Chap 10 Life Essence

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Green hairs was falling on her beautiful face obstructing her view but she didn't tried to fix her own hairs

Wearing her white lab coat Selias entire focus was on the research papers she's writing or more like scribbling

Her emerald eyes darted around the three open books. Her left hand holding the quill passes on the white pages leaving behind a mess of characters who even if Devon would have learned the language wouldn't be able to comprehend that's how bad her hand writing is or he might be, If he would have taken the pharmacist course

Her room is surrounded by the bookshelfs and books creating a small mountain at her study desk with occasional instruments half filled with different vials or empty glass tubes. Globes and charts of many colors and sizes are scattered around the room used for measuring  who knows what

Last night selia couldn't sleep. She tried to close her eyes hoping sleep will eventually take over her mind that was busy on the discovery of the living subject who uses the third power source

The life force, The most feared and hated one. Sleeping right beside her embracing her peacefully

At first she felt fear, An ancient spirit was walking besides her pretending to be a living being. In her terms he's a walking curse to the livings before the fear turned into curiosity attracting her overly curious mind to the sensation she felt when they first met, The feeling of getting drained of her life

She admits it's a horrible experience to her, Like any being in her position would have felt. But instead of being wary of him and running away from him 

She felt attracted to him wanting to get that sweet poison she receives in exchange of her life essence to him, It was addicting to say the least

Devon turned her curiosity to her budding affection

In her knowledge. life force is the source used by the liches and the other dark creatures who predates on other livings to sustain their life they doesn't only kill their victims but torture them making their life living hell, making them beg to be killed, They would never leave their food alone let alone curing the curse they have implanted in the first place

It would be all but a lie. She should have told this information to sister Ruas who always behaved like her mother of sort but she refrain herself wanting to see more of him. His behavior, his talking, his personality and his care to her and before she realized her budding feelings becomes a full blown tree! 

'It must be because of last night' she thought remembering Devons innocent sleeping face facing her devoid of any deception he would show to others at day

The defenseless feeling he gives to her at that time makes her want to embrace him, accepting him completely but first she has to concentrate on her work that she didn't wait and has started in the middle of the night leaving him alone

Her focused mind didn't even noticed the constant knocking on the door before someone opens it own their own, Entering in her study

"Fuu... 

"Huh?! 

A hot breath blows at her large but sensitive fins like ears startling her, Spilling the ink on the page she was writing with such dedication

"You're trying to avoid me again? After calling me here you aren't expecting me to stand at the door are you?" 

Devon spoke taking the support at the desk staring at her emerald eyes up this closely with her deep blue ones just some inch away

She quickly averted her eyes "No it's not... I.. I... didn't noticed you that's all" Saying softly. Not even mad at him spoiling her work

Devon sighed. After seeing her still avoiding him he said "Leave it, tell me why you called me here" 

Backing away letting her some breathing room, He turned at the room looking at the unusual room that looks more like a small chemistry room in his school

Placing a hand on her chest Selia takes a deep breath and calmed her racing heart 'That's not fair!' 

After getting her calm back and remembering why she called him here she said "Here can you put your hands at this?" 

Placing the White orb at the desk quickly closing her extensive notes to the side

"And channel the ethereal and magical feeling flowing through my veins to this orb right?" He said with a smile surprising Selia of how did he knows this without any prior knowledge

"Am I right?" Devon asked again after she didn't say anything but stare at his face with a surprised look 'No need to thank me' he added internally

"No" She shakes her head before continuing "Let the Orb channel the ethereal and magical feeling flowing through your veins" 

"How's it any different from what I said?!"

"It is, It's the feeling" Selia said sternly at this, She somehow felt him mocking her

Shrugging Devon placed his left hand at the orb and let the orb do the work but even after one minute he couldn't see any brightness like it's brightness was set at the lowest from the beginning

"Selia don't tell me it was supposed to tell the amount of mana I was supposed to possess" 

He dreaded at the thought of being a manaless here where every other being is stronger than him

It's the mana that was stopping him from falling in despair. It's the hope of sooner or later he would be able to match with them and show them

Show that Kronia, he isn't one to take lightly and he has yet to deal with that proud Ruas

Surprisingly he didn't even consider using strength on Selia 

"Hmm, it's the mana detecting device" For some reason Selia was smiling at him being manaless 

Devon maintain his smile despite this discovery

Selia then gives him another blue orb used to detect the spirit energy, Like with the mana detecting device it also doesn't even blink for once pushing his mind at the edge

