5th Day of the 1st Fire Cycle[1], 2000 g.c.
The entire prison chamber of Floor Thirty-Three was flooded with the light of the mystical flame wrapped around the repaired, floating corpse of Nicole. Magitons screamed through the space like sparks caught in a hurricane, colliding and spiraling as a cold wind of overwhelming force slammed into everyone watching the reincarnation finish its work. The pressure hit the skin first, then the bones, then the soul. It tasted like lightning on the tongue. The air carried a strange perfume of light florals, sharp citrus, and damp earth, a false sweetness that tried and failed to hide the brutal drop in temperature. The sweetness felt like a lie told right to your face. Even Azumi, still unconscious and sprawled on the floor, groaned as invisible pulses smashed against her aura, the waves of power rocking her body like she was caught in rough water.
The women in the room threw up their arms and turned their faces away, shielding their eyes from the brightness as the white blaze collapsed inward. Luda and I didn't flinch. We watched as the light shrank into something tighter, denser, until it became a smaller, manageable glow hovering in the air. The shadows rushed back in like predators reclaiming territory, swallowing the broken dungeon almost instantly. Only three mana crystals survived the carnage, their faint glow barely pushing back the darkness and leaving most of the chamber drowned in black.
Luda walked up beside me and pulled his face cowl down, that big reckless grin stretching across his mouth. Bro looked like he'd just seen the birth of a new universe.
"Xiro," he said, voice buzzing with hype. "What in the stars above, nigga? You did it!"
I ran a hand through my hair, dragging a few dreadlocks away from my horns, and met his eyes.
"Not really how I wanted, fam," I said quietly. "This was more like a successful failure."
He blinked, grin fading.
"Nigga, what? Speak plainly."
"The spell I ended up creating wasn't a revival," I said. "It was reincarnation, I believe."
That smile died completely. Luda's hand landed heavily on my shoulder as he stared straight into my soul, brow drawn tight.
"Xi," he said slowly. "Reincarnation? Like what happened to you?"
I leaned in just a little.
"Shhh. We'll talk about that later. Too many ears right now."
He nodded once, jaw tight.
"So what's happening now?"
I turned my eyes back to the light.
"We're about to see, my nigga."
Right on cue, the Prime Realm System chimed in, clean and emotionless, cutting through the tension.
«The former spirit of Nicole Kanra has completed its rebirth into a White Anima.»
I frowned internally.
"So the color matters like that?" I thought.
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] slid right in with the info download, [Sage Wisdom] unfolding like a file opening in my head.
Animas were the primordial state of sprites. Pure, raw, powerful spiritual constructs. When one housed an extreme amount of magickal energy, they crossed into rarity and became Chroma Animas. A divinity for sprites.
[Midnight Star: Belial] chimed in right after, sounding pleased as hell.
"Those were the only ones worth summoning. Aeon-tier. Tru-Demon-tier. The real monsters."
Of course that nigga had a type. Which meant, yeah, it was my type too.
"I wonder what the colors even mean," I thought.
I didn't get the chance to sit with it.
A shockwave tore outward from the white orb, slamming into my Soul Core like a bass drop at an unholy concert. The ethereal flame vanished completely as the light stretched and reshaped itself. The orb expanded into a humanoid silhouette, curvy and feminine, long, messy hair flowing like drifting smoke made of light. She didn't say a word. She didn't need to. Her ultraviolet eyes burned with gratitude and desire as she dropped to one knee in front of me.
Her aura was beautiful in the most unsettling way. A cold white shadow. If I were the void, she was the absence of temperature inside it.
Luda reached over and dap'd me up without even looking, still staring at her.
"Bro," he said under his breath. "I've never seen anything like this before. And you've done some crazy shit in our history together."
I smirked.
"Funny, I'm just getting warmed up."
Behind us, the reactions came fast.
Elysia swallowed hard.
"What a cold, monstrous mana signature."
Luvina's eyes narrowed, grey pupils tight.
"She's powerful. Too powerful to be comfortable."
Lynnette sighed.
"Uhh… great. Another one."
She reached up and pulled her long lavender hair back into a folded ponytail, annoyance written all over her face.
