The undead armies of Leoric waited for the gates to open. The cries and shouts and explosions could be heard on the other side. Eventually, the door opened, and the skeletons rushed inside. Due to the prevailing madness of Leoric, Leoric already knew which one of the soldiers had already become his.

The skeletons knew who to attack and kill, and soon, the entire fortress was conquered. The way to the warp pad was finally opened.

But even then, the entire team stayed outside the mine as the howls and cries from the inside could be heard.

King Leoric’s stature had grown immensely. The previous clothes he wore no longer fit him. His skin had turned white, and a deathly aura was leaking out.

“Ha Ha Ha… So this is Soul Cultivation?” He called out in his madness. As the souls gathered, even Emera couldn’t believe what she saw. Leoric began to devour souls! And what was strange was that he could do so without falling into the dark madness of bearing the sufferings, depression, and all the negative emotions the souls he ate had.

“Why is King Leoric’s soul like that?” Emera pondered. She had eaten her filled of souls and had even captured a few more. And even then, she had to move closer to Dyne to allow the Brimstone energy to purge her of all strange thoughts. Yet Leoric did not need this.

The souls that Dyne had used to summon zombies and dance the thriller had also grown stronger. They had become wraiths and had a more visible form. The darkness they had was thicker now.

“You are almost close to awakening your consciousness.” Emera looked at one wraith who was giving Emera rebellious gazes from time to time. She sighed and shook her head.

“Time to cleanse you all,” Emera ordered the wraiths to approach her and stay within the side of Dyne, releasing his Brimstone energy.

The wraiths were groaning in pain, but Emera’s control was stronger.

“Bear it. It will make you stronger.” Emera chastised.

She then observed Leoric all the more. She was secretly planning to launch an attack at him if he showed any madness or wanted to kill Dyne, but the longer it took, the more certain Emera was that Leoric was sane.

She then turned to the other side to witness another mystery.

Jaden sat down and no longer had the pained or sad look. Instead, he was opening his eyes and gazing into the Mist and looking at the eyes of the ghosts he could see. At first, he saw nothing, but soon Emera confirmed that Jaden had reached a certain stage where the invisible ghosts were now visible.

“Is this what Master Dyne taught me about Soul Sensitive during those times we escaped?” Emera recalled some advice that Dyne told her as they moved through the tunnels. Since Emera had decided to control the wraiths of Dyne, she had to be taught certain things. Jedo also took the time to teach her even more of what he had learned from Dyne.

“Soul Sensitive. Master Dyne called it having a Third Eye. So now he can see the souls of these creatures. So that’s why Master Dyne stopped reflecting the scenes with his mysterious power…”

Dyne had stopped using the Imaginarium Bond a few minutes in and concentrated on his meditation.

Jaden kept looking at the ghosts and remained unmoved from their growls and groans.

What’s strange is that his eyes and expression became more and more evident as he watched the ghost. There was also a strange glint in his eyes that Emera believed to be rage. Yet his expression remained as calm as ever.

“He’s as cold as ice…” Emera was amazed at how unaffected Jaden was. Emera had to undergo great torture and pain to reach where she was. But this was Jaden’s first time experiencing it, and he could already resist it. Even Emera could not do this now. She used her power to remain unaffected and needed Dyne’s purging to keep her sane.

“One devours the darkness and controls it. The other is too strong to get affected. What a horrifying bloodline!” Emera watched the father and son pair. Then, finally, Emera gazed at Dyne.

Dyne was closing his eyes and had been careful in maintaining the Brimstone energy that kept converting the darkness. He then would use that energy to further fuel his Brimstone. But only Dyne’s hand could be seen now. A strange, malevolent darkness had covered every bit of Dyne except this hand.

“Master Dyne… I hope you know what you are doing. You are doing something far more powerful than the others are doing…” Emera could not help but worry.

Deep inside the soul space of Jedo, the darkness was reforming him and strengthening him. And he was using it to reconstruct the damaged body of Yami.

“I see. You hid his physical body within you and denounced most of your form, and merged with Yami. You became the Darkness Ra-Seru, but as an incomplete Ra-Seru.” Dyne observed Jedo and Yami’s forms.

Much like Meta’s original form before it attached itself to Vahn, a Black jeweled Ra-Seru could be seen floating. But unlike Meta, this one had many parts missing.

