Chapter 16:

Xander felt his mental energy rapidly drain. His initial estimation of a few hours before being forced to leave this word was quickly overturned, as the pull of the noise got louder and louder.

However, a moment of respite appeared as another mental energy melded into his own, aiding him. Xander traced the energy back and felt it was coming from the tree.

Was the Tree smart enough to help him? To be honest, Xander didn't know. Maybe it felt his struggle. After all, they were connected through their souls, nevertheless Xander would gladly take the help.

Honestly, know Xander actually felt regretful that the Dean had been so 'physical' with the tree as it had been aiding him so far.

With the added help, Xander doubled down in his efforts. Thanks to the sephiroth grail, the pull on the egg's soul become stronger and Xander was able to interact with it better.

Through this connection, Xander could feel that the egg's soul was incomplete. The creature wasn't ready to be born yet and if Xander was to force it, the egg's soul could get damaged or remain incomplete.

Instead, Xander was overcome by an epiphany, no doubt a result of the sephiroth grails abilities. Guided by this new thought, Xander decided to use some of the miraculous blood within the grail, something which contained an immense amount of energy and vitality, and should aid the process.

The creature's soul had the appearance of an egg and as such, Xander carefully moved 1 drop of blood onto its scaly surface. Xander was careful, as he didn't know if this could have detrimental effects, but on the contrary, the egg or the creature within maybe through the guide of the force or something else pulled that drop into itself.

Funnily enough, it seemed to want more!

Xander didn't reject the glutton, and so one drop become 2, then 3 and so on. Finally, when it reached 5 drops, the egg settled. Xander could feel that not only had the egg settled, but the soul within had strengthened somewhat and, due to the blood, the connection with his own martial soul improved.

Following this, Xander expended an even more colossal amount of mental energy, using the momentum gained through strengthening the egg through the blood and pulled the soul away from egg and into his own mind space.

As the rules in this universe were different to Xander's own, the connection was not perfect, but it would be enough to maintain and hopefully hold the connection, allowing Xander to take the egg with him.

Through the process, the egg held little resistance, seeming to accept its fate and was now supported by the sephiroth grail. Hopefully the soul wound not suffer backlashes.

Xander felt fatigue overcome his mind but, nevertheless continued. Xander entered his own mind space, positioning the egg above the sephiroth grail so it could be supported by it.

Despite his actions, Xander knew that gaining a new spirit ring wasn't all that good, especially not so quickly as it could damage his foundation, as he hadn't consolidated his cultivation. But Xander could hopefully balance this out by somewhat delaying his next advancement.

The egg, now in place, still showed no signs of being born. So with evident tiredness Xander moved his mind form, the form he took in his mind space, towards the tree.

Appearing before the tree, Xander pushed his own mental energy into it, to convey his thanks.

The tree had supported him throughout the process, and even now was refining Xander's mental energy. Xander knew the tree was taking some metal energy for itself, but he didn't mind as its assistance was more than worth it. Xander knew the tree had an affinity for mental energy and, as such, this habit would probably be commonplace, so it could further its own growth.

Nevertheless, Xander conveyed his genuine thanks.

Xander didn't really enjoy conversing with others. Not that he didn't feel emotion but more than that, due to his past experience's he didn't easily trust other people.

But in this situation, where would the tree go? Could the tree ever betray him? after all their fates were pretty much intertwined now.

Yes, for one in a long time Xander let his own genuine emotions be known by another being or, in this case, tree. It just so happened that the abstract form of conversation also took place within Xander's mind.

Did that still mean Xander genuinely conversed with another?

Tiredly chuckling, Xander patted the coarse bark a few more times before he once again moved, though this time to his goal was the incessant annoying noise.

"Yeah, yeah. Damnit. Im coming!"

Concentrating on the noise, it quickly gave way as a crack appeared whisking Xanders soul, or consciousness, away from this sand covered world.

In his wake, a lifeless body fell to the floor. In front of a lifeless egg. Joining another prior lifeless corpse.

Though time seemed to pay no mind as the world began to revert. The timeline began to resist and all abnormalities that had occurred began to disappear. The world once again returned to its naturally state. 

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