Inside her head, that jealousy was loud. Loud enough to be funny.
"It's annoying that a man so cute seems more focused on summoning a sprite, instead of noticing everyone else in the room. Am I invisible or something?"
Me though? My thoughts were darker, hovering more toward the philosophical consequences of my actions.
Nicole was still truly gone. Forever gone.
"How the hell could this not feel like a failure?" I thought.
[Midnight Star: Belial] didn't give a single fuck.
"Who cares, Boss? She was lame, and we got a new bitch. Ooouu, let's give her name."
"Motherfucka, I care. Now shut up."
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] dropped the important part.
"She is currently documented as Blanc. Are you ready to begin the Soul Binding Ritual?"
Before I could answer, a whisper brushed my ears directly. Not a simple sound. Frequency. A name, repeated softly, insistently.
"Vic..tor...ya."
I smiled without thinking.
"Victorya, huh?" I said aloud. "V for Victory, then."
Her head lifted instantly. As if she accepted the name, she stood, gliding toward me, and pressed her lips to mine in a slow, deliberate kiss. It stunned me. Not because of the kiss. All my Animas seem to do that. It was the chill that followed. The way I could feel everything behind it. Fear. Anxiety. Desire. Nicole's lingering lust still clung to the shape of the spirit.
The Prime Realm System chimed again.
«Requirements met. Activating [Soul Contract]. Connecting both parties. Establishing service and empowerment.»
A ritual circle bloomed beneath her feet, carved straight into the concrete by her mana signature. Frosty mist curled along its edges as she initiated the binding herself. White energy wrapped around her body, forming a cocoon of liquid starlight.
That's when I remembered the other soul promised to me.
I turned and stretched my hand toward Elysia. Astral Mana gathered at my fingertips as I carved a sigil directly onto her chest, right between her breasts. An unalome lotus flower. Fit her perfectly. Pretty enough to hide the ritual seal inside it. Her eyes went wide. Shock hit first. Then euphoria. Relief soon flushed throughout the Hamadryad's entire body. The Crest Link snapped into place, magick flooding her body as magitons and spiritons wrapped her in a deep pink glow.
The System updated again.
«Installation of the Crest of Xirotation within Elysia will now begin. Creating [Summoner's Contract]. Connecting both parties. Establishing service and empowerment.»
Lynnette slapped her own cheeks twice.
"Okay," she muttered. "Okay. He might actually be the real deal. Probably stronger than Dragon Lord Ryujin."
Inside her head, panic and awe mixed. "He used Space Magick, Spirit Magick, and I swear I heard his friend say he used Time Magick. Not to mention, I think he just brought that sprite back to life. If that was a resurrection, it was something the smartest mages in the country of Madness can't figure out."
"Who are you really, Mr. Devil?" she whispered, eyes locked on me.
Luvina hadn't said a word. She was studying Blanc now, memory clicking into place. Old-world spirits. Demon-tier sprites. My command over mana like that? Yeah. It hit her. And it turned her on.
She caught herself, grinding her teeth.
"To think he would randomly create a sprite as powerful as the old world Demons and Feys. Such command of mana... I can't lie, that kind of turned me on. I mean, he is my type and all... Damnit, Luv, get it together. I need to focus on convincing him I'm on his side and secure my safety."
I turned at the perfect moment, [Kaleidoscope Eyes] spinning, gankyrils glowing in the dark, and gave her a slow wink.
The shadowy aura framed me just right. She let out a soft, involuntary moan before snapping her head away, cheeks burning. Yeah. She was crushing hard, too. And her life force running across her body in trails of bioluminescent light didn't lie about it.
The entire atmosphere of the prison dungeon dipped hard as Blanc's cocoon tightened around her form. The air grew sharp and heavy, like the room itself was bracing. Magitons poured out in thick, visible streams, white sparks swimming through the darkness like snow caught in moonlight. Moisture in the air froze almost instantly. Frost crept along the stone, glazing cracks and rubble until shallow sheets of ice spread across the floor. It felt less like a dungeon and more like being trapped inside a cave during a snowstorm, the kind where the wind howls even when nothing's moving.
