Chapter 85: Successor

"Vita? Second elder sister?" Phanes voices the name as if the entire idea is nonsense. 

Why would her second elder sister chase her for her powers? It is more likely that her elder sister is frantically looking for her since she went missing from the god realm. Maybe she is still searching even after two thousand years have passed. 

Looking at Phanes repulsed by the idea, Kyrie considers that maybe he overthought. Maybe there are such things as coincidences in this world.

[But what happened to Phanes that she is considered dead even in the scriptures from Vita's temples?]

"Do you know what happened to your actual body?" asks Kyrie.

Phanes shakes her head, "I am just a sliver of consciousness that I left behind with a part of my essence reserve. Anything that happened after, I do not know. My memories are up to the moment that I placed this sliver of consciousness in the reserves."

The aura around Phanes's body begins to dim slowly. Her consciousness is dissipating since she has already met Kyrie and used up the essence she left for herself. She doesn't have much time. 

Seeing that Phanes is fading away, Kyrie declares, "I don't believe that there is free lunch in this world. What do you want in exchange for your essence?"

Phanes smiles bitterly. She truly just wants to give her essence away because she has reached a point where she is just too tired of carrying the weight of others' expectations. Despite her strong powers and high status within the god realm, she has never felt so hopeless and lonely. She just wants to leave that cage and live like a mortal. She wants to run away from the god realm. 

"Then, look for me, Kyrie," Phanes says. She knows that if she succeeded with her plan of leaving the life of a goddess, she might already be dead when Kyrie finds her, but if this brings peace to Kyrie's heart when he is accepting her essence, then maybe, in the end, it's all worth it.

Kyrie pauses for a bit, looking at her sincere eyes. 

"I will look for you then," Kyrie accepts.

Phanes smiles softly, but her smile cannot fool the loneliness in her eyes.

"I will start the ceremony then," she says since her time is running out.

Phanes's body emits a blind pure light that causes Kyrie to squint his eyes. She closes her eyes, enchanting words that Kyrie cannot understand. Her voice echoes in the forest like multiple goddesses repeat her enchantment behind the mist curtains. She opens her eyes, and they beam out light that slowly dims away. Then, the gold essence that surrounds her turns silver. From the scalp to the tips, her hair turns raven black. Her beautiful emerald eyes get consumed by a pair of pure silver.

She pushes her hand onto her chest and draws out a gold thread from her body. She places that hand with the thread that is attached to her on Kyrie's chest. 

As if Phanes has tied a knot inside Kyrie, he feels his heart tighten in such force that he felt a sharp jab. After the connection is established, the thread turns invisible. 

"With your fate connected to mine as my successor, now you can use my powers."

Kyrie touches his chest where he saw the thread enter. 

The silver essence lifts from Phanes, and her appearance changes. The color of her raven hair waters back down to her chestnut brunette, and her silver eyes regain the color of beautiful emeralds. 

Then, Phanes opens up her hand, drawing a golden cube out of her palm. The cube floats over her hands as it circles.

"This is part of my reserves. I decided to hide them in parts so that they avoid detection."

Phanes lets go of the cube, letting it float towards Kyrie. The golden cube merges into Kyrie's body.

Essence and mana begin to surge inside Kyrie. He expects to feel an overwhelming flow running through his body, but instead, his body gently accepted the essence that went in. His skin tingles from the rush of energy. Gradually, the energy surge calms.

"How am I going to find the rest of your reserves?"

Phanes shakes her head. She doesn't know the exact locations that she put her other reserves. Kyrie would have to look for them on his own.

"There is no way for me to know where my reserves are since this is the first place that I have stored part of my reserves. However, your fate will guide you to them."

"How am I supposed to use essence? I am a mortal…"

"That question… Even the gods don't know the answer. Every god had to find a way to manifest their own powers. This is something you need to find out by yourself."

Phanes cups Kyrie's face. She is very close to fading away since Kyrie can gaze at the forest through her.

"I am happy I can see you again, kid."

Phanes lets her hand fall and turns away. She walks towards the forest and disappears into the mist.

In the direction where she disappeared, a black hole opens, as if space has torn like fabric. The trees, the sky, and the ground start to turn to dust, floating away towards the heavens. The black hole expands rapidly. The darkness engulfs Kyrie and his surroundings.

Kyrie opens his eyes even though he thought he had them already opened. 

[Was that a dream?]

His head feels heavy as if he has rested way too long. Looking around, he recognizes the rough walls of the tunnels.

He is back to the present.

The gentle smell of cedarwood draws Kyrie closer to Ian, enclosing his arms tighter around Ian's body. He buries his face on Ian's back.

"Tell me when you feel dizzy or tired next time," Ian says while thinking back to how Kyrie suddenly fell into a faint spell. At this point, Ian feels like he needs to adapt to Kyrie's spontaneity. 

"Hmm..." Kyrie nods, rubbing his forehead onto Ian's back. 

They remain silent, following Maya, who is guiding them towards the enchantment circle.

"I like your scent… This scent suits you well..." Kyrie attempts to break the silence.

Kyrie glances up after receiving no response. He looks at Ian's flushed ear. Kyrie lets out a smile, and his heart itches with a desire to tease. He knows he should not since Maya is still with them, but temptations take over him. He lifts his body, leaning to reach Ian's right ear.