The oppressive silence pressed against Kaelix like a physical weight, each breath dragging as though the air itself resisted him. Finally, he broke it with a strained mutter, his voice a rasp against the void. "You know," he groaned, shifting slightly to ease the stabbing pain in his ribs, "a [Heal] EtherRune would really hit the spot right about now."

The XenoArch's response was as immediate as it was unexpected. "What's an EtherRune?"

Kaelix blinked, his exhaustion momentarily overridden by disbelief. "You're kidding, right? Don't tell me you don't know what an EtherRune or what a Runeshop is either?"

"Runeshop? No, I don't know what that is either," the XenoArch replied, its tone neutral but with a faint undercurrent of curiosity.

Kaelix let out a hoarse laugh, the motion pulling at his injuries. "You're serious. Wow. I don't know what's more disturbing, the fact that you're this clueless or the fact that I'm stuck with you."

He paused to catch his breath, then continued, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Alright, let me educate you, oh mighty XenoArch. A Runeshop is only one of the most vital facilities for mundane folks in the realms of Alievor. You know, the ones without flashy Ether powers or cool cosmic rainbows living in their chests."

The XenoArch didn't take the bait, waiting silently for him to elaborate. Kaelix sighed dramatically before continuing. "Runes are basically a magical commodity. Ascendars—or any schmuck with the ability to control Etherion—can inscribe a purpose onto something using the world's will. Boom, instant magical tool."

He shifted slightly, wincing as he adjusted his position. "For example, you've got your standard [Heal] Rune that mends flesh and heals most wounds, a [Flare] Rune that shoots fireballs, or a [Shock] Rune for your electrical needs. Ascendars? They're drowning in these things. But us mundanes? We have to buy them at Runeshops. Handy little things—saved my skin more times than I can count."

The XenoArch absorbed this, muttering faintly to itself, "Interesting… familiar… but strange."

Kaelix raised an eyebrow, intrigued despite himself. "You seem to have a vault full of ancient knowledge in there, and yet this is news to you?"

"It is..."

He let out a low whistle. "Weird. Runes are ancient tech—or magic or whatever—supposedly dating way back to the Era of WitchCraft. They're as old as dirt. How old are you, anyway?"

Before the XenoArch could answer, he shook his head, cutting it off. "Never mind. Not like it would help me anyway."

After a moment of silence, the XenoArch posed a question. "How effective are these EtherRunes? Can they truly heal you as you claim?"

Kaelix smirked faintly, though it was tinged with exhaustion. "A basic healing Rune could close up most of the open wounds I've got. Might not fix my bones, but it'd at least stop me from leaking all over the place. Of course, that kind of Rune doesn't come cheap, and with the damage I've taken? Yeah, that'd cost a pretty penny."

His expression darkened slightly as a memory resurfaced. "There's this rumor I heard once, back when I was smuggling drugs. Supposedly, Runes are less effective on the Empowered the stronger they are. Guess that makes sense though, I mean they would be immortal it wasn't less effective but that's cool."

He sighed and stared up into the gray void. "Not that it matters. Even if I wanted to make Runes, I doubt you'd be much help there."

The XenoArch said nothing, its silence almost contemplative. Kaelix groaned. "Doesn't matter. If I can't find a way to heal fast—or at least get moving—then all this hassle was for nothing."

"You worry too much," the XenoArch finally replied. "While I don't know about your so-called Runes, I can still heal you as I did during the bonding process. I'd need to expend some of my energy, but it's possible."

Kaelix's eyes widened, hope flaring to life. "You can? That's great! Then what are you waiting for?"

The XenoArch's tone shifted, carrying a warning. "Before you celebrate, understand this: my energy reserves are low. Bonding with you consumed most of it, and I've been enhancing you throughout your fight with the creature. If I heal you now, I won't have enough energy left to continue enhancing you for several hours. You'll be… powerless."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Kaelix's elation dimmed, replaced with a grim determination. "But I'd live. And in a few hours, you'd recharge, right?"

"Correct. As long as I have a host, my energy will regenerate indefinitely over time."

Kaelix exhaled, a wry smile tugging at his lips despite the situation. "Well, that's comforting, I guess. No enhancements, but at least I'll be able to move. Do it. Heal me."

"As you wish." The XenoArch's voice thrummed with power, and Kaelix braced himself for whatever came next.

