Talax whirled around, but his ruined leg betrayed him, causing him to lose his balance. Barely managing to stay upright, he knocked over a small table to his side, sending its glittering contents to the floor.
Despite the chaos, Talax's attention remained fixed on the elf standing a few meters in front of him. The ghostly woman wore a kind smile on her beautiful face, her features delicately sharp, possessing an otherworldly beauty that he had rarely seen. Adorned in a luxurious long gown and rich finery, that screamed elegance and money that even Franny would approve.
Yet, despite her lifelike appearance, she remained an ethereal apparition. Unlike his Spectral Guardian or the other spirits, he had encountered in the dungeon, she stood out. Most spirits bore a particular shade depending on their infused magic, but she defied the norm. Her skin radiated a rosy pink, and her clothes displayed a deep maroon color with vivid details.
Adding to the mystery, her form seemed unusually real. While she appeared as solid as him when he took a closer look, his Mystic Insight skill revealed the truth, she was a construct of mana, a fact that became evident with each movement.
Talax hesitated to make a move, uncertain whether she was a threat or simply wanted to engage in conversation. He didn’t know where she came from. She could be some kind of guardian of the treasury or had some other role. Without knowing her purpose or origin he decided to remain cautious until he had more information.
"Who..." He coughed, attempting to clear his suddenly dry throat. "Who are you?" he finally asked, his voice trembling. The elf woman remained silent, gazing at him with curious eyes for long moments before a radiant smile graced her face.
"Ah! I finally understand why I was awakened..." Her entire demeanor seemed to shift in an instant, and an almost palpable excitement filled her features. "Well met, Voidborn. You may call me Aria."
Talax's eyes widened in surprise and horror. She knew his true nature! But... How? How could the ghost find out about his void magic? Then realization dawned, and he wanted to punch himself. He grabbed the ancient necklace he had just put on and went to throw it away when the woman reacted, raising her hands and shouting, "Wait!" Talax paused, seeing desperation in her face. Still, he clutched the necklace, ready to discard it at the first sign of danger.
He hadn't forgotten the spirit of the dead worshipper, which had tried to occupy his body, assaulting his mind to the point of losing his grasp on reality and leaving him in a catatonic state for an uncomfortably long time. He wasn't going to let that happen again.
"Give me a reason to keep listening to you," Talax threatened, and Aria looked at him sadly. Finally, with a sigh that only seemed to enhance her beautiful features, she responded.
"You are correct in assuming that I learned of your true heritage through the necklace. You see, what you are holding so carelessly is a piece of my soul..." Talax looked down at the weathered necklace and then back at the woman.
Seeing his confusion, the woman went into better detail. "I knew my time was near..." Her white-grey eyes took on a faraway look, remembering events of the ancient past. "The purging had begun, and no one was spared, be it human, elf, warrior, baker, beast, or God... Everyone was slaughtered. No quarters given. Everyone."
Her lyrical voice had turned haunted, and it was as if birds sang in melancholy in tandem, and Talax felt like he was experiencing her memories along with the elf woman. Being there with her, sitting on a silken armchair high in a white tower overlooking the devastation below. Men, women, and children killed indiscriminately by warriors with skin like armor and sabers of white flame.
"I knew my time was near. Even as a priestess, I would pay the price for being Voidtouched." Talax froze, trying to digest that the being standing in front of him was like him. She had void magic! He wanted to speak, to ask a million different questions that had plagued him for so long. After hiding his magic for so long, he longed to share his thoughts and theories with someone, even if that someone was a ghost.
"But before the Metallurians came, I helped some of my divine sisters escape and gave them directions to find my family and hide. As a high priestess of the acquisitive Ha’arun, I had the opportunity to delve into knowledge that few were lucky enough to possess, immersing myself in spells and rituals considered taboo to most. But then again, those were the teachings of the dichotomous Ha’arun, always pushing boundaries, always seeking new techniques and knowledge."
Talax was enamored by her breathy voice, savoring each word as if he were a parched man relishing every drop. Her beautiful face grew more glum the longer she spoke. Despite his urge to ask questions, he chose silence for now, aiming to gather as much information as he could.
"When the Metallurians came knocking, I knew I had a chance to survive, even if I was reduced to a fragment of my former self..." She sighed, her gaze meeting his with sad, doe-like eyes. "I began a ritual that few would dare, sealing a part of myself inside that necklace." She pointed at the stone necklace still clutched in his fist. "I had hoped that once my sisters were united with my family, they would come and seek me out. Even as an echo of my former self, I could have been of immense help. Advising and guiding my people. But... They never came." The woman looked bereft, as if reliving the most painful moments of her former life.
"I stayed locked away for centuries, so long that time lost all meaning. Nobody came... Neither my divine sisters, my family, nor even a servant of Ha’arun..." She scanned the treasure vault, as if searching for someone, but only found the emptiness of the space, with just her and him.
