Date: Unspecified Time: Unspecified Location: Myriad Realms, Lil. Red Storm realm, Seed World, Living Section Souls that the Breath of Erosion completely eroded in the river of souls were essentially no different from the souls of newborns. Like fresh canvases, they had no ideas, opinions, or dreams—just pure potential, waiting to be shaped. Wyatt saw them as ideal candidates for creating Calamity Daughter Gems, especially those capable of inheriting the cursed bloodline, which he believed demanded willing submission and obedience to him. His theory had been validated with the birth of the unnamed blood-kin-tier Daughter Gem.
However, just like newborns, these daughter gems were born weak. They lacked any established realm and had to start from scratch, practicing their active soul control percentage. On top of that, Wyatt noticed that their innate talents played a significant role in determining which skills they inherited from him through the cursed bloodline. For example, the unnamed Daughter Gem had only inherited SSS-rank Blood Curse Immunity and SSS-rank Blood Curse Incarnation from his extensive arsenal of skills derived from the blood rule.
This method of producing blood-kin-tier Calamity Daughter Gems, while simple in concept—akin to giving birth to children—was as challenging as raising them. Wyatt already had his hands full managing and training his Primordial Spirits, working to establish a proper system among them to avoid growing them with a messed up head. The thought of raising an army of Daughter Gems on top of that felt overwhelming.
Still, Dalie had eagerly taken up the task, her excitement for nurturing the new kins was higher than before. However, Wyatt had his reservations. Watching her bounce around like an overenthusiastic older sibling didn't exactly inspire confidence. After all, Dalie herself was still a child in many ways.
Wyatt sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he imagined an army of blood-kin-tier Daughter Gems who were as emotionally stunted as their "older sister." That was the last thing he needed. 'One messed-up me in this world is enough, he thought to himself, a wry smile tugging at his lips.
Shaking his head, Wyatt glanced at Dredre, who was blinking at him curiously, trying to decipher the thoughts running through his mind. Breaking his silence, he asked, "Does this mean you can revive beings more effectively if they've died very recently—like, those who died right in front of you?"
"Yes," Dredre confirmed with a cheerful nod. "I can just grab the soul as it's making its way to the river of souls and put it back into its corpse. Then, with a sprinkle of my pixie dust, I can nurse them back to perfect health." She spoke confidently, as if bringing someone back from the dead was as simple as watering a plant.
"Yes," Dredre confirmed with a cheerful nod. "I can just grab the soul as it's making its way to the river of souls and put it back into its corpse. Then, with a sprinkle of my pixie dust, I can nurse them back to perfect health." She spoke confidently, as if bringing someone back from the dead was as simple as watering a plant.
"That's amazing," Wyatt said, grinning as he patted Dredre's head affectionately. Her wings fluttered slightly at the praise. Extending his hand out, he conjured a few pseudo-calamity soul gems, meticulously shaped into precious gemstones using Myriad Devil Transformations. Handing them to her, he added, "Keep these safe for me. If I ever find myself in a tight spot, I'll head to the river of souls. It'll be up to you to fish my soul out and put my soul into one of these gemstones to revive me."
These pseudo-calamity soul gems were Wyatt's ultimate contingency plan—his true last resort