Kaelix grimaced as the XenoArch embedded in his chest began to warm up, a deep hum vibrating through his body. The circular piece glowed faintly at first, then burst into life with four distinct colors—red, black, silver, and purple—dancing in rhythm before settling on a deep crimson hue. The light cast eerie shadows across the pale grey terrain, flickering ominously like a heartbeat.

The warmth quickly turned searing, and Kaelix clenched his teeth as the sensation spread throughout his body. He watched in silent awe as the gaping wounds riddling his frame began to knit themselves back together, flesh weaving over exposed muscle and bone. It wasn't a painless process. A deep, sharp ache accompanied every thread of restoration, as though needles were stitching him from the inside out. Yet, the pain was dwarfed by the surreal spectacle before him.

Piece by piece, his body reformed. The gashes on his arms closed first, flesh pulling tight, leaving behind faint traces of blood that dried almost instantly. His abdomen was next, the punctures there sealing at a slower, almost agonizing pace. Each nerve seemed to ignite as the restoration advanced, leaving his skin hypersensitive to the chill of the air. His legs trembled as deep holes filled in, the sensation a mix of relief and unbearable tingling, like waking up a dead limb—multiplied a hundredfold.

Kaelix's chest rose and fell unevenly as he marveled at the process. His mind wandered briefly to the Heal Runes he'd used in the past. They'd done the job, sure, but they always left scars. Those scars had covered his body, a testament to his survival, now hidden beneath his rapidly healing wounds. As the last of his flesh knitted together, he exhaled sharply, relieved to see his old scars reemerge. They remained unaltered, and for reasons he didn't delve into, he was grateful for that.

When the last of the pain faded, and only a faint strain lingered, he glanced at the XenoArch embedded in his chest. The light had dimmed, and the glow snuffed out until it was a faint outline of its previous brilliance. It now sat cool and dormant, as though it had never surged with power.

"Did you fall asleep on me or something?" Kaelix muttered as he forced his stiff body upright.

"I'm not something you need to concern yourself with," the XenoArch replied, its voice as calm and deliberate as ever. "You should focus on finding shelter. When it becomes night again, gravity will shift, and you'll plummet to your doom."

That sobering statement struck Kaelix like a bucket of cold water. "Oh yeah, I'd almost forgotten about the whole falling to my death thing." He stretched his limbs cautiously, testing his movement. Satisfied that he could at least walk, he asked, "Alright, then. Mind telling me where the hell I am?"

"You're in a special realm, both within and outside the Outer Void," the XenoArch explained. "It's a unique space with strange properties. What you need to concern yourself with are two things: the directional shifts of gravity between the day and night cycles, and the nature of the creatures that inhabit this realm."

"Gravity shifts, huh?" Kaelix mused, his curiosity piqued. "That explains the whole falling one way and crashing another thing. You said it's tied to the cycles? What's the tell other than the falling?"

"During the day, the natural materials of this space are grey, as they are now. At night, they turn black. When the change occurs, the direction of gravity will invert."

Kaelix nodded slowly, processing the information. "Alright. Grey for day, black for night. Simple enough." He then raised an eyebrow. "What about the creatures you mentioned?"

"Everything alive here is an Empowered creature, and all of them are dangerous and accustomed to the realm. You've already encountered one of these creatures. And there are many more, both stronger and weaker."

Kaelix scowled. "Great. Because that's exactly what I needed—more life-threatening monsters. Wonderful." He sighed, rolling his shoulders to ease the tension in his back. "You know, you could've started with the good news. Like how I'm still alive."

"Your survival isn't good news unless you do something with it," the XenoArch countered.

Kaelix chuckled dryly. "Fair enough. But you don't have to worry about me. I've dealt with worse."

"Worse than this?" The XenoArch sounded genuinely curious. "You consider this situation manageable?"

Kaelix's lips curled into a faint smirk as he stretched his legs, wincing slightly at the residual strain. "Objectively, this is the worst situation I've ever been in. Comparatively? Not even close. I've been through some bad stuff when I had way less to work with. At least now I've got you and a body that can take a beating."

The XenoArch fell silent, seemingly pondering his words. Kaelix took the opportunity to study his surroundings. The pale grey terrain stretched endlessly, the faint glow of the ground casting an eerie light in every direction. Beyond the horizon, darkness loomed like a living thing, an abyss waiting to swallow him whole.

He turned and looked toward the direction the creature had limped away. "Nope. Not going that way." Pivoting, he chose the opposite path and began walking. "If I'm going to live, I might as well make the most of it. No sense wasting the chance."

And with that, he moved forward, each step a declaration of his resolve and the beginning of his journey.