Before his summary was something amazing and terrifying at the same time.

Myst granted by external source.

Calculating…

Vessel filled…

Vessel filled…

Vessel filled…

…

And it went on like that for a really long time. It ended after who knew how many messages and then one final message showed at the end.

Granted myst will not affect vessel growth…

He had seen that every year on his birthday when he somehow had received another vessel. He moved on because his summary finally showed and his jaw dropped.

Soul Summary:

Available/Used Vessels (Gathered): 1/0

Available/Used Vessels (Granted): 268/0

| Wielder |

| Construct {Unformed} |

| Soul |

Rory immediately returned to his ghost and thought “vessels” in such a scramble that he had to try twice before he got it to appear. Amazingly, when it did he saw what looked like a field of what must have been two hundred sixty-nine full vessels, and to the side was one that must have been his two hundred seventieth that was two-thirds full.

It’s real. It’s all real. That means...

So many things flew through Rory’s head just then. He had so many vessels.

What can I do with them all? Can I even use them?

But before doing anything, he went back and read the soul summary one more time.

So the wielder tree is still broken. That didn’t get fixed. But what’s that third one?

Returning to his ghost, Rory forced his focus and pushed “Soul”. A new cloud appeared and his mind zoomed into a tree he had never seen before.

What he saw were two distinct clouds, one golden and one purple both so thin and wispy they looked like they would blow away with a gentle breeze. Once again he felt his commo vibrate letting him know there was an update but he ignored it, focusing on the first cloud.

Information entered his mind:

Soul Bond {Unique} (0/250) - A unique Soul Technique allowing for a Soul Wielder to meld his construct with another being. This permanently alters the souls of both parties and the construct itself. Be warned, this is a permanent binding and the two parties will become connected for life. If the wielder dies, the partner dies, but that does not apply in both directions. While the wielder will survive if the partner dies, all benefits gained from the partnership end.

Requirements: Willing partner. Unformed construct.

Wow. There’s so much there to process.

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First, it would take all those vessels he had just gained.

Wait, where did they come from? Then it hit him. Granted. They came from Lucifer. He gave them to me for his sister.

Nodding to himself, he moved past the cost and focused on the description. On the face it, the information was wonderful. Having a lifelong bond with a creature like a basilisk sounded astonishing. But at the same time it was equally alarming.

The responsibility Lucifer was placing on Rory was… too much. And outrageously unfair. He wanted to quickly check the other cloud and then he’d let Lucifer know his feelings. The next cloud was called Soul Control (0/1) and was only a branching tree so it had no description. He’d find out where it led later.

Returning his focus to the real world, Rory looked up at the black snake. “Lucifer, I saw what soul binding does. You’re asking me to take your sister over and basically enslave her to me. You have to know that Bernael offered me similar and I declined it. If I won’t accept him, how can you ask me to do the same to her without her consent? It would be a betrayal just as bad as any that happened to me. I can’t do that to her.” Rory heard the anger in his voice and was surprised by how strong it was. The idea of doing to someone else what had been done to him utterly disgusted him. Rory closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you. Its just important to me that you understand why I have to refuse.”

Lucifer was lying on the ground now but his serpentine gaze never wavered from Rory. “You are a good man,” he said softly. Then he turned his huge head to the egg and asked, “What if I told you she asssked this of me?”

Rory looked at the egg and then back at the snake. Seeing his confusion, Lucifer explained. “There are two thingsss you must know. First, Basssilisksss enter hibernation every time we molt. It is an incredibly painful processss for us ssso when we do, ssso we connect our souls to another to avoid sssuccumbing to it and failing. And sssecond, basssilisksss are laid alive in our eggs. We live in that sssame hibernating state, awaiting sssufficient power to awaken and break free. As sssuch, when I last molted, I connected with her, Leilah is her name, and I ssspoke to her of my coming end.”

Wait… That makes it sound like he knew he was going to die… How is that possible?

Seeing Rory’s skeptical look at that last statement Lucifer clarified, “I can tell when death approachesss. It was how I sensed you.”

Oh. So did he sense that I was going to die in the vault or did he notice my… err… element. Assuming I even have it – which I’m not entirely convinced of – would death even count as an element? And why am I thinking about this now? Focus, Rory!

“Okay. So you molted in hibernation and talked to your sister who was also hibernating, but in an egg? You understand how that sounds right?”

“I do. But pleassse, you must believe me. I know you have been betrayed, but I asssk for your trust nonetheless.”

Rory sighed and nodded hesitantly. Fine, I’ve gone this far with it, I can at least listen.

“I thank you. When I ssspoke to my sssissster, at first ssshe wished to sssimply end with me ssso we could reenter the cssycle together, but I pleaded with her not to. She agreed only on the condition that she would not have to sssurvive alone but be with sssomeone that would be my equal.”

Rory’s eyes tightened in suspicion. That sounded like a load of bullocks to him. Just like with Bernael, making grant statements with no way to prove any of it.

Now way. Not again.

“Lucifer, I’m grateful you saved me and everything. But I’ve known you for all of a few minutes and I’ve been betrayed too often. I’m not trusting you just because you said that. And second, even if I did believe you, I’m not exactly your equal. I’m nothing like you. You fought a bloody… whatever the hell Bernael was. And I’m… well… me.”

Lucifer was moving slowly but still stared at Rory. His voice sounded weaker when he asked, “What if you could ssspeak to Leilah and she told you herself?”

Rory blinked, confused and unsure. “I can do that?”

“Placsse your hand on the egg and sssend your Sssoul Power into it. Focus as you do when you connect to it but call her name instead of what you usually call.”

Rory once again looked at the egg, and then looked at the snake. Then back at the egg and sighed.

This is so stupid. Then he shook his head at himself. When will I learn?

“Alright. I’ll try.”

As he was already next to it, Rory simply had to raise his hand and after a few moments of indecision, he hesitantly placed it on the glistening white surface. There was a thin top layer that was a little slimy and soft, but he pushed through it and found the egg itself to be perfectly smooth and firm. Closing his eyes, he tried to push energy and focus like he did when he wanted to look at his ghost but instead of mentally pushing “growth,” he expressed his intent with “Leilah.”

A few moments passed of nothing and Rory was ready to say the whole thing was a scam, but a voice spoke to him and asked curiously, “Hello? Who’sss that? Where’sss Lucssifer?”

It was like Lucifer’s but not. The sibilant hiss was obvious, but the pitch was higher and the… power? gravitas? Whatever it was, was definitely not present in Leilah ’s voice.

Trying to push again, Rory thought, “Uhh. Hello, Leilah. I’m Rory. Lucifer is here too, but I asked to speak with you.”

“Rory? I do not know you.”

“No, you don’t. Your brother made a request of me, but I’m scared to grant it because of what it would do to you. And to me, frankly.”

There was silence for a few moments and Rory wondered if he lost his connection to her.

Then he heard, “He chossse you?” The surprise was obvious.

Rory’s shoulders slumped. “Your brother said you asked to bind with a strong partner. I’ll be honest. I’m not that. I’m weak. I’m only eighteen, poorer than dirt, pretty much a weakling, years behind others my age, have a messed up Soul Construct, and will never match up to your brother. I don’t think I’m a good match. Maybe I can help find someone, though I doubt it, given everything.” With a mental sigh, he concluded, “I’m pretty much useless.”

More silence followed and Rory wondered if she was preparing to berate her brother. He would be in her place. Then he felt a twinge in his mind but it lasted on a moment and then was gone.

“I agree to the bond,” sounded in his mind.