Mordax stood up, his muscles protesting after hours of immobility in his meditative state. As he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the sight of a night sky adorned with myriad stars, their gentle glow illuminating the darkness.

Feeling a presence behind him, he turned to find Zilvera standing there, her eyes fixed upon him. Recognition sparked within him.

"This is the first time I've seen you meditate for such a prolonged period," Zilvera said.

"Wow, cute." Instinctively, he covered his mouth with his hands, even though they communicated telepathically. 'Shit, did I just think that out loud?' He cursed inwardly.

Caught in the whirlwind of his thoughts, Mordax didn't see Zilvera's wide-eyed disbelief. A faint blush colored her silver armored cheeks. 'He thought of me... in that way? I can't believe it,' she thought.

She approached him, her voice steady but tinged with a hint of vulnerability. "Say... it... again," she requested.

Mordax felt a sense of unease settle within him as he craned his neck to meet her gaze. 'I am feeling a deja vu right now.' "Hey, I'm sorry, okay?" he responded, his voice laced with genuine remorse. "I lost my memories, and I'm still adjusting to this telepathic communication. I didn't mean to cause any offense."

"Say it again," she repeated, bending her neck and towering form to bring her face close to his. Her amber eyes, usually soft, now had a maniacal swirl as she peered down at him.

Mordax hesitated for a moment. But sensing a desire for connection in Zilvera's eyes. "I thought you are cute," he decided to take a leap of faith.

Zilvera pierced a scream that reverberated through the air. She transformed before his eyes, her silver chitin armor exuding a terrifying aura that surpassed even Grixi's dread-inducing presence.

Fear gripped Mordax's entire being as he realized that this predator, once his childhood friend, intended to kill him in the most gruesome manner imaginable.

Panic surged through his veins, urging him to run, or face certain death. With trembling hands, he reached for the button that would open the windows, preparing himself for the rush of wind that would follow.

Mordax's fear of heights was momentarily forgotten as survival instinct took over. The wind buffeted him as he leaped out, toward the vast black sea below. His mind raced, thoughts intertwining with the rush of adrenaline.

As the piercing scream gradually lessened in volume. 'There's no escape,' he sighed, 'I jumped without thinking - she'll catch me no matter what.'

Then the black sea swallowed him. In the pitch black darkness, A profound realization washed over him—the clouds surrounding him were different from the white, ethereal clouds he remembered. They held a distinct quality, one that he would need to explore further, so he made a mental note to himself.

Suddenly, the chilling scream echoed through the air once more. No sooner then he emerged, Zilvera emerged too. He turned towards her to find her closing in on him with uncanny speed, her sharp claws extended, ready to strike.

From the corner of his eye, he take a look at the ground, gulping loudly. He opened his arms wide, welcoming his deadly predator of a childhood friend.

Earlier that day, Grixi, after separating from his brother, made her way to the healer's spire once again.

Seeing her form sent shivers down the nurses' spines. She lined them up against the cold, white wall, her massive form dominating the room.

She brandished a whip made from some creature's spine and organic matter, its small tendrils teasingly brushing against her massive claws.

With each crack of the whip, a surge of both pain and pleasure coursed through the nurses' bodies. The sharp sting of the whip left behind a trail of red marks on their skin, and they couldn't help but let out a symphony of moans.

Grixi expertly wielded the whip, alternating between gentle strokes and forceful lashes. She knew exactly where to strike to push these slutty nurses to the edge.

The nurses were caught in an erotic storm, their bodies trembling with anticipation for the next strike. "It seems I have been too lenient on you lately." Grixi growled, her voice dripping with sadistic delight.

Then each strike of the whip landed with a brutal force, opening up wounds on their tender bodies. Their moans of pleasure turned into cries of pain as the whip sliced through their flesh.

The room filled with the scent of blood as it trickled from the freshly formed welts, a beautiful contrast against their flushed and aroused alabaster skins.

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Grixi reveled in the sight, her sadistic pleasure amplified by their delicious suffering.

"You dared to consume tonics without my permission, you are forbidden from licking each others wounds."

All of them spoke at the same time. "We are sorry mistress."

"Now tell me, what have you gained from his mindscape." Grixi asked.

Nezla, amid pants started explaining. "Nothing mistress, his memory loss is not a simple one where we can lift the haze from his memories."

"They have become splintered, it was slowly healing though, so the only thing he needs is time."

As Mordax free-fell, his heart raced in his chest. The maw of Zilvera closed in on him, her white, razor-sharp teeth creating a contrast to the all around blackness around them.

But to his surprise, Zilvera lightly nibbled on his head and playfully licked it with her tongue.

'What! She's not angry?' he thought, as Zilvera's embrace tightened around him, her powerful arms enveloping his torso. He couldn't deny the strange sensation of being squished between her formidable chitinous breasts, creating a feeling that was both overwhelming and oddly comforting.

