We stayed like that for a while, her shoulders trembling softly beneath my hands. I didn’t know what had cracked the dam inside her, but I wasn’t about to interrupt. Let it come.

After a few moments, she exhaled and pulled back slightly. “Sorry…”

I shook my head as I gently let go. “For what? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

She brushed off her clothes. “I miss them, but…”

She trailed off. I wasn’t sure she’d finish the thought. “They never said that.”

“Never said w—oh.” Realization struck. I didn’t know her family well, and if they were gone, I didn’t want to speak ill of them, but still. Never praising your own kid?

“Like I said before, you don’t have to feel bad about being happy here.”

She nodded, silent again.

I lifted a hand, pointing at a nearby tree. “Look.”

As I focused, just like she’d explained, a thread of Internal Force unwound from me. It was thin at first, then tighter, wrapping around itself. It sharpened. Became more defined. Aaand… it solidified.

“What?” Velea rubbed her eyes, wiping away the last of her tears.

A small icicle clinked to the ground.

“Umm. That wasn’t supposed to happen.” I scratched the back of my head, heat prickling my neck. Okay, not what I intended, but looking at Vel, it was a success in a different way.

“Wait,” Vel said, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. “Were you trying to shoot water?”

I straightened, extended my arm again. “Yes. And I failed horribly.”

“You probably thought too much,” she offered casually.

That can’t possibly be true, Luna said, deadpan.

My student is right, Wryem added, full of mock solemnity. You* think? I couldn’t have come up with that myself, even in my genius.*

Wait, when did he get sarcasm? Haha. Very funny.

“Any tips, Vel?” I asked aloud, trying to shift the attention back.

“When I was chasing Bristle, I started shooting little pellets at him. Oh! I forgot to tell you—I can shoot pebbles of ice!” She lit up with the memory, completely forgetting about the advice she was about to give me.

“Nice job.”

My guess? She failed or rather stumbled into the discovery mid-chase, probably trying to smack Bristle with something frozen.

Alright this time, no pipeline. Just the normal tether. Simple first.

I stretched the thread of force outward toward the tree, then pushed it through.

A narrow, steady stream of water seeped from my palm. Only shot out a centimeter, if that. Not exactly impressive... but hey, it worked. Her theory had weight.

“It worked,” I mumbled.

Vel tilted her head. “What did?”

I shrugged, playing it cool. “I got better eyesight, so of course you couldn't see my greatness... I’ll work on it and show you the power of what you discovered, alright?”

She rolled her eyes. Flakes of violet shimmered as she moved.

“Anything else you need? How’s your foundation coming?” I asked as we started walking back toward the pillar.

She blew a quick breath up, flicking a stray hair from her face. “I think it’s going alright. The root thingy isn’t stretching anymore, so... I think it’s done. When Mister Ironscribe looked at me, he scribbled down a bunch of stuff. A really cool drawing of a person.”

I nodded. “Before I start, want me to take a look?”

We sat down next to the Dragon Vein. Light pulsed beneath us, humming softly through the stone.

“Please,” she said, turning away so I could focus.

I placed a hand against her back and reached, not just with my Internal Force, but pushing harder, trying to coax my Spiritual Sense forward too.

At first, only a thin sliver of force entered. Just a ripple, but after a moment, something deeper moved.

Before, when I tried this, it was—blurry feels right. Blurry, like looking at someone underwater. I could see Thea’s Nexus back when we trapped the Precursor Energy. I could feel the power coursing through her, even trace the notches along her Grand Channel.

But I hadn’t really seen it. Not like this.

Now it was different. The hidden world of the energy constructs we’d built unfolded clearly before me.

It felt like some surreal anatomy class. Like peeling back the skin of a creature to reveal what pulsed beneath. But instead of muscle and bone, I saw thick branches, dense and glowing, radiating outward from Velea’s Nexus. Smaller threads stretched from them like capillaries. Spiritual Reservoirs, set in her upper body where Thea and I had placed ours, connected by the root network and the highest ones bound by her own Internal Force.

And at her head, a single tuning scar, thrumming faintly.

It looked a lot like my own foundation. Well, like an early version of it. Root, reservoir, scars. All the parts were there.

My roots were more twisted in on themselves. Folded tight, strangely alive in a way hers wasn’t. But this? This was clean. Organized. Like someone had mapped it out on paper before building it.

I withdrew my senses, blinking back into the present. I made a mental note to check Griffith’s sketches later—see if what he drew lined up with what I was actually able to see. Could be worth fixing any inconsistencies.

“Looks good, Vel. But why’d you build it like that?” I asked, curious.

She glanced back at me. “I asked Mister Star and Ironscribe while you were busy. They said this seemed like the best way.”

Wish they told me that...

“Well, keep going,” I said. “You’re really close to finishing.”

Honestly, I was surprised at her speed, but given the environment, and the fact that she could use my Voidseed power, it wasn’t too far-fetched. She still had several reservoirs left to shape. Maybe a couple more main roots, if they were supposed to stretch downward. And the rest of her scars, of course.

