Kai opened his sunken eyes to a cloudy morning. He experimentally flexed his fingertips, there was only a spark of pain, but it was enough to jolt his heart. So he remained still. He had succeeded in finally getting all the crystal dust that was shredding his arteries and veins into his heart and now just had to keep constant pressure to prevent them from moving and let his body heal.

He noticed the encampment buzzed with activity. He was about to close his eyes again when he saw the reason for the commotion.

The Rakin Elder had arrived.

His joy at seeing her alive and well soon twisted into a knot in his stomach and his heart thumped, eroding hours of progress.

When she had limped close enough, he spoke while facing the ground.

“I f-failed to protect him.”

The Elder squinted at him, then sighed, “I’ll tell you what happened, since my old eyes can see better than yours apparently. Eleven Rakin died because of me, but thirty-seven survived, thanks to you, plus you saved all these humans. I bear the biggest responsibility for that day, so I’m thanking you on behalf of everyone.”

Each word the Elder spoke was genuine and Kai could feel the sincerity of her sentiments. It also made him feel a little awkward, but he didn’t mind that. For the first time in days his mood lifted.

About time.

Kai affectionately rolled his eyes at Kura.

The Elder gestured with a sweep of her hand to the humans and other races cooking, building tents, and collecting bodies. “Will you lead these people?”

Kai didn’t meet her gaze and his cheeks burned. “…Can you?”

“I’m too old for that, my duty is to the Rakin and the Hearthshroom.” The Elder paused, released a heavy sigh then looked Kai dead in the eye. “Be a mountain or lean on one.”

The Elder pointed at the beads on the ground around him.

“Weren’t those beads important to you?”

“Not anymore,” Kai responded tersely.

“May I take them?”

Kai didn’t care, not anymore. He shrugged, wincing from the movement.

The Elder had Hawkin collect them, then hobbled away.

Milah who’d been nearby—who always seemed to be nearby—approached him.

Is she watching over me?

“Did you know butterflies can drink blood and tears in order to get nutrients?” she said with a smile, a blue butterfly on her outstretched finger.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

“It’s called Mud-puddling.”

Kai simply blinked at her.

Milah continued, “Those wood beads of yours, I think they absorbed the blood around you.”

The beads meant nothing to him and had caused him nothing but trouble. He looked at the ground and found that she was right, all the blood was gone. Not really knowing how to respond, he gave her a curt nod before he closed his eyes and worked on his body through the night.

Kai opened his sunken eyes in the same spot for the fourth day in a row. Six days left till the first trial ends. He was simultaneously bored, nervous, and extremely fatigued. Everything ached.

He noticed all of the dead bodies had been scavenged for clothes and gear, and they had begun dragging them outside the encampment — probably to bury or burn.

Kura’s ‘stomach’ rumbled.

Yes, I know it’s a waste.

Okay okay, let me ask.

Kai cleared his throat, and looked at a middle-aged balding gentleman dragging a body.

“Hey, can you have all the bodies brought here in front of me?”

The startled man dropped the body like ten tons of stone.

Kai felt bad, but had to stifle a laugh. He wasn’t used to causing that type of reaction from something he said.

“Yes, sir, right away!” He then scurried off to tell the others before Kai could say more.

…and they probably think I’m a cannibal now.

Feed feed!

Hold your horses!

Kai promptly received a mental image of a dozen horses running across a golden field, straight into the maw of a giant kitsune.

Ugh.

Within a few hours all the bodies had been stacked up in piles near him, and with a burst of light Kura inhaled them in several puffs of white light.

Almost everyone was already staring at that, but when Kai chucked out the 61 F-grade crystals he got from the hundred or so remains into a dazzling gemstone pile on the ground, everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at him then the crystals. No one made a move. The awkwardness gnawed at him.

“My name is Kai,” he said with a booming voice that hurt his throat. “The leader of the incursion on this island is dead. These crystals are free, take them and grow stronger... and in case it was not obvious, you are all free!”

Everyone, that is to say; a mix of species, races, and cultures stared blankly at him for a few seconds until a few broke down and started crying tears of relief. Others simply fell down on their knees, holding their heads. A few even kneeled in front of him. Which unnerved him.

“We don’t know how to use them,” the balding man mumbled nervously.

Kai took some time to explain to a fascinated audience how they might go about forging their soul based on something they had a solid understanding of or passion for, as that would make it easier. He then elaborated on aura traits and crystal usage, and shared what he knew about how to improve.

When Milah found out that he’d created a whole planet for his soul, she’d blanched.

“You constructed a damn star, a whole planet! How did you have access to that much aura? That’s insane!”

Even the Elder’s eyes went wide.

“Keep that to yourself in future. If you stay alive long enough…” The Elder shivered.

“What did you create, Milah?” Kai said, making a mental note of what the Elder said and to keep the underground crystal sanctum a secret for now.

Milah hesitated. “I… managed to create a simple garden, full of every type of Butterfly I ever collected,” she said, her cheeks flush.

“And even that was a huge strain! Plus I had the help of the reward for placing 75 points in traits when this mess started.”

She pointed at him. “You’re not normal!”

Kai cringed, exhausted from all the social interaction that day.

“Okay, let me rest now pl-please.”