I barely registered it.
[Temperature Libra] kept my body locked in perfect balance. Heat, cold, fire, frost, it didn't matter. My skin stayed warm, my breath steady. The extremes just slid right off me. It was one of those Personal Skills I'd stopped appreciating a long time ago. Always on. Always working. Always keeping me comfortable. Lynnette, on the other hand, was not having a good time. She hugged her arms tight to her sides, teeth chattering as she shifted in her thin black dress, her magickal aura failing to trap enough heat to matter.
"Ss-ssh-shhitt," she hissed through clenched teeth. "I sh-should've grabbed my jacket. But nah. Had to look cute."
Luvina stood a few steps away, completely unbothered. The Umdori wasn't shivering at all. She lifted a hand, blew a slow breath into the air, and watched it fog before curling her fingers and letting the mist fade. Her smoky-gray eyes slid right back to the glowing cocoon.
"Looks like his summoning ritual's finishing up," she said calmly. "Let's see what the Devil is cooking."
Right on cue, the cocoon split straight down the middle.
The Prime Realm System chimed in as the light ruptured.
«Power distribution complete. The contract is placed at 98% to 2%. The [Soul Binding] shall now proceed.
Adjusting the ability skill [Guardian Armament].
A new guardian armament [White Empress: Victorya Umbra] has been installed.
A new ultra skill called [Tokyo Diamonds] has been installed.
New personal subskills [3rd Time's the Charm], [Thermal Removal], [Frost Gauntlets], and [Ice Manipulation] installed. Readjusting personal skills [Immortal Connection], [Skill Tree Link], [Master's Command], and [Master's Gifts].
Raising the battle power on Sonata Soul Zero, Xiro Mikazuki, by 2%.
The [Soul Binding] is complete.»
The information flooded my head, but it barely slowed me down. Compared to when I first bonded with the Red Queen as a teenager, this was light work. Back then, that shit damn near knocked me unconscious. Now? Background noise.
What really caught my attention was that new Ultra Skill.
"Only a 2% increase in battle power, huh? Well, she is housing my added mana, mostly," I thought. "But another Ultra Skill was added to the arsenal. Hell yeah."
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] filled in the gaps immediately. "The [White Empress]'s Ultra Skill was influenced by the recessive gene information within you and a hidden affinity within Nicole's former Soul Core. A reaction of the added psions."
[Midnight Star: Belial] sounded pleased.
"That [Tokyo Diamonds] skill is going to be fun to play with. It allows for the complete removal of thermal motion, creating absolute zero temperatures instantly. Even freezing the very concept of phenomena and nullifying it."
"Frosty," I muttered.
"You're not punny."
"Shut up. You're just a hater."
The cocoon began to fracture.
Cracks spread across the white shell like ice under pressure, splintering and snapping with sharp, crystalline pops. Cold wind rushed through the gaps, whipping past my face. My hair lifted slightly as frost kissed the tips of my dreads. Inside the cocoon, ultraviolet light oozed outward, slowly shaping itself. I saw wings first. Horns. A body curled inward, fetal and tense. Then she stretched.
Victorya Umbra rose into full view, and damn.
Shadow black hair spilled down her back in a wild cascade. Her skin stayed that same fair ivory, but everything else carried my mark. Thicker hips and thighs. Ultraviolet eyes with demonic slit pupils stared out from a face that still looked like Nicole, only younger. Sharper. The horns jutting from her forehead were ice-clear white, glowing faintly, matching the translucent inner skin of the bat-like wings spreading behind her.
Ice Mana sculpted itself over her body, forming crystalline coverings over her breasts and cutting into thong-like lines. Obsidian voidsilk wrapped her waist in a flowing cape and climbed her arms into long gloves. Gothic. Regal. Dangerously fine. Additional Ice Mana traced her tail, flowed down her legs, and solidified into razor-sharp heels. The black lipstick and eyeliner finished it. Humble sexy. Battlefield trouble. Yeah. Shawty was waking up my libido. I almost forgot I was pissed. She bowed her head slightly, voice low and smoky.