"I missed you so much," Zilvera exclaimed, her voice filled with affection. "Calling me cute out of the blue like that, are you trying to give me a heart attack?"

"Don't do naughty things like that again my love."

"Wait, what?" he stammered. "Missed? Love?"

"Yes," Zilvera replied, her voice tinged with a hint of frustration. "We were betrothed to each other from a very young age. I am aware of your memory loss, but I thought you would at least remember me no matter what!"

'This girl is crazy in many ways, shapes and forms, and what kind of upbringing did she have that calling her cute can be considered naughty?' Mordax thought at a loss for words. "I don't know what to say," Mordax finally managed to utter.

Zilvera let out a huff "I would have expected an apology from you, but since you complimented me, you are forgiven," she said.

'Arrogant!' he thought, yet he couldn't deny the spark of connection that remained between them.

"Do you also have a twin? Your stature resembles Grixi a little," Mordax asked with curiosity.

Zilvera shook her head. "No, I am a special case. And my residence is over there, if you ever wanna come." she said with a wink, pointing towards a spire in the distance.

Following her clawed finger Mordax's eyes widened, but before he could delve further into the conversation, a loud rumble emanated from his stomach, interrupting their discussion.

'Meditating can be quite time-consuming,' he thought.

Zilvera's eyes sparkled with amusement as she caught onto his predicament. "Let's head to the nourishment hall for a nightly snack." she said with a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

But to Mordax, that smile gave him chills. 'I shouldn't let my guard down around her. Who knows what this crazy woman meant when she showed me her residence is in Lifesowing spire.'

As they made their way towards the hall, their conversation shifted to everyday topics, because Zilvera expertly avoided the questions about his circumstances.

"Don't be upset with me about the past, THEY have decreed this is for the best. Oops, look I already said too much. Just trust us." Zilvera said as she took her leave.

Alone with his thoughts, Mordax wondered. 'THEY decreed? Why would she address The Collective Mind of the Annalist caste like that?'

'Or could she be talking about The Creators from The Myth? But I remember that we stopped believing in the gods generations ago.'

Mordax sighed as he made his way towards his residence spire again.

He felt a sense of urgency, a premonition that tomorrow held important events that required his utmost strength and clarity of mind. 'I should cultivate some more since...'

When Mordax achieved the stage 0 of the Heavenly Way cultivation method. The information for the next stage slowly started to unfold in his consciousness.

As he settled into his meditative pose on the top balcony of the spire, Grixi stood at the doorway, her eyes fixed on her brother.

"Brother, aren't you coming to sleep?" Grixi's voice broke the silence.

Mordax opened his eyes, stood up and glanced at his sister. "No, I am not sleepy, sister. Are you going to sleep?" he asked.

Grixi shook her head, a soft smile gracing her lips. "No, I want to watch you as you meditate. It brings me peace," she replied, her eyes sparkling with unwavering devotion.

Mordax extended his hand towards Grixi, inviting her to join him. "Come then, but won't you feel bored?" he asked.

Grixi took a step forward, her clawed hand gently clasping his. "I would never feel bored watching you, brother. You are my world," she confessed, her voice filled with sincerity.

Mordax was taken aback by the depth of her words. "Now that you mention it, I started to feel a very deep connection with you from the moment I touched that egg," he admitted.

The twins exchanged a warm smile, their bond strengthening with each passing moment.

As Mordax settled back into his meditative pose, Grixi stepped away, standing at the doorway again in order to not disturb him.

'My genius, My hard-worker, My shining example.' Grixi thought, a hint of pride in her musings. 'Our future is clearing up, yet what is this unease I feel?' She couldn't shake off the nagging feeling that something was amiss.

'Ever since that night, THEIR familiar voices that accompanied my prayers had fallen silent. I am afraid of how clear you will remember your memories,' she confessed.

It was as if a veil had been lifted, revealing a void where guidance and reassurance once resided.

As Mordax delved deeper into his meditation, a sense of tranquility washed over him. The brilliant glow of the myriad stars helped to calm his spirit.

The information for the next stage became crystal clear. 'Stage 1 - Gathering the First Drop: Through focused practice, the cultivator is able to guide the smallest trace amounts of ambient Qi, slowly creating a mere drop in their dantian. This shows that their sensitivity to energies has begun developing and starts the nourishment of both body and spirit.'

'It states that in early stages, one draws in readily available external Qi, like Heaven and Earth Qi, moonlight, water energies, winds and plant essences, and gently accumulates them in the dantian cauldron.' He thought to himself.

He opened his eyes and continued contemplating it. 'I don't understand what the Heaven and Earth Qi is. Moon... Hmmm there is no moon here, how strange.'

Then his eyes glittered with understanding, as he instinctively placed a hand thoughtfully against his chin. 'Oooh, I get it now. This method is clearly made for universal purposes and these are only general examples.'

'For example, there is no mention of clouds here, yet I feel that I can use a platform and cultivate inside the black clouds. I can always open the windows too...' he mused, scratching his chin.