The Next Day

Nyx woke up feeling the weight of her routine settling in. The constant traveling between constellations and endless learning was starting to exhaust her. She rubbed her eyes, contemplating the days ahead. If she was going to keep up, she needed a plan to manage her time and energy better.

After a hearty breakfast, she bathed and prepared for the day. She couldn't delay any longer—there was work to be done. Drac had explained a bit more about how her new Necromancer skill worked, but Nyx still hadn’t settled on a phrase to raise the dead. The responsibility weighed on her, and she knew she had to decide soon.

With a sigh, Nyx placed Airy, Ori, and Rion securely on her shoulders and teleported them to Griff's cave. She'd missed two days, and she was certain that there’d be a lot of work piled up. She was right.

As they arrived, the sight hit them like a wall. Dust covered every surface, and loose feathers were scattered everywhere.

"Wow..." Len muttered, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“What happened?” Suli asked, staring around the cave in shock.

Before anyone could respond, Nyx sneezed loudly, stirring up even more dust. The sound seemed to wake Griff, who had been dozing off in a corner.

Yawning, the Griffin blinked lazily at them. “Oh, you’re here,” he said, his deep voice rumbling through the cave.

“What happened?” Ryu mumbled under his breath, glancing around in confusion.

Nyx sneezed again, her face scrunching up. "Well, let's get to it," she said, pushing aside her discomfort.

Without further delay, they all began to clean, sweeping up the feathers and dusting every corner. The air was filled with soft murmurs as Len and the others talked quietly among themselves.

“I don’t understand... how did so much dust pile up in just two days?” Suli wondered aloud, shaking her head.

As usual, Nyx climbed onto Griff’s shoulders, carefully plucking out the excess feathers from his back. Griffin yawned again, feeling her small hands gently removing the loose feathers.

“So,” Griff said, breaking the quiet, “how’s the learning coming along?”

Nyx’s eyes lit up at the question. “It’s going great!” she exclaimed, eager to share. “Drac taught me how to read and write. Look, I even learned the alphabet and numbers!” She proudly recited a few letters and numbers from the constellation’s language, her excitement palpable.

Griff hummed in acknowledgment, his eyes half-closed in contentment as Nyx worked. But then, Nyx’s voice took on an even more excited tone.

“And guess what? Drac gave me a new skill! It’s called Necromancer!”

Griff’s body tensed slightly at her words. “Are you sure?” he asked, his tone careful.

Nyx, oblivious to his sudden concern, nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! I just need to decide on a word or phrase to raise the dead, but I’m still thinking about it.”

Griff’s heart raced. Necromancer—the skill Drac had given her—was one of the most powerful abilities in existence. Only Drac himself had wielded such power. He glanced at Nyx, her innocent excitement masking the dangerous potential that now resided within her.

Needing to know more, Griff discreetly used his magic sense to gauge Nyx’s power. He had never done this before; it hadn’t seemed necessary. But now, with her new ability... he needed to understand her strength.

When he felt the extent of her magic, he was shocked. Nyx’s magical capacity was equal to that of a constellation. And at the rate she was growing, she could soon surpass them all. She was on the path to becoming an unstoppable force—a force that could easily turn into something far more dangerous if left unchecked.

Griff made a decision then and there. He telepathically reached out to the others—the tiger, the snake, the peacock and even Drac—informing them of what he had discovered about Nyx’s essence. He warned them: they needed to nurture her power carefully, guiding it so she wouldn’t become a threat. He didn’t realize that his message also reached two unexpected listeners—the Nine-Tailed Fox and the Three-Horned Bull, both of whom shouldn’t have ever learnt about her from the start.

As Griff communicated with the others, Nyx and her group were finishing up the cleaning. The sun had already set, and night was settling in.

“We’re not going to have time to visit the others today,” Len said, sighing as he glanced out of the cave entrance at the darkening sky.

Nyx nodded. “Yeah, we’ll have to try again tomorrow.”

They said their goodbyes to Griff and teleported back to Drac’s cave. The day had worn them out, and Nyx was starving.

“I’m going to take a bath,” Nyx called out, her voice tired but still carrying a hint of determination.

While Nyx bathed, Drac prepared some heated meat for her. Len and the others hurried off to gather fruits and vegetables, trying to find the freshest options nearby. They returned with a variety of food, including a special treat—a Lunacoc, which they thought Nyx would love.

