Spirit's Awakening: The Path of Lightning and Water-Chapter 357: Guiding Star Returns

Lassim continued walking, his boots pressing lightly against the damp ground. Swirling wisps of clouds swirled around his feet, trailing in his wake as he moved with an effortless grace appearing in one place and then another before he returned facing his parents.

With a faint smile, he continued simply by saying, "It’s something I developed myself."

Everard raised an eyebrow. "Developed yourself? That doesn’t explain—"

"Ah. I’ll stop you there. Trust me, I think it’ll be easier to explain once we get to the Drow village," Lassim interrupted gently. "There’s... a lot you two still need to know, and it’s better if I tell you everything at once with the people involved."

Egelina gave her son a measured look but nodded. "Fair enough. Let’s get to it then."

The appearance of the well-trodden path through the Emeraldwood Forest was a new addition since the last time Lassim was home. It wound its way toward the heart of the Drow settlement, its edges marked by careful upkeep that blended seamlessly and carefully with the natural surroundings. This was not the untouched wild and only sparsely patrolled lands from his youth; it was instead, well on its way to being the permanent home to its new inhabitants over the last three years.

Egelina smiled faintly as her gaze swept over the familiar sight of the wood-and-tree shaped structures rising amidst the forest. The burrowed entrances to underground chambers soon made their presence visible as they were nestled into the hillsides accented by signs of Drow craftsmanship—sleek, elegant carvings and wild, untamed aspects like animal bones and root-like designs whose familiarity brought a smile to Lassim’s face. "It’s comforting to see how much they’ve already made themselves at home," he remarked. "I was a bit worried at first they’d still feel really out of place."

Lassim’s father nodded in reply, "They’ve actually integrated quite well," he said, his fiery eyes briefly scanning the surroundings. "I’ve visited their small village here a few times, but often see them as they head in and out of the city for their supplies or to their shop they’re running with Cirra and Gregor."

Lassim continued to walk between his parents, as they soon arrived at the open entrance with only some familiar Drow-style array poles set up as fencing around the perimeter. The quiet bustle of the settlement greeted them as they entered the clearing.

As if knowing the future about his arrival, one figure stood waiting near the entrance to a prominent underground entrance within eyeline of their arrival into the drow village.

Nothing else mattered in Lassim’s vision and he didn’t even realize all of the Drow that had seen his arrival all suddenly knelt down to their knees.

Sanvra, High Priestess of Khaalseru, exuded an ethereal presence as she stared straight into Lassim’s storm-filled eyes. She held the exact same and unchanged by time appearance that was still fresh in his memory.

Her silver hair cascaded like frozen waterfalls, shimmering under the light that dappled through the canopy above. Her pale skin, etched with delicate, root-like markings contrasted against her piercing white eyes that glowed faintly in the dim light. Her features were sharp, almost otherworldly, her beauty accentuated by the subtle frost-like sheen, despite no longer being in a snowy climate, that clung to her skin and the intricate patterns of leaves and vines woven into her robes.

Yet, out of the corner of Lassim’s gaze stood another familiar figure.

Hallen stood beside her, his now broad frame leaning slightly against the carved stone entrance. In stark contrast to his disheveled and heart-longing appearance years ago, Hallen was now neatly dressed, his once-haggard demeanor replaced with a sense of pride and purpose that radiated off of him.

His face was now clean-shaven and revealed the chubby fullness of his features. He’d regained most of his former portly and happy figure, but it seemed more a mark of contentment and a return to normal than any kind of neglect. His dark brown hair, trimmed and combed back, had a faint sheen, clearly the result of recent grooming. There were also some elegantly and distinctly drow-made, polished cufflinks on his sleeves.

Sanvra moved first, stepping with a lithe, graceful movement toward him without hesitation and as she reached him, she broke her usual composed demeanor, embracing him tightly. Her slender arms encircled him, the coolness of her touch unmistakable but comforting to Lassim.