"I am Victorya Umbra," she said. "Your White Empress. I am at your command, my Midnight King. Who would you have me kill first?"
Her voice slid through me like cold smoke. A true goth baddie. A frozen wet dream.
While Omnia's species of Fey were called Unseelie, she could divide herself into three different kinds of sprites: a Nekomata, a Lust Faerie, and a Liquid Gynoid. But Victorya Umbra was a completely different breed. She was an Infernian Sprite, one I only read about in my mother's old books, a Tru-Demon. Victorya was a Lesser Ice Succubus, one of the strongest evolution lines for Succubi.
Luda nudged me with his elbow, grinning.
"Well damn, Xi. You lose access to your Guardian Armament and just replace her like that?"
"I'm still wearing the Noir Empress," I said. "So she's not fully lost. But extra options are always good when it comes to weapons."
He laughed.
"You say that to a Weapon Summoner? You know my bag's deep."
"Yeah, but you've been using the Meridian Goddess since the labyrinth, mostly," I shot back. "You picking favorites, nigga?"
He didn't hesitate.
"Yep."
I chuckled and dap'd him up. My boy was down bad for Roxy, and I couldn't even hate.
I turned back to Victorya. She stood patiently, eyes soft, desire innocent. When our gazes met, she blushed and looked away. That's when I noticed it. Her aura was leaking everywhere. Thick streams of cold mana poured into the air unchecked.
"Victorya," I said gently, "keep your mana signature compressed to your skin. You're bleeding too much into the room."
She nodded once, closed her eyes, and focused. The shift was instant. Her magitons pulled inward, tightening like a held breath. The temperature in the room rose back to normal as warmth returned.
Luda whistled.
"That signature's insane. Dense. I'd say she's on par with your Twilight Goddess."
"Not quite," I said. "I used a copy of Omnia's Astral Frame for her Soul Core. It'll help her grow, but Omnia's core is much stronger."
He grinned.
"All I heard is you got a way to bring people back. So if I die first, you know what to do."
I laughed hard.
"Nigga, you're too greedy for life to ever see the end of it."
"I'm just making sure I have all available roads covered."
Before I could clap back, [Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] slid in again.
"Master, your Crest of Xirotation has been installed within Elysia. Her Soul Core has been transferred to our [Midnight World] and stored within us."
The Prime Realm System chimed right after. «Request from Xiro Mikazuki has been accepted. Requirements for Elysia are met. The ultra skill, [Pawprints & Dreams 3], has been given to her and installed. An additional person skill [Summon Nymph] has been installed. [Summoner's Contract] is now complete.»
I frowned internally.
"What request? I don't remember asking for anything."
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] admitted it. "That was me, Master. It came to my attention that Elysia would be able to hold an Ultra Skill since you became her summoner. So I requested one I've created."
Ultra Skills having sequels was news to me.
"Wait, isn't the original just a combination of three different Ultra Skills? What is Elysia's version?"
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] explained, "It is an experimental copy of your [Pawprints & Dreams] that I practiced deconstruction and modification on, in hopes of assisting you if you ever needed the information and direction."
I wasn't shocked. He'd been moving like that ever since we evolved into a Midnight Oni. But I was impressed. Ultra Skills were the Prime Realm System's rare blessings to break the rules of physics and magick. Only two percent of Gaia had access to them. It was like having a nuke in your pocket when other people were carrying water guns.
[Midnight Star: Belial] wasn't impressed.
"That Ultra Skill was a failure, even if it gives the user the ability to reject reality for imagination," he said. "It's not that useful in repetition, as it burns all of the user's mana during a single use. Leaving you weakened after the cast."
"What do you mean? That sounds pretty powerful to me," I thought. "Broken, actually. She'll live."
Pink motes swirled around Elysia, shaping into leaves before dissolving into Astral Mana. She didn't change physically, but her aura snapped into place. Solid. Real. About Dream Flower's tier in battle power. She stared at her hand, stunned.
"Wow," she whispered. "How much mana did you give me?"
"A raindrop in the ocean," I said. "But you look a lil thicker."
She smiled widely.
"Feels like I can do anything."
"I love that attitude."