The Lunacoc, with its silvery, glowing shell and pale blue liquid inside, was known for its cooling, rejuvenating properties. When Nyx returned from her bath, she dug into the meal with gusto, the exhaustion of the day melting away with each bite. She tasted the Lunacoc, and a soft sigh of delight escaped her lips as its refreshing sweetness filled her mouth.

“This... this is amazing,” Nyx said between bites, her smile wide as she held up the glowing fruit.

Len grinned. “Told you! It’s one of the best fruits around.”

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Nyx nodded in agreement, enjoying every bit of her meal. She ate everything—meat, fruit, and even the vegetables they’d gathered. She was that hungry.

Drac watched her closely, sensing her magical energy again. He hadn’t checked in a long time, but now that he did, he was astonished by the sheer amount of magic Nyx had accumulated. How had she grown so powerful in such a short time?

After finishing her meal, Nyx stretched and yawned, exhaustion finally catching up to her. She felt full, content, and incredibly sleepy. Without another word, she curled up and quickly fell into a deep sleep, leaving Drac and the others to ponder what lay ahead.

***********************************************

The next day, Nyx woke up early, stretching and yawning as the first rays of light filtered into the cave. She rubbed her eyes and got herself ready, pulling on her boots with a sigh.

"I really need to figure out a better way to manage all this," she muttered. The constant traveling between the constellations and her training was starting to wear her down.

As she tied her hair back, Len looked over at her, concerned. “You good?”

Nyx smiled a little, though there was a touch of exhaustion in her voice. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking I need to make a better schedule. All this back and forth is starting to take its toll.”

Len nodded, sympathetic. “Makes sense. Maybe if we space it out a bit, you won’t feel so drained every day.”

Nyx laughed softly, grateful for the support. “That’s not a bad idea. Once we’re done with today’s visits, I’ll figure something out.”

With everyone gathered, they teleported to Griff’s cave. As soon as they arrived, they were greeted by a familiar sight: dust and feathers scattered everywhere, though not as much as the last time.

“Again?” Len sighed, clapping his hands together. “We need a cleaning schedule for this place.”

Nyx couldn’t help but laugh. “Seriously, every time we come back, it’s like the dust multiplies.”

Ryu looked around, a little exasperated. “At least there’s not as much today. We’ll finish quicker.”

They quickly got to work, dusting and grooming Griff. Nyx, as usual, climbed onto Griff’s back to remove the feathers that had gathered there. Griff yawned as she worked, still half-asleep.

“Thanks, Nyx. You’re always so helpful,” Griff said, stretching his wings lazily.

Nyx smiled, patting his shoulder. “No problem. We’ll be back again soon. See you, Griff!”

The others called out their goodbyes, and with that, they teleported to their next destination—the tiger’s den.

As they appeared, the tiger was already waiting, though he sat calmly, not acknowledging them right away. Nyx’s face lit up as she ran over to him, wrapping her arms around one of his massive paws.

“Good morning!” she beamed up at him, hugging tightly. “I’m ready to practice!”

The tiger let out a low, rumbling purr of amusement. “Then let’s begin.”

They got to work, practicing the Claw of the Eternal skill. The tiger’s tail acted like a moving target, countering her attacks with surprising speed and precision.

“Strike with intention,” the tiger instructed as Nyx lunged forward, her claws aiming for his tail. But each time, the tiger’s tail moved just before she could land a hit, dodging effortlessly.

Nyx huffed, already feeling the effort. “I’m trying! You’re too quick.”

The tiger’s eyes gleamed with patience. “It’s not just about speed. You have to outthink your opponent.”

Grinning through her exhaustion, Nyx nodded and darted forward again, her movements more calculated. “Alright, I’m coming for you!”

Despite her efforts, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t land a single hit. After several attempts, she slumped forward, panting.

“Am I even getting anywhere?” she asked, half-joking but clearly frustrated.

The tiger rumbled in approval. “You’re improving. But there’s much more to learn.”

Eventually, Nyx was out of breath, and it was time for a break. Len, Ryu, Suli, Nabi, and Guerim had already gone to gather some fruit and a Lunacoc for her to recharge.

“Here,” Len handed her the glowing fruit. “Eat this. It’ll help you recover.”

Nyx took the fruit gratefully, sitting down beside the tiger as she took a bite. The refreshing sweetness of the Lunacoc immediately made her feel better. She leaned back, savoring the cool, rejuvenating taste.