"Sometime in my youth, in my arrogance and my desire to show everyone how powerful I had become, I used a spell, a spell that could let me track my family, my blood. But the spell was complicated, and I was still young and inexperienced. The spell took hold but changed, mutated, and spread like a plague." She looked at Talax with worried eyes, as if concerned he might think poorly of her, and tried to reassure him.
"It had no ill effects; it was merely a more advanced locating spell. But when the spell transformed, it changed one intrinsic part of it. Instead of affecting those I had a blood relation with, it anchored itself to those sharing the same nature as me..." Talax understood, and he felt his lips moving. "Void."
The woman gave him a sad smile. "Yes, it jumped from Voidtouched to Voidtouched, until over the years I was able to locate every single person touched by the void all over the continent, and a few over the dark sea. The backlash from the spell was immense, and I had to level up and expand my mana core as fast as I could just to stay alive. But that was not the only downside. Once the purging began, I was able to feel every life extinguished!" Her eyes began to dance with fire, and her face adopted an almost deranged expression, shattering the illusion of the delicate creature.
"Do you know how it feels to be able to sense every death, every life lost? To always wonder if it was my mother, my sister, my friend? I wasn’t saved even in death, just a mere fragment of my former soul, and I could still feel when a Voidtouched was slaughtered—for years, for decades, for centuries!" Her voice grew stronger, and by the end, she looked like a vengeful spirit, returned to exact her vengeance.
She seemed to return to her senses, and with an embarrassed look, she lowered her eyes. When she looked back up, she appeared calmer and more restrained, walking closer with her immaterial gown swishing soundlessly behind her. Talax stumbled backward as the woman crept closer, and seeing his reaction, she stopped abruptly.
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"I am sorry. I have frightened you. It appears the years haven’t left my mind untouched. Or do I even have a mind anymore?" She looked around uncertainly, preoccupied with the philosophical implications of her current state. Finally, Talax spoke up.
"So, you are a ghost?" The woman laughed mirthlessly. "Yes and no. Ghosts are spirits brought back from the dead. I, on the other hand, never crossed the veil, at least not the part you are speaking to. I remained on this plane, an echo, a fragment of my soul. I retain my memories, knowledge, and even some of my powers, but... I am incomplete... I can feel it..." Again, her beautiful face turned melancholic.
Talax had many questions, but he decided to ask the most relevant for the moment. "What do you want from me?" It couldn’t be just a coincidence that another being of the Void came before him, nor the events she recounted with such fervor. She was after something, and Talax had to find out and decide whether to run or stay and listen further.
The elf woman smiled, her expression a blend of indulgence and calculation. "I am glad you don’t accept everything at face value. I do want something from you. I want you to thrive and evolve into a being that could bring calamity to his foes!" For a moment, she appeared like a religious zealot ready to cast anyone who defied her words into the pyre, adding to the erratic behavior she was exhibiting.
“Why would you want something like that?” Talax demanded, growing tired of dancing around what really mattered. "Not to be rude, but right now I have trouble trusting a word you say.”
“But it’s obvious, isn’t it? You are Voidborn! And sooner or later, they will come for you! And I am here to help you crush those that dare to kill another of our kind!” Talax frowned, trying to rationalize the words of the seemingly erratic ghost lady.
“But you are a ghost...” The woman glared at him, and Talax corrected himself. “I mean an echo, or whatever. How could you help me?” At his question, the woman laughed. “Oh! Don’t underestimate me. I may be a shadow of my former self, but I still possess my knowledge. I could guide you, advise you, and help you against your enemies.”
Talax narrowed his eyes, not fully convinced by the woman’s offer. “Yeah, that all sounds good, but I want a more detailed explanation. What could you offer me, and what do you want in exchange?”
The woman sighed. "I can share some of the spells for which I retain knowledge; however, your strength must grow. My spells are of a high level, demanding a certain level of experience. What I can readily offer is my analyze ability. With a simple glance, you can scrutinize the world around you. Unlike others who must level up specific skills to unveil an aspect of their ability, limited to objects tied to their expertise, my capability allows you to glimpse everything, from treasures and herbs to even an opponent's health. Additionally, I can assist you in honing your skills and spells, provide guidance when needed, and share my insights on subjects that many remain unaware of."
Talax listened, finding her offer enticing, but he couldn’t ignore that she had evaded his other question; she never answered what she really wanted. So, he waited with an arched eyebrow.
“Fine!” She huffed. “I have a favor to ask of you. As I have already told you, I can sense my blood, and there are a few still living. The spell stopped spreading upon my death, or at least the unintended part stopped, and I can now only feel my direct descendants. There are still three Voidtouched lurking somewhere around Talmar. I want you to find them and protect them.”
Ah, so that was what she was really after! Though her request didn’t seem absurd, he still wasn’t convinced; there must be something more. Suddenly, a question popped up in his mind, and he had to ask.