The Sycamore Tree shook violently. The ceiling cracked. Chunks of stone fell, smashing into the floor around us.
Luvina spun.
"What's happening to the tree?"
I looked at Elysia.
"What's going on?"
Her face fell.
"Since you took the soul of the tree, it's dying. No life force."
[Moon Sage: Tsukuyomi] confirmed it. "Due to being within the Sycamore Tree's personal pocket dimensions, if it finishes collapsing into itself, we could end up lost in a shattered realm from normal reality."
"Aye," I said fast. "Elysia, keep pumping life and magickal energy back into the tree until we exit."
"Yes, sir."
Luvina rushed toward me, eyes wide. Confusion blanketed her face.
"Wait, wait, wait. What did you just say, Demon Lord? And what did she mean by you took over the soul of the Sycamore Tree?"
That's when Elysia pinged me telepathically.
Apparently, Luvina never met the sprite that lived within, leaving her ignorant of Elysia's existence. That explained why she never spoke or acknowledged Elysia when we first entered the chamber. That was a crucial catch. That showed me that Luvina wasn't as thorough as I believed. If she was overlooking simple holes like that in her bucket, then I knew she wouldn't be able to prevent any leaks of information. So she became the next person I planned to interrogate.
Elysia pressed both palms to the floor, and a breathy gasp left her lips as she released a gas-like wave of ethereal life force straight into the Sycamore Tree's bones. Mana poured from her hands like liquid light, motes splashing outward and sinking into the living structure beneath us. The floor pulsed once. Then again. The violent shaking slowed, then stopped completely, like a beast finally calming after a rampage.
But she didn't stop there.
Her new mana didn't just stabilize the Sycamore Tree. It started to correct it or some shit.
Cracks sealed themselves. Splintered wood rewove its grain. The scars of battle crawled backward in time as reconstruction rippled through the prison chamber. The darkness overhead shimmered, then bloomed as glowing mana crystals sprouted across the ceiling like stars being born. Light spilled down, warm and soft, illuminating the entire floor. The concrete walls shattered outward in a controlled collapse, dissolving into gray dust before stronger, living wood surged up from beneath. The stench of rot and despair evaporated, replaced by the gentle scent of wildflowers and amberwood. Where iron bars and cells once stood, polished wooden furniture formed naturally, shaped with curves and cushions that felt lived-in. Cozy. Like we'd stepped into a Faerie's living room instead of a dungeon.
Luda slowly turned in a circle, nodding with approval.
"This shit looks much better now," he said. "Still could use a window for some sunlight or something."
"I think it's still nighthalf," I replied. "You gon' have to settle for moonlight."
Elysia smiled, brushing glowing motes from her fingers.
"I'll see what I can do."
Luvina's face twisted as realization finally slapped her upside the head. Her eyes bounced from Elysia to the room, then to me. Her cheeks puffed out as she waited for an explanation, visibly struggling to process the fact that her base had just been hijacked.
"I'm guessing you didn't know you were living inside a Hamadryad?" I asked.
"A hammy-what?"
"That answers my question."
"How would I know what that is?" she shot back. "I thought it was just a regular magick tree."
"What's regular magick?"
"You know what I'm tryin' to say," she snapped. "The Angels just gave me the keys. I didn't ask questions."
"Yeah," I said quietly. "The Trappers. I know you're working for Orion. I'm gonna need you to tell me where he took Omnia."
My tone dropped into something colder. Heavier. I let all friendliness fall off my face as the gankyrils of [Heaven's Kaleidoscope] began to spin, slow and luminous like burning galaxies. My aura leaked outward, swallowing my features in shadow until only my eyes remained visible, glowing through the dark like a phantom layered over my body.
Luvina froze. Panic hit her all at once as her mind slipped into an endless void, swallowed by the hypnosis of [Who is Jill Scott]. Fear wrapped around her chest without explanation, squeezing tighter with every breath.
Behind us, Lynnette finally warmed back up, and her patience snapped.
"How can I even get his attention," she thought bitterly, "when he got all these stupid women around him?"