The tiger watched her quietly for a moment, sensing the magic that flowed through her. It was immense, more than he’d expected, pure and vast. Even with all the training in the world, her magic would continue to grow, perhaps beyond anything he or the other constellations had ever seen.

“You’ve learned well,” the tiger said after a pause, his tone almost gentle. “Tell me, what else have you been studying?”

Nyx’s eyes lit up as she sat up straighter. “Drac’s been teaching me how to read and write! I can do the whole alphabet now, and I’ve been working on my numbers too,” she said proudly, reciting a few letters and numbers with a beaming smile.

The tiger listened intently, a glint of pride in his eyes.

“And Drac gave me a new skill too!” Nyx continued, barely containing her excitement. “It’s called Necromancer. Isn’t that incredible?”

The tiger hummed, his expression unreadable. “Drac chose wisely. That skill will serve you well.”

Nyx smiled brightly, her heart swelling at the tiger’s words. “Thank you!”

After finishing her snack, they resumed training, but soon enough, it was time to leave. They said their goodbyes to the tiger and teleported to the final destination of the day—the snake’s cave.

When they arrived, the snake was lounging in his usual spot, his eyes closed as he enjoyed the peace. There wasn’t much to do here; Nyx had already perfected her sight, and the cave was always pristine.

Nyx bounded over to the snake, hugging his smooth, cool body. “Guess what happened today!” she exclaimed, unable to contain her excitement.

The snake sighed, opening one eye slowly. “What now?” he asked, his voice tinged with reluctant amusement.

Nyx began rattling off everything from her training with the tiger to her progress in reading and writing. The snake, though half-listening, took the opportunity to gauge her magic. It was stronger than before—extraordinary, even.

Midway through her animated storytelling, Nyx mentioned her new skill. “Oh, and Drac gave me the Necromancer skill!” she added proudly.

The snake interrupted her. “Would you like to learn a skill from me as well?”

Nyx blinked, surprised, then nodded eagerly. “Really? Yes, please!”

The snake’s voice remained low and steady. “It’s not as flashy as some, but you will be the only one to possess it.”

A message popped up in her system.

New Skill Detected

Authority: Skill

Harmonic Convergence

Level: ???

Harmonic Convergence – The ability to synchronize more than one skill into one.

Permission to keep?

Yes/No

Without hesitation, Nyx responded. “Yes!”

Congratulations.

New skill obtained

Harmonic Convergence

Level: ???**

The snake explained further. “This skill allows you to merge two or more abilities into one. For instance, you could combine fire and water skills, creating a single technique that wields both elements simultaneously.”

Nyx’s eyes widened in awe. “So, instead of using two separate skills, I’ll have one that can do both?”

The snake nodded. “Correct. It offers more control and flexibility in battle.”

Nyx beamed. “Thank you so much!”

The snake closed his eyes once more. “There’s no need to use it immediately. Just keep it in mind.”

For the rest of their visit, Nyx chatted away, reciting the alphabet and numbers again to the snake, who had secretly hoped the new skill would quiet her enthusiasm. Clearly, that wasn’t the case.

As night began to fall, Nyx and her companions said their goodbyes and teleported back to Drac’s cave.

Once they arrived, Drac greeted them with a curious look. “How was your day?”

Nyx, still buzzing with excitement, rushed over to him. “It was great! The snake gave me a new skill—it’s called Harmonic Convergence!”

Drac blinked, taken aback. “Another skill? Well, that’s… impressive,” he mused, though inwardly, he wasn’t entirely sure how he felt about it.

Nyx smiled at him before heading off to take a bath. Meanwhile, the others went out to gather food for her. After she finished her bath, Nyx sat down to eat, feeling content and relaxed.

As she ate, she voiced a thought that had been nagging at her. “I really need to find a better way to visit everyone without getting so tired all the time.”

The others nodded in agreement.

Drac considered her words thoughtfully before speaking. “Why don’t you spread out your visits? Dedicate one day to each of them—one for the griffin, one for the tiger, one for the snake, and so on. That way, you won’t exhaust yourself by visiting all of them in one day.”

Nyx thought about it for a moment, then smiled. “That’s a perfect idea. I’ll start doing that.”

Everyone agreed, and Nyx, feeling the day’s exhaustion catching up with her, let out a huge yawn. She curled up with her feather pillow and pulled a large leaf over her like a blanket.

As she began to drift off to sleep, a nagging feeling crept into her mind. Something… she was forgetting something. Suddenly, her eyes flew open, and she gasped.

“The peacock!”