The dark red lightning around him faded again as Leo let out a sigh. He looked down at the item on his lap, but instead of a shard filled with living sparks, only small empty pieces remained there. The core obviously wasn't infinite; he should have expected that.

I guess that's enough for today, he mused and, with a single command, forced his shadows to launch him to the surface. Which they did, sending him flying high above the vast lake of Essence.

He landed upon a cliff overseeing the entire area and looked up at the sky. It was time to find out if he had just wasted the Lightning Core and at least a few hours.

He hadn't.

Huh, nice.

The sky hadn't changed much, but it was impossible not to notice the increased amount of lightning racing across it. However, unlike inside his core, the sparks didn't turn dark red. Whatever he did wasn't enough to affect their color.

Now, this gives me an idea, he mused, glancing at the darkness filling the entire sky. It looked stronger; it felt stronger. Maybe he was getting close to advancing his shadow affinity.

Next time… Next time…

With a quick pull on his soul, Leo opened his eyes back in the real world. Just as he was about to open his mouth to announce his presence, the System forced a notification right into his face.

What now?

Your trait, Venax Wings, has reached its maturity. Displaying updated description.

Venax Wings (Unique)

What's better than flight? Than the freedom of spreading your wings and going whenever you want? Nothing. Soon, you will learn this truth.

Effects:

As Prime Indomitus Venax, you have developed limbs called Floaters. Thanks to time and your hard work, they have finally matured, granting you a place in the sky. Current status: Matured, currents developed but still growing. Limited flight available.

"Limited…" Leo muttered. "So it's not done yet… Ah, fine, whatever. As long as I can finally fly."

"Did you say something?" Nyx called out, pausing her training.

"My wings finally matured. Should be able to fly with them now," he explained, standing up and doing a few stretches. He also removed his cloak and flexed the floaters on his back.

"Wait!" The feline shouted, looking ready to pounce on him. "Don't tell me you want to test them now—here."

Leo rolled his eyes. "Who do you take me for? I will only activate them, that's all."

"And the light show?"

"We are deep enough. Nobody will notice."

She sighed. "All right, but be quick."

Leo nodded and opened his floaters to the Essence resting inside his soul. At once, lightning, as dark as night, erupted from his back, forming two massive wings. He flexed them, trying to extend them to their full span, but the confines of the cave stopped him. That, and Nyx's glare when he almost hit her.

"Sorry!" He grimaced and cut off the flow of Essence.

Darkness returned to the cave, held back only by the small fire pit in the middle.

"And? How did it feel?"

Leo shrugged. "Hard to say. They don't feel like normal limbs, but they are not quite like elemental constructs either. It's like something in between, if you know what I mean."

Nyx furrowed her brow. "I don't. I really don't."

"Wait, really? What about when you transform into smoke?"

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"It doesn't feel any different than my solid form. It's still my body, just in a different state."

He blinked. "Huh… You learn something new every day… Either way, I have no idea how to put it into words. It feels natural, though, so that's all that matters."

Nyx nodded. "Planning to rest now? You look like you might collapse any second now."

A snort left his mouth. "It's not that bad yet, but yeah. Some sleep sounds perfect. You fine keeping watch?"

"I have a few more hours in me. Go rest, Leo."

"Thanks," he muttered, lying down next to the fire. "Wake me up in two h—"

Yet again, the world didn't allow him to finish his sentence. A loud crack of thunder filled the cave, followed by another, and then a dozen more—all in the span of a few seconds. The pounding of heavy rain reached their ears next, accompanied by howling of wind.

Of course, the System also had something to say.

Warning! Formation of Standard Void Storm (Rank C) in your area detected. Find shelter immediately and await the end of the Storm. Good Luck.

"It's just one thing after another." Leo chuckled, not even bothering to stand up. He was already inside a shelter. Hopefully, this tiny cave would be enough.

"At least it isn't an Eclipse storm," Nyx pointed out and also returned to her training.

He snorted. "True… Whatever, I'm going to sleep. Wake me up in two hou—Oh for fuck's sake! What is it this time?"

Leo sat up, quickly summoning his transmitter. He accepted the call without even checking who was calling.

"Yes?" he grumbled. "What is it?"

"Hi!" Lily chirped before adding, "You sound grumpy. Why are you grumpy? Is it the wrong time?"

"No." He dragged a hand across his face. "I'm just tired. I've been practicing that sealed form I told you about and some other stuff all day. Now there is a Void Storm raging outside, and I just wanted to get some sleep."

"Void Storm?!" He winced at her scream.

"Yes. Don't worry about it. I'm safe. It can't reach me here," he reassured her. And just as if to prove him wrong, the earth shook, followed by a clap of thunder that almost burst his ear drums.

Way too close.

"If you are sure," Lily replied, and Leo thanked the gods that the transmitter didn't pick up on the chaos outside. He could do without his sister worrying about him more than she already did.

"I am. Now, is there something you need, or…"

"Nah!" She chirped again. "I just wanted to check up on you, but if you want to sleep, I can call later. Just make some time tomorrow for the meeting."

Right, they are all going back to Wolford to reorganize. I almost forgot.

"I will," he promised. "Just call me when you're all ready. If I'm safe, I will answer."

"Got ya! Till then. Sweet dreams."

Before Leo could respond, the call disconnected. He resisted the urge to run straight into a wall, and just laid down again.

I swear, if something interrupts me again, I'm running outside and fighting the first Voidling I find.

Thankfully, nothing happened, allowing him to drift off to sleep.

----------------------------------------

Just a little bit more, Leo urged as Devour consumed the last bits of power in his body. The transfer of Essence from his soul to the storage also continued, leaving only a sliver inside him.

Come on, come on, come on!

With one final push, he compressed the last bit of energy, stored it, and cut off Devour. He then waited—a second, two, three, five—for anything to happen, but nothing did.

"Finally!" He pumped his mostly human hand—still covered in scales—into the air. "I finally got it! Nyx! How do I look?"

"See for yourself." The feline laughed.

His vision shifted instantly, filling up with the image of a creature even more bizarre than his normal form. For one, his size, legs, and arms had reverted to their human state, though the scales remained. His head was a completely different story, as while still somewhat draconic, his snout became shorter, making his face a bit more human-like. His hair, though, didn't make a return...

All in all, he looked like a strange mash-up between his stage two evolution and a Fallen Human. His new, slim tail only added to the messed-up image.

Leo frowned as his normal vision returned. "How is it that your sealed form is a simple cat, while mine looks like a failed attempt at a Halloween costume?"

Nyx shrugged. "Skill issue."

Don't kill her. Don't kill her. He took a deep breath. Focus on what's important. Like the new skill.

Sealed Form (Epic)

To enjoy yourself, sometimes you have to drop some unwanted weight. With Sealed Form, it's now possible. Abandon your worries, enjoy your vacations, and forget about the never-ending pursuit of strength now!

Effects:

You now may seal up to 99% of your power. Be careful; doing so leaves you vulnerable. With time, you may learn how to control your transformation.

Leo's eye twitched. With time? She did it on the first try! It might be a skill issue after all…

Not wanting to dwell on it, he canceled the Sealed Form and dismissed the description. All they needed now was for Naz'Tor to call and let him know that the extraction was ready. After almost five days inside this cave, he was getting claustrophobic. Nyx wasn't any better—he caught her looking toward the exit every few minutes.

The sounds of fighting creeping closer and closer to their position also didn't help. If things kept up, they might have to run soon.

Hurry up, my friend. We are pushing our luck here.