“The main issue was balancing the two. I could not fully merge with Yami because I could not master the Darkness. Not to mention…” Dyne glanced at Yami.

“I can sense it. What strange darkness she has... It’s quite wicked. Did Rogue do something to her?”

“Yes! How did you know?”

“The question I had before was how a Ra-Seru of Darkness could be of light? Strafe was rather vague in his response. I’m guessing he didn’t think I need such information…”

“What information?”

“With the appearance of Dark Fire, I realized that every element had an inverse power. But the question was with Light and with Darkness. Are they the opposite of each other? Or do they have another inverse form? And Jedo, you and Yami stood at the ‘good’ versions of Darkness. Well, you are a Time/Space Ra-Seru, and Yami is the real Ra-Seru of Darkness. But… that Yami isn’t the normal Darkness. She is the evil form. Perhaps Strafe planned to reveal this through Juggernaut.”

“Correct. That is the real wickedness. I’m guessing that you already understand the emotional temperament of Darkness.”

“Of course. If Light is love, Darkness is Cruelty. It’s not even Ice which should be the element of Hate, or Water which is Sadness. Darkness wants to do harm to others. And it’s perfect. In love, there is hate. And in hate, there is love. One cannot love if he does not know how to do evil, just as I did when those stupid politicians killed my dad. The cruelty in me dictated my wrath, my passion, and they hate to do all that I did to those gangsters and cops. In the opposite way, I cannot want to do cruel things to others without having anything I love. I mean, that’s what evil people do, right? They love themselves too much that they do not care about what harm they do to others to satisfy their selves.” Dyne explained.

“That is true. Yami was the strongest Ra-Seru among us because she was in charge of killing a Ra-Seru that would rebel. Which was why she was the primary target of Rogue.” Jedo confirmed.

“Well, it’s a good thing that I am Brimstone. I’ll use this darkness to help me break through. It will bring out all the Death energy in my body that has hidden deep within my soul. And then… I shall purge it!” Dyne smiled.

“That’s crazy!” Strafe interrupted.

“Why?” Dyne frowned.

“You don’t know what you are doing! If you do that, the darkness will corrupt you! It will turn your Brimstone into the opposite! Do not underestimate Yami! I followed the game and made Juggernaut the secret quest for a reason. In fact, you’d have to acquire it if you wish to fight Bulnoil in Brigandine!”

“Oh. But Strafe… That’s my secret. I’m already corrupted. You didn’t know?” Dyne was amused.

“What do you mean you’re already corrupted?!”

“You really didn’t notice? Brimstone is the element that turns darkness aligned to light, correct? It is the opposite of Jedo’s time and space. I already know that Jedo’s elemental temperament is that of Greed. Jedo was greedy that he wanted Yami and did the crazy stuff, even abandoning his position as a Ra-Seru without you, or should I say Tieg’s approval. He is also the element that turns light into darkness. Greed is the stepping stone to performing cruelty and evil. Am I right?”

“Yes. And you are the opposite. You are Joy! The emotion that births love!”

“No, I’m not. If I were Joy, why did I do everything I did?” Dyne laughed.

It was then that Strafe felt that lightning bolts struck him. He realized it. The emotion awakened him into soul cultivation that night when Dyne meditated before the Genesis Tree wasn’t pure joy.”

“You are… corrupted! I can’t believe it!”

“Right. I am the dark side of the coin. The reverse of joy. What is the reason why I am even helping you? The bottom line? Games.”

“You walk the Path of Hedonism!” Strafe was horrified.

“You seriously didn’t notice?” Dyne laughed.

The moment Dyne revealed it, many of Dyne’s eccentric actions were revealed. All that Dyne wanted was to game. And everything and anything that helped him achieve that was pursued.

“Thank Basileus Basileon for giving you games!” Strafe almost cursed.

“So don’t worry. I will keep myself sane in this process. I still have lots of games to play. You said it yourself. I am the Nostalgic Gamer in this Cultivation World.” Dyne laughed and turned to Jedo.

“Let’s begin.”

Jedo’s soul form nodded.

“Since I can’t stop you, then I’ll guide you. The darkness and your purity should allow us to do this. I’ll impart the way for you. And erm… feel free to change it as you fit. It’s a bit early… But I guess it’s time to start body cultivation.” Strafe decided.

Rapture_edge

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