explode. His breath came in ragged gasps, and—
She quickly pressed both hands against his back, and though he had no idea how, the pain slowly began to fade. It was still agonizing, but manageable now.
"I told you to be careful. You didn't just absorb the soul fragments—you took in some of the negative energy too. You could've died, you know?"
Dylan asked through a fit of coughing, the whites of his eyes already laced with red veins, yet his gray pupils remained sharp.
"What was that just now? What did you do?"
She looked down at her hands, hesitating for a moment before letting her mouth speak on its own.
"It's a kind of power tied to my bloodline. It helps stabilize spiritual essence. My mother used to use it on me when I failed absorption—just like I did for you." She said it plainly, without holding back.