Sanvra’s silver eyes softened as she slightly pulled back, mere inches from his face as she regarded Lassim. "Our Guiding Star," she said, "You’ve returned, just as I hoped." She released her hug and reached to clasped Lassim’s hands in hers as she spoke fluent Drow, "[The years have not diminished your light.]"

"Only three years," Lassim replied with a wry smile as he too spoke Drow in reply, "[I missed you, too.]"

Before Sanvra could fully release him, "Young Master!!!" Hallen roared out, his voice booming as he called out and rushed to meet him. His hands clasped Lassim’s shoulders briefly before taking him away from Sanvra and pulling him into a gruff hug.

"You’ve kept us waiting! Are you doing well? Did you make it to the Lightning Sect? Why are you here?!" He fired the barrage of questions at a rapid pace while squeezing Lassim to the best of his ability.

Lassim chuckled, returning the embrace. "It’s good to see you again, Uncle Hallen. I’m doing well and I’ll get to that later haha."

Hallen released him with a grin. "Of course! Of course. Well, can you at least say what you’re doing here?" He glanced toward the priestess with a subtle smile. "She said she received a sign you were coming but wouldn’t share anything."

Egelina and Everard hung back for a moment, letting the reunion play out before stepping forward to greet the pair.

"Sanvra," Egelina said warmly, placing a hand on the Drow Priestess’s shoulder. "It’s wonderful to see you again. And Hallen, I trust you’ve kept things in good order?"

"Of course, Lady Egelina," Hallen replied with a slight bow. "I’d not have it any other way."

Egelina gave a pleased nod at Hallen’s reply, her expression softening as she turned her attention back to Sanvra.

The Drow Priestess stepped aside, gesturing toward the entrance to one of the underground chambers. "If you would all follow me, there’s a quieter place where we can talk and then our Guiding Star can speak on what he must."

Lassim glanced at his parents, giving them a small nod of reassurance before stepping ahead to join Sanvra.

Everard and Egelina exchanged a look—curiosity—and followed closely behind, with Hallen bringing up the rear.

The passage leading into the burrows that gave a sense of nostalgia to Lassim for the five years he spent in Khaalseru’s realm. It was cool and dim, illuminated by the special glowing moss on the walls. The air grew cooler as they descended, carrying the faint scent of damp earth and the light, herbal aroma of Drow incense.

"It’s nearly identical," Lassim murmured, his voice low enough that only Sanvra heard.

She smiled faintly, glancing back at him. "We have worked tirelessly to rebuild and some things are not easily left in the past. It’s not quite the same as the realm we left behind, but this land is fertile and kind. And the help we’ve received has allowed us to flourish," she added, casting a fond glance at Hallen, who merely offered a side-cough with his chest puffed out with small pride in acknowledgment.

Sanvra led the group into a spacious chamber, its ceiling high and domed, supported by intricately carved pillars that seemed to glow faintly. A circular stone table sat in the center, surrounded by low cushions. The room was private yet welcoming, with subtle carvings of Khaalseru’s symbols and some shapes that reminded Lassim of his [Spatial Alphabet] were adorning the walls, their faint purple and void-like glow casting shifting patterns in the mosses’ glow.

"Please, sit," Sanvra said, gesturing toward the cushions as she took her own seat at the head of the table. Hallen settled beside her.

Lassim lowered himself onto a cushion across from Sanvra, his parents flanking him on either side. For a brief moment, there was silence.

Lassim placed his hands lightly on his knees, glancing between his parents and Sanvra.

"There’s a lot to say," Lassim began, his voice steady but contemplative. "And some of it might be… surprising. But it’s important that you know everything."

Egelina’s brows furrowed slightly, though her expression remained calm. "We’re listening."

Lassim straightened his posture, drawing a deep breath. "To begin, I need to tell you what happened during the five years I was away in the Drow realm. That time—it was transformative in ways I never expected."