He was about to turn back and return at his room when Selia pulls out a Red orb

"What's this for?" His voice doesn't has his usual weight. Certainly it did hit some of his expectations he placed on himself

"It's ah... Leave it. I will explain later, here" Placing the orb at the desk she gestures him with an encouraging smile

He could only shake his head before placing his hand at the Red orb 

He didn't even touch it when the orb started glowing brightly and when he did touch the orb

An invisible ring started forming inside of it representing his level. It was only an outlining of a ring with a tiny shadow slithering around it

The Rings surface looks mysterious, Made of indescribable symbols that gives a headache to Selia when she tried to focus too much

The surface of the orb started heating quickly, Devon has to disconnect his connection before it becomes unbearable for him

Although Devon couldn't take a look at what's that creature looks like that was circling around his incomplete ring, It did brings a smile to his going grim face

Selia didn't say anything for a moment. She carefully placed the orb back in its place and cleared the desk with a liquid

"Knock! Knock! 

He knocked at the desk bringing her back to herself. Her unfocused eyes regains it's focus before staring at Devon without any shame for longer than Devon would be comfortable with

"Ahem! 

He coughed, prompting her to speak

"I... Ha" She sighed before saying "D... Devon" It's the first time she's taking her name directly rather than mentioning him using 'you, yours' and others, Avoiding using his name

"Devon... How much do you know about Life force and life essence?" 

Devon replied with a nonchalant shrug "Don't know, First time hearing it"

"Hmm... Then how do I explain this" She started pacing back and forth with a thoughtful look

Seating at the chair with an interesting look, Devon who wanted to know all about this life or whatever force asked after knowing he can't use mana nor spirit but this "How long?"

"Detailed explanation or the short explanation?" She asked

"As detailed as possible. As you can see I got nothing to do other than giving a treatment to you, want some treatment now?" With a wink he asked with a smile making her cheeks turn red 

Rather than answering him back she started her one hour lecture

"Life essence. The third power source out of the five sources of the world, The five pillars

Number one Mana, the source used by the elves, you humans if you're considered as one even after this and many others, The general and the most common source used by one third of the population and the safest one

Number second Spirit energy, the source used by the spirit beasts and us the Beastkins with more than one bloodline. The one whose quantity is limited to the number of livings, If one has to advance then it has to kill, To obtain others spirit energy. Their is no other way. It's also the reason we Beastkins are the most bloodthirsty race and despised by all the other races. 

Number third Life force, the source used by the liches, evil spirits, vampires and mostly Revenants to sustain themselves in the living world at the cost of other livings  life force. They're parasites and the beings that are hunted down on sight These dark creatures are the most hated after we Beastkins because you see... we Beastkins can be Peaceful sometimes if we doesn't want to advance but the one who uses the life force needed the life essence from others to sustain themselves, to keep living, keep hurting others, keep draining others life, giving others slow but painful death unlike us who gives a quick death not letting others suffer

And the other two power source aren't even public knowledge but it was said those two source are called the demons path and the gods path..."

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*Devon

After somehow my remaining last two brain cells that survives after her lecture tried to process the information. I have not one but many questions and one thought 'I didn't understand one bit' 

All I understand is that there's five paths with the morality labels as follows

Mana, Good. Used by the majority

Spirit, Bad. But the users are strong so they can't be bullied

Life force, Bad and weak can't even sustain themselves without depending on others. Labels as the wicked and heresy, a suitable target for all the other path users to bully

Demon and Gods path, Forbidden territory No questions asked 

Raising my hand I asked "Long story short can you tell me how and why I can't use mana but the life force" 

I don't even need to ask why I can't use the spirit energy and the other two secret paths

Stopping her mumbling she said organizing her thoughts or rather questioned me in her soft tone

"Devon you're an ancient spirit right? You should have known that when someone returns back from the dead

They can solely rely on the Third path as it's like a oxygen to them without it they would be no more

Although every Revenant has different ways to get life essence some directly take it by their masters, the summoners. The liches takes it by sacrificing others on altars to transfer it directly or that's what I know at my best and vampires extracts the life force from the blood" 

She crossed her arms around and asked "Devon, you do know how you're taking the life force to keep sustaining yourself right?" 

She asked softly but it looks more like she's questioning my existence while I asked myself one simple question with the answer I already know 

'Did I even survive at that time?'