Chapter 9: Perfect Synchrony
Dax studied the old man in silence for a long moment, his gaze unreadable deep, weighing on micah without effort.
"I am known as Dax Godfall, but you will address me as Doctor."
Micah's breath caught in his throat.
Dax Godfall…
The name struck like a distant bell. It can't be that Dax the child whose talent was stolen at birth, the one whispered about. Micah had known every significant prodigy on the continent, every ancient bloodline and clan of note.
But none of that mattered now.
The man before him had saved his life and the origin of his power was irrelevant.
"How… did you manage to save me from Aron?"
"Manage?…."
Well he won't be bothering you anytime soon." His gaze shifted to the ocean-blue blade resting in Micah's lap. "Instead of worrying about that, inspect your weapon. She is burning the dying flame of her soul to preserve your life. You should bid her farewell."
Excalibur trembled in Micah's grasp. The spirit within shook her ethereal head in quiet defiance, light pulsing softly along the steel.
"You dont want to die?" How spectacular could this be this world version of my living weapon series.
Micah blinked, confusion deepening. To him, Dax appeared insane speaking to nothing, staring at a nonexistent shadow.
But beneath Dax's Origin Eyes, the truth shimmered clearly: two translucent figures hovered protectively behind Micah.
One was a beautiful woman Helga her form radiant with gentle sorrow. The other, a small glowing fairy, wings fluttering with quiet determination.
Their presence filled the cave with a strange, soothing peace. A soft, smile touched Dax's lips.
"…..There is beauty in life, and beauty in the experience of it. The colors of your existence brought these beings to you. To be alone, yet never truly alone that is not tragedy but your truth."
Master, you're so poetic, Inerous teased, her voice shimmering with crystalline laughter .
"Inerous," Dax replied with amused warmth, "you've grown childlike."
He paused, then continued aloud in his thoughts. "Now, give me a detailed breakdown of my new skills and this strange new body."
On it.
The system text materialized before his vision, crisp and illuminating.
{Origin Body: A form that embodies creation and destruction through the unity of your traits.
(Note: You have become the First of All.)}
{Origin Eyes: Eyes that witnessed creation itself. Nothing escapes their gaze.}
{Origin Touch: Grants the ability to interact with anything visible to the naked eye.}
{Master… your abilities are broken, Inerous declared flatly, a hint of awe threading her tone.}
"I know."
Dax couldn't hold back his laughter low, delighted, echoing softly in the cave.
When he faced Micah again, his smile sweetened deceptively gentle, like honey laced with venom.
"Old man. Are you ready?"
I'll test my new skills on him, he mused silently. Ah… the possibilities.
Micah steadied himself, gripping Excalibur tighter.
He met Dax's gaze, golden pupils reaching instinctively into the depths of the younger man's existence and instinctively, felt himself drowning.
A void of endless stars yawned open vast and cold beyond his comprehension.
How can a human…?
Then came the pressure like a colossal, invisible hand closing around his heart. Terror flooded his veins, icy and paralyzing.
But the image of his granddaughter pale, suffering, helpless surged into his mind like a lifeline.
I will hold the hand of the devil if it saves her. If this boy speaks truth… I will risk everything.
Hahaha.. how insane of me to play with such a good specimen. He turned to Micah, "Do you know where we are?"
Micah tore his gaze away, through the caves entrance he saw enormous birds gliding silently overhead on vast wings and thick dense vegetation below of powerful trees and intoxicating plants.
"This is the Plains of Vabos, but I don't know the exact region."
"Good. Then we can begin." Now i have a guide hiw perfect, now let me get him to peak condition.
Dax's mind was already dissecting the situation, thoughts racing like scalpels through flesh.
"Remove the beast corpses from your storage. And bring me a powerful sword."
Micah obeyed without hesitation, the black ring on his finger flashed as massive carcasses materialized heaps of scaled hides, razor claws, and bones spilled across the cave floor.
"Do you know why you're able to move?" Dax asked, a knowing smile playing at his lips.
Micah hesitated, then shook his head.
"Even with those eyes, you can't see?"
Dax stepped closer and, with surprising gentleness, opened Micah's eyelid wider with two fingers Origin Touch brushing skin.
"I… don't understand."
You said you where one of the early Ancestors of the Church of Light, why do you look like a fool, blind to truths dancing before you.
"What do these eyes that shine so bright do?" Dax's curiosity sharpened, voice laced with genuine fascination.
"My eyes…" Micah swallowed hard, sweat sliding cold down his spine.
"They resemble the eyes of the Golden Angel." Dax's eyes widened in observation pure and full of wonder.
Divine power coiled faintly within Micah's golden pupils, flickering like dying embers.
Dax instinctively reached toward it, fingers hovering.
"Sir!"
Micah's trembling voice snapped him from his trance.
"Show me what those eyws can do."
Micah grimaced, pain etching deeper lines into his face. "… these eyes don't belong to me.. They belong to the god I once served."
His voice cracked with bitterness. "Any moment now, they'll disappear. I can feel it's grace withdrawing."
"Ah… borrowed power, you were used." So though you where strong you had the ultimate need to depend.
His tone softened with false pity a perfect actor delivering lines with flawless sincerity.
"You served him until your old age… and you where abandoned drained to tge limit."
"I hope you choose the path of growth… this time be selfish."
He guided Micah gently to the ground, easing the old man down with surprising care. Then Dax turned toward the scattered beast parts, eyes gleaming with hunger.
Operating on a conscious specimen thrilled him to his core.
He wished, fleetingly, for his laboratory the sterile tables and the surgical instruments.
This would do. He lifted the massive spine of a wyvern, turning it slowly in his hands.
"I would've loved to observe its heart beating, but this will do."
The scattered organs responded to his will lifting from the ground as if drawn by unseen strings. Hearts, lungs, bones and scales swirling around him in violent, orchestrated harmony.
"Synthesis," he whispered, instantly a burst of silver light and black goo erupted from his palm, enveloping the floating mass.
The air calmed instantly.
The ancient trees outside hummed, leaves trembling as though in reverence.
Thunder rumbled across the distant sky like the world itself was sighing in deep, pleasure.
"It can't be… Perfect Synchrony! To reach this level… it's impossible!" Micah choked out, eyes wide in disbelief.
Suddenly, agony exploded behind his eyes searing and ripping through his skull like molten poured into water.
The divine power that had once leaked from his gaze reversed, flooding back with burning warmth but that only intensified the torment.
He ignored the rapid chimes of new system notifications flooding his vision as he was lost in trutterly consumed.
He began to hover, rising inches from the ground.
His hands cradled the silver sphere like a mother guarding her newborn gentle and protective.
Within the goo, lights collided and merged in a furious internal war of destruction and creation dancing in perfect harmony.
Dax's body hummed.
Waves of silver ripples emanated from him, trembling through the cave and through the earth.