“You keep saying Voidtouched and not Voidborn. Is there a difference between the two names?” The elf woman looked at him with cryptic eyes and responded simply. “Yes.” Talax waited for her to elaborate further, but she never did, prompting him to exclaim, “Well? What’s the difference?”
The woman stayed silent for a moment and then responded. “That is an answer I will give you once you agree to my request. Your question needs my knowledge to be answered, the knowledge I will give freely once you agree to help my blood.”
Even though Talax was dying from curiosity, he didn’t agree immediately. “Why would your family need my help? What makes you think that?”
The fragment gave a deep sigh. "That is a question I can answer. Our kind is hunted. Regrettably, identifying a Voidtouched is relatively simple, at least for most of them. They all exhibit the same characteristics: an inability to practice magic, a lack of affinity for any magical element, and, most crucially, shared physical peculiarities. Our bodies lack any color; the void drains away any hues that might seem foreign. Hair, eyes, skin, everything loses its color, and those sent to hunt us are well-versed in recognizing these traits."
Talax stared down at himself, utterly perplexed. "But I have black hair and eyes." The woman nodded, offering no immediate explanation. Talax realized that the distinction between Voidtouched and Voidborn must be the key. He still couldn't wrap his head around it; It was so weird!
“What is?” The elf woman inquired, and Talax looked up surprised, not having realized that he had spoken out loud. “The fact that I came upon another Voidling.” The woman looked at him with a blank stare, as if she were looking at an imbecile. “What?” He asked, confused.
“I have thought you of an intelligent man, at least that’s what you’ve shown me so far. But if you believe our meeting was by chance, then I must have misjudged you.” Talax became even more confused.
“What do you mean?” The uncertainty in his voice must have alerted the woman to his discomfort because she softened her voice. “Think about it... What are the chances that you came upon an ancient artifact, deep in the treasure vault of Ha’arun, that holds the soul of a Voidtouched that could offer you her guidance and knowledge? Someone led you here, with the intention of uniting us.”
Talax looked at the apparition of the high priestess with wide eyes, realizing the truth of her words. “But who?” The question flew out of his lips. “Who knows. Most certainly some God. Maybe even Ha’arun...” Talax waved his hand dismissively, trying to figure out if inadvertently he had been steered toward the woman and if so, who would want to do that. “Ha’arun is long dead.” He announced absentmindedly, and the woman froze.
“The dichotomous Ha’arun is dead?” She wailed. “But... How? When?” Talax looked up, for a moment putting aside the wild guesses of who the shadowy figure could be that was trying to control him.
“I have no idea, but it must have been long ago. The temple has transformed into a dungeon, and my friends and I are on an expedition trying to recover some artifact.” He looked around, seeing the mountains of treasure around him and mumbled. “I guess Franny would be satisfied if we brought all this treasure back to his father.”
The woman remained silent for long moments, mourning the fate of her God. Finally, with a subdued voice, she said, “I guess Ha’arun’s taboo practices finally caught up to him... The pantheon took action...” Talax brought her back to the most pressing matter.
“But why would a God want us to unite?” He inquired, and the woman seemed to snap out of her depressed state, trying to grasp a new topic like a lifeline in an effort to forget about her woes.
“I don’t pretend to know the Gods’ will. Even Ha’arun, with whom I was as close as a mortal could be to a God, never shared his inner thoughts or plans. But the Gods are always after something. They are always scheming, and I am afraid we are both pawns to their plans.”
Talax became unsettled at the thought that he was being used without his knowledge. He felt dirty and violated, as if someone was always watching him... Wait! His eyes widened as he looked at the woman, who was waiting patiently while he grappled with the newest revelation.
“I... I felt something while traveling through the dungeon,” he said to the woman. His mind was still processing and wasn’t able to fully believe that someone was always monitoring his movements.
"Several times, I felt someone watching me. I had assumed it was some stealthy beast, but could it be?" The woman cast him a hesitant glance. "I'm not sure. If a God wanted to go unnoticed, he would succeed. It's more likely some creature. If a God wished you to sense their presence, they'd make it known... However..." Her eyes grew even more uncertain, and Talax urged her to continue.
"Of course, there's a chance a God is toying with you. For what purpose, I can't say. Gods have their whims and agendas, unfathomable to us. We merely react to their decrees." Talax regarded her with a bitter expression, finding no relief in her words.
“Given that some God wants us to unite, do you think it is wise to act according to their will?” Aria remained silent, as if trying to solve a particularly difficult equation. She finally sighed.
“If I am being honest, I don’t care. You are a chance for me. For me and my family. I don’t care if some God brought you to me. All I want is for you to save my last remaining family. Besides, if a God wanted to hurt you, they wouldn’t have brought you to me. My intent is to make you stronger, so that you can protect my lineage. The most likely scenario is that the God has the same goal as me. He brought you to me so that you will find the truth of your nature and become stronger.”
The woman started walking again, her long gown swaying with her every move, but not a sound coming from her approach. “So, what do you say, Voidborn? Do you accept my offer?”