Fire Mana sparked around her in sharp pops. The air thickened as heat rolled off her body, clashing violently with the lingering cold. The chamber's temperature twisted and warped, hot and freezing, fighting for dominance.
Luda leaned toward me.
"Yo, bro," he muttered. "That human chick looks like she's upset about something."
"Whatchu mean?" I asked, still focused on Luvina.
Then I heard it. Chanting. [Danger Sense] screamed. I turned just in time to see a massive fireball screaming toward me, roaring with enough heat to vaporize metal. It was aimed to take Luvina and me out together. I didn't move. Didn't need to. The inferno flash-froze midair, three yards away. Ice snapped over it in an instant, tinted black with Victorya's mana. Violet snowflakes drifted down softly as the frozen mass cracked and fell apart.
"How the—where is she at?" Lynnette murmured, scanning wildly. "Where'd that ice demon go?"
Victorya Umbra appeared in a blink, standing in the space where the frozen sphere once was, her hand resting gently against the remaining ice. Her expression was flat. Bored. Like she'd just swatted a fly.
"Bro," Luda said quietly, impressed. "She's efficient as fuck."
"Good girl," I said. "Now, stand down."
Lynnette's frustration boiled over. Steam rolled off her as she clenched her fist, teeth bared. Before she could cast again, I teleported.
One blink.
I was in front of her.
"Huh? W-wha—ahhh!"
She recoiled, then forced herself forward and threw a punch. Her fist cut through nothing but air. [Heaven's Kaleidoscope] had her too, pulling her senses apart, trapping her in [Who is Jill Scott]'s rhythm.
My voice slid in behind her like cold wind through a graveyard.
"Nice jab. You've got good form. But what are you swinging at?"
She spun into a kick. I stopped it with my index finger, her leg hovering near my chest. I didn't even need to look. [Kaleidoscope Eyes] had my vision wrapped all around me.
It did, however, give me a very clear upskirt view under her dress.
"Even nicer choice of underwear. But I'm a little too busy for foreplay at the moment."
She yanked her leg back instantly, slapping a hand over her dress.
"You little pervert!"
"You're the little one here, short stack."
"You're disrespectful as hell."
"You tried to blindside me," I said calmly. "Chill for a second while I handle some other business, and I'll hear whatever you want after I'm finished."
Her magickal aura flared violently. Lava Mana bubbled around her in molten clusters, popping midair.
"What," she blurted, cheeks burning red, "I'm not strong enough or something?"
Before the magma could fly, it froze solid midair, turning into chunks of ice that shattered as they hit the floor.
"Victorya," I said sharply. "I told you to stand down."
"Forgive me, Your Majesty," she replied, folding her arms. "I cannot allow harm to you in my presence."
"Get your women under control," Lynnette snapped. "Tell them to mind their business."
"He is my business," Victorya replied coldly.
Lynnette had an impressive mana signature, but my plate was too full, already. She didn't seem to hold any hatred toward me, so it made me curious as to what she wanted with me.
"Yeah, that strength and magick power is the real deal. Ain't no way I can fight him without my sword. Let's just agree with his offer for now, Lyn-Lyn." Lynnette thought.
"Fine," she finally muttered, turning her head, blush deepening. "I'll wait for my turn. But don't forget about me."
"You're adorable," I said honestly.
I didn't know Lynnette personally yet, but from that interaction, I knew she would be someone interesting. So I decided to let her keep her life for now. And from the smell of her mana signature, there was something unique about her aura. Something she shared with the old Nicole. Something I was more attuned to noticing, but would have to wait to ask about.
Luda giggled behind me like this was a sitcom. Meanwhile, Luvina finally shook herself free, palm covering her face in embarrassed realization. Each breath was shallow and quick as her hands shook involuntarily.
"So eye contact is dangerous, huh? Noted," she thought. "I'll avoid that until I get more information on his abilities. Now, to put the next stage of my plan into action."
She watched me walk toward her, calculating. The Panty Raiders' leader had finally met the Devil King of Velonica. And it was the worst possible time.
I wasn't feeling too playful anymore. And this dance with the devil? One wrong step, and she'd burn just like the Angels.
[End of Chapter]
[1] April on Earth