But it would only be a matter of time.

“Can we do Body Refinement after?” she asked, hopeful.

I nodded. “Sure. If I’m not here, grab someone to help. Lyra or Sia. They’ll know what to do. Any of the adults will too.”

She smiled and closed her eyes, content.

Before I shut mine, I raised my voice loud enough to cut through the dome and startle anyone mid-cultivation or battle.

“I’m using my ability! With the tower thing, I’m guessing a ton of World Force is about to flood in. BE CAREFUL!”

Then I closed my eyes. Instantly, I sent energy surging toward my Nexus which was absorbed into the Voidseed. The process kicked off fast.

It hit like a tsunami with no barriers to stop it.

With the flood, more changes occurred. My circulation ramped up, force pumping through the shadowed pathways of my body. Even the passively absorbed and converted bits moving much faster than before.

I stopped before I overflowed.

I want to remake my weapons, I told the two voices in my mind.

Luna chimed in first. I can stretch my body further, but if it’s not near your arm, it’ll be tough.

I still want something like what I had, I answered. Just… not as bulky. You remember Daniel, right?

She wrapped tighter around my wrist. Of course. The rude one.

Knowing you, that could be almost anyone, Wyrem jabbed.

He had claws on his weapon, I reminded them. Kind of like what I made on mine.

Wyrem added, thoughtful now. Then don’t make claws. Make something simple. You can always modify them yourself later.

Ideas? I asked, hoping he had more to offer.

Well, I’ve never been in someone who used weapons like yours, but follow your gut. You have to anyway, right?

I considered Wyrem's words carefully. Flexibility would be nice. Mobility mattered a lot, especially after seeing how agile some opponents could be. But I didn’t want to lose impact power either. I needed something balanced, precise, and lethal.

Monster claws, Luna suddenly suggested. Not long like some of those beasts, but shorter like yours.

Nails? I tried correcting.

It’s all weird animal stuff. I would say bark, but you can’t grow it… So sad, she said with exaggerated pity.

I brushed the playful banter aside, though she had given me a genuinely good idea. Sharp, sturdy claws like hardened steel nails. Effective for slashing, yet still capable of delivering forceful blows. But still…

I don’t want them bulky.

The heavy gauntlets twice the size of my fists could be at times, awkward and cumbersome, especially when precision mattered.

Just think about what you actually hit with, Wyrem offered decisively.

Right. That’s what I'll do.

With renewed focus, I turned inward. Everything within me stirred, racing toward the swirling circle of fire and lightning encasing the growing black hole in my Nexus. My Internal Force surged around the Natural Force core repeatedly, blending energies like a storm of controlled chaos.

A sudden wave of dizziness struck, blurring my senses.

But I couldn’t afford to stop now. I pressed on, forcing the violet energy particles to thoroughly saturate every ounce of Internal Force within my body.

I wasn’t certain if the Beast Force would have any tangible effect, but I guided it through anyway, determined to forge something powerful.

My Internal Force, both Water and Neutral, combined with the mysterious Precursor Energy and Beast Force. An intricate, potent blend, swirling together in hues of golden-blue and violet.

Only one thing left to do.

Slowly, meticulously, I split the mass of energy in two, unable to rely on my domain's precision. I carefully guided each half toward my outstretched hands, intent on maximizing the inclusion of Precursor Energy, hoping it made a difference.

As the energy surged outward, another overwhelming wave of nausea crashed into me. My vision contracted to a narrow tunnel, my head spinning violently.

This wasn’t like the first time I had experienced such depletion. It wasn’t even like the exhausting emptiness I felt upon returning to Miss Star’s doorstep so long ago.

This was deeper.

My limbs trembled uncontrollably, and a constrictive tightness seized my chest, as if I’d forgotten how to breathe. Painful cramps knotted my gut, and my jaw clenched until my teeth ached.

My body begged me to stop, screaming at me to withdraw the force back inside.

But I refused, pushing past the ringing in my ears and the haze of agony clouding my mind.

Not yet.

I wouldn't pass out. I wouldn't falter.

Drawing on sheer willpower, I forged ahead.

The image crystallized vividly in my mind. Gloves, not gauntlets, lighter and more agile. Armored knuckles like a powerful cestus, embedded with sharp, hardened thorns resembling Luna’s. Fierce claws extended past each fingertip, gleaming in frosted blue traced with delicate gold veins.

The palms were softly padded, designed more like sturdy leather than rigid metal. My intent was read clearly. These weren't cumbersome gauntlets or heavy pauldrons but precise, enhanced gloves. Protective yet versatile, balanced yet powerful.

These weapons were more than mere tools. They represented potential. Growth. Strength. I could refine them further, enhancing and augmenting them as needed.

With a final surge of effort, the armament manifested fully, glowing faintly purple before fading silently into me.

Peter? Luna’s concerned voice reached me through the fog.

Nap time.

Succumbing willingly, I let the profound exhaustion of the past days sweep me gently into sleep.

----------------------------------------