He hesitated for only a moment before continuing. "So, I never shared with you all on what happened and how I really disappeared. Back then I encountered a man by the name Mercy who was an Abyssal Cultist that wanted to recruit me to join the cult. He called me a Harbringer and said it was only right that I join them. He tried to kill me when I refused and ended up praying to the gods to save me. Well, Famthar seemed to answer my call and as I lept from the cliffside, I was transported to the pocket dimension where the Drow were hidden away. Yet, that pocket dimension was actually… Khaalseru’s heart realm, her divine domain. There’s a lot to Khaalseru, the newest but oldest Goddess of the current pantheon that I could share, but there’s too much to get into. The short version of it is that, after saving her and the Drow from their situation, it was during that time…" Lassim trailed off, his voice growing quieter, "...that Khaalseru gave me another first. I’m no longer the only person in Nexaria with two elements. Instead I was gifted something no one else in Nexaria has ever had. She made me her Progenitor of the [Space] element."

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The room fell into stunned silence. Sanvra already knew this, but even Hallen, who had witnessed much of the Drow’s settlement, looked momentarily lost for words. Egelina’s hand rose to her mouth, her eyes wide with disbelief. Everard leaned forward slightly, his fiery gaze fixed intently on his son.

"Progenitor… of the [Space] element?" Everard repeated slowly, his voice incredulous. "You’re telling me there’s a third element in you now?"

Lassim nodded. "Yes, Father. I still have my [Lightning] and [Water] elements, but now… I also have [Space]. Well, they’ve actually fused into a kind of [Void Storm] element, at least that’s what I’m thinking of calling it, but Khaalseru passed on her power through her marks, making me the first of all future [Space] elemental Spirit Warriors in Nexaria."

Egelina finally found her voice, her tone tinged with shock and wonder. "Three elements. But, you only showed us two elemental companions? Zaphy and Mari!"

"Yes and that’s still the case. The divine marks she gave me allow me more freedom over the element than having an additional companion, at least according to her words," Lassim explained while lifting his sleeves and showing his usually hidden chest beneath the neckline of his martial attire. "And, well, the chance to be in Khaalseru’s realm means that it’s not just the element itself that I received while there—it also meant that my mana transformed entirely and was refined. I’ve skipped several stages and the marks help refine my current mana into what is now… divine mana."

Everard sat back, his fiery aura flickering faintly as he processed the revelation. "My son, I always knew you were destined for greatness since the very day you were born," he said at last, "But this… quite remarkable. I suppose that explains your ridiculous strength and now I understand your [Storm’s Dance]."

Egelina reached out, placing a hand on Lassim’s arm. "And you’ve carried this all on your own for these past three years," she said softly. "Lassim, we’re proud of you. Are you certain you’re safe? What happened to that Mercy fellow and the cultists? [Space] sounds quite dangerous, have you’ve mastered it?"

"I’m safe," Lassim reassured her. "I ended up… getting rid of that loose end during the Sect War in the Southern Continent. [Space] is quite difficult and there’s definitely a lot of potential dangers that come with it. I’m still mastering it, but I’ve made a lot of progress with my [Storm’s Dance] and well—enough to use it in a way that I think will help us all."

Lassim leaned forward slightly, his expression turning serious. "Which brings me to what I’m working on now and why I’m taking a short break from my time with the sect to see you all," he said. "At the Lightning Sect, I’ve been developing something—a prototype for a teleportation device."

"Teleportation device?" Hallen echoed with wide eyes.

Sanvra at his side seemed to have already foreseen and known what he was working on, due to her prophetic connections and visions with her Goddess and the nature of it being [Space] element related—linked directly to Khaalseru—so she nodded along to Lassim’s revelatory explanation.

"Yes," Lassim continued. "Using a specially designed and organized set of arrays and a new alphabet I’ve created of [Spatial Runes], I’ve been working with the leading Array Masters in the entire Lightning Sect—my Array Master teachers Eno and Rylis—to create a device that will allow instantaneous travel between fixed locations. It’s still in development, but we’ve made progress. My trip back to the Veridian continent was to secure Astrium Veinstone—a key material for stabilizing the array."