Outside the training hall, beside the river where starlit water still remembered their first time,
Vaeloria sat alone. The constellations above the Ever-Calm Haven glittered like broken promises. No sun, no moon—just perfect, endless night. For the first time in thousands of years, the darkness felt like home instead of a cage.
She laughed once, bitter and soft.
Funny.
She had carved her name into history as the monster who thrived beneath the night sky, yet her obsession with masking that monster had stolen the one thing she truly needed: this quiet, star-drenched peace.
She had vowed never to bow to any light—not even the light that gave darkness it's only shine.... the moon. A Younger, prouder Vaeloria never imagined the moon was alive, jealous, and cruel. She never imagined that her walking her chosen path would be a catalyst to her downfall.
"Heh… now I'm stuck with a curse that gave me lunar affinities and a path that rejects all light… not to mention…"
As she thought to finish her words her eyes drifted to lesser chamber to where Ash had been. But to her surprise he was already walking over and was close enough to hear her mumblings. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even notice him.
Her heart stuttered. Her core shuddered so violently she tasted silver blood.
"Go away," she whispered, the Last Sovereign reduced to two broken words.
Ash only smiled and sat beside her, close enough that their shoulders brushed. He tilted his head to the same stars.
"My Little Sovereign~"
The words rolled out like a lullaby made of sin and salvation, and every trembling fragment inside her went still.
"I know what you're going through. Don't ask how—just know I understand."
He didn't give her time to argue.
"I gave you space to choose. Now I'm asking, and I want the truth, consequences be damned. Trust me."
Golden-pink eyes met violet.
"Vaeloria, do you truly want to be mine? Body, mind, and soul?"
Hearing these words Vaeloria found herself at a crossroads. One that she knew would come sooner or later.... Her Path or walking towards his light...
By now her affection for Ash was at 99% and if it weren't for her amazing willpower, she would've been head over heels for him. However, the long years she'd lived weren't for naught.... Still, though she knew deep down her love for Ash was already there, she just hadn't admitted it aloud.
And that was the major catalyst her path needed to finally crumble.
She looked up as her violet eyes met his golden-pink eyes and finally made her decision. And as if knowing the words she was about to utter he core trembled violently as blood trailed from the corners of her mouth.
"A-Ash…" She smiled through the crimson. "I'm… deeply in love with you!"
CRACK!
The moment the confession left her lips, her body pitched forward.
Ash caught her before she hit the ground.
Ash smiled hearing this and quickly got to work.
|Genesis Reforge|
The words tore out of him like judgment day.
Nearly all twenty-five billion of his mana vanished in a single heartbeat. His face went death-pale, veins black beneath his skin. Above his head, space ripped open. A colossal ring of absolute black fire and molten gold erupted into existence, spinning slowly. Inside the ring floated nine golden chains—each link etched with the ancient characters of her original vow.
Nine phantom moons, cracked and bleeding silver light, circled the chains like dying gods.
Vow: I will never bow to any light, not even the moons'. Only in perfect darkness will I be free
"V...Val, my l-little sovereign this is t-the final p..art. Tell me 9 w-words to add or to ch..ange about your orig..inal v-vow." He spoke to her through strain and bated breathes.
Hearing this her bloody smiled became even brighter as she said with all her remaining energy.
"..... Only in perfect darkness will I be f-free; yet I w-willingly choose Ash's l-light as my only m-moon."
The moment those words left her mouth, the chains shattered into stardust.
Nine new syllables—born from her bleeding lips—burned themselves into the void in letters of pure white flame.
The ring collapsed inward, becoming a single black hole that swallowed the broken moons whole. A pulse of pure creation detonated outward, flattening the grass for a kilometer in every direction.
Vaeloria's plummeting Existence Level halted. Her body rose into the air, wrapped in a cocoon of absolute black adorned with one perfect full moon.
Ash dropped to one knee, gasping, vision swimming.
[Existence Level +1,000]
[EL – 7,190.5]
The cocoon shattered.
She descended like midnight given flesh.
Hair now abyssal black, flowing to her hips. Fur turned void-black with only the tips of ears and tails pure white. Eyes twin eclipses—irises pitch black, pupils tiny full moons. On her forehead, a single luminous moon mark glowed soft and proud.
"Beautiful…" Ash breathed.
Vaeloria's smile became radiant. She ignored every notification and launched herself at him, tackling him to the ground in a storm of tails and desperate arms.
"My Prince~"
She licked her lips, felt him harden beneath her, and laughed—free, wild, ancient.
"If you're tired, it's fine… I'll do all the work."
They didn't leave that riverbank for two full days.
When they finally stopped, the grass around them was scorched into a perfect circle of starlight and sex.
And etched forever into her soul was the new Path of Dreambound Eclipse.
-----
[Path of Dreambound Eclipse - A lunar sovereign who rejected every chain except the one she placed on herself. In absolute darkness she is apocalypse unbound. In Ash's light she is an apocalypse perfected. To reach SS-rank, deepen the darkness you command and the devotion you offer, until the eclipse and the chosen moon become the same thing.
-In Ash's presence or under any light he personally emits (Cinderlight, Phoenix Fire, even his eyes): now instead of burning you. In his presence your MP is enhanced by 50 times, and your battle prowess raises a minor rank.
-Eternal Night Dominion and any future darkness/domain skills used together with Ash automatically fuses into a single perfect version twice as strong when you fight together.
- Ash's Light = Weakness
-While Path is active any light source created or approved by Ash can harm or kill you normally (and only that light).
-If Ash ever betrays or abandons you, your Path instantly collapses, and you will lose all cultivation forever.
-You can never raise a hand against Ash, even if mind-controlled or soul-bound by a higher power. The Path itself will shatter your cultivation first.]