Consolidating himself by taking deep breaths, Raian continued to meditate while Liala grabbed the soul shard.
For the past week or so, meditation had become a new hobby for Raian. Whether it was the correct way to meditate or not didn't concern him much, it just felt nice to sit down and not actively think about anything.
The calm atmosphere of the empty world he generated in meditation soothed his stressed soul. Empty like nothing, yet serene like the wind, it just felt nice.
The blood dripping from his wounds did not concern him, nor did the bruises covering his chest or his frighteningly purple hand.
Achieving a semblance of enlightenment while fighting the obsidian scorpion, his current focus was on his aspect. Such a simple act of reinforcement was becoming deeper as he delved further.
Thoughts such as "The Spell is fair" and "Each Awakened has a unique aspect" reminded him of Awakened instructor Stone and his hearty tone.
Even in his meditative state, Raian couldn't isolate himself completely. The sound of something cracking and getting stabbed was still heard.
A minute later, the sound slowly stopped, and following that Raian slowly got up, feeling a little satisfied.
The hollow feeling had greatly diminished, but it still lingered. Like himself, the satisfaction of fighting, No, killing the obsidian scorpion sated it temporarily. Now, like a hibernating animal in a deep sleep, Raian felt crystal clear, his mind gaining great clarity.
Like a saying, Raian only realized his state after finishing the battle. The amount of clarity he gained surprised him. Remembering his state, when his hands couldn't stop shaking at the thought of fighting, frightened him.
The divine aspect was directly affecting his mind, slowly but surely eroding it with whispers of destruction, slowly guiding him to embrace the path of a warrior, always in battle.
Waking up on a battlefield, eating what he could, sleeping what amount was allowed by the enemies, fighting like a mad beast—the image of him succumbing to his aspect was no different than a bloodlusted animal constantly seeking prey to hunt or becoming prey himself.
Before, whenever he imagined or expected his death, the rejection was instant. But now, somehow, the thought of death didn't scare him as much. The last thing he would ever meet or feel did not scare him. It enticed him a little.
Shaking his head sideways as he exhaled, Raian didn't like the way he was going. The paths ended in destruction everywhere he looked.
Like sand sifting between fingers, his sanity would slowly be eroded, and the only way to stop it seemed to be to fight something equal. At least currently. If that situation ever happened where he would live hunt between hunt like paycheck to paycheck, it worried him.
Gazing up at the white sun, Raian stopped thinking, it was going nowhere, thinking perhaps made it worse. Following his habits, everything he thought turned negative. Thinking about why he had such a pessimistic head was a mystery to the owner. His own saying, "Prepare for the worst and hope for the best," was starting to bite him, Raian guessed, but there was a simple solution to every problem he had.
That was getting stronger.
Being stronger than the enemy, stronger than his worry, stronger than his anxiety was the most simple and logical answer he reached.
Mentally patting himself on the back, Raian applauded his genius when Liala plopped down to the ground.
Almost double jumping in the air towards him using her aspect, she threw the shards.
Catching them one by one all one-armed, Raian looked at them calmly. The soul shards of an Awakened Devil were something else. Even if they all looked the same, the strange prickly feeling the shards gave was different.
Looking up to see Liala drenching herself in water in hopes the innards on her garment would fall off, he threw the soul shards back at her.
Grabbing the shards like they were something expensive and fragile, Liala looked back at him. "Que?"
Talking like he understood her question, he said, "You can have them. I'm not in a mood to absorb shards. My left arm isn't moving well. You can absorb them and cover me till I fully recover." While not understanding the language, he understood the tone.
With a smile, Liala agreed, and she began absorbing the shards then and there, dropping her claymore on the ground.
Under the white sun, temporarily alone, Raian had one more thing to ponder about.
His aspect, more like the rank of his aspect. Reading books in the Academy and buying rip-off research papers and journals of other Awakened, he never encountered any aspect pertaining to the divine rank, or even getting close. Small bits and pieces hinted towards someone having the Supreme aspect, but the truth was still vague.
If he was the usual pragmatic Raian with a pessimistic mind, he wouldn't have, but things were different now. Liala was someone he should trust. In the wasteland full of roaming abominations and daily disasters, finding someone was hard.
But he still hesitated. Should Liala be told of his divine rank aspect? // author question as well//
Thinking, he waited until Liala was done.
Unnaturally getting up as if gravity didn't affect her, Liala asked, "Aren't you gonna heal?"
Shaking his head, "No, I don't wanna rely on the potion too much, also it hurts a lot."
Covering her mouth and yawning in the grey desert, Liala teasingly asked, "Oh, is a little pain too much for you?"
Rolling his eyes, "You will understand when you experience it yourself, I'm healing you next time you get injured."
"Unlikely." Declaring her point and pointing to herself with her thumb. "This one isn't planning to walk into a trap like you."
Not looking at Liala, Raian tried to clench his left hand a few times. After failing a few times and twitching his fingers, Raian looked at her. "Still, I should give credit where it's due, the tensed claw was quite crafty. You weren't lying when you said Devils are smarter."
"Told ya you need to be more alert, but I didn't expect the claw to spread like that. You learn something new every day." said Liala with a smug face
Finishing her sentence, Liala dismissed her claymore and walked forward.
Walking beside her, Raian swiped his forehead. Feeling a little mucky, he requested Liala for water.
Getting the leather pouch and opening it with his teeth, Raian asked, "I know you're looking for something. Are we getting closer?"
As the clear water poured upon his head, Liala answered, "To be clear… nope. I don't really know what to look for. Maybe if we travel enough, something is bound to be found."
Hearing her, Raian made a strange facial expression.
Watching his face contort, Liala said, "What? Like you know any better. I'm just being logical here."
Giving back the leather pouch, Raian raised his right arm with an open palm. "No, I didn't mean that. I think one of my organs ruptured."
"What?"
"When I tried to drink water, somewhere in my stomach, I felt water leak out."
"Then drink the potion, idiot. Internal bleeding is quite serious."
Panting as he grimaced, Raian summoned the potion of cursed vitality and took a small sip. Feeling the crimson liquid stream down his throat and get absorbed in the stomach, the burning sensation returned to haunt him.
Wiping his mouth, even though nothing was there to hide his contorting face, he said, "I trust that you find it, whatever it might be. Besides, I don't dislike taking the longer route, as long as we get out in under a year, I don't care."
Smiling awkwardly at the statement while knowing something, Liala led the two of them onward.
Feeling his digestive system burn, Raian followed her.
-xXx-
Somewhere nearby in the desolate wasteland a humanoid figure was getting chased by angry horde of gigantic crabs.
Sporting a fully metallic futuristic left arm the figure desperately tried to escape the pursuit of angry crabs he shouted. "There." pointing at something. "Eat that, i m purely skin and bones... and some metal, I dont taste good i promise."
Failing to communicate with the crabs he cursed his curiosity and continued running.