The second fragment tore free.
This time, Michael felt it more clearly.
The moment he absorbed it, his entire soul space trembled. The sensation was impossible to mistake.
It was the crack that existed deep within his soul foundation, hidden beneath layers of stability. It had not crippled him, but it had limited him.
Now it shifted again.
Warmth spread outward in slow waves.
Michael inhaled instinctively.
His capacity had increased. He did not know by how much, but it was definitely more than a few weeks of natural recovery could have given him.
Veyrion felt the loss instantly.
His form flickered, faint strands of his soul dissolving into pale currents that drifted toward Michael.
"No… stop!" Veyrion shouted.
His voice was no longer commanding. It cracked.
"You do not know what you are doing! That essence is my very being! If you absorb too much, it will destroy you from within!"
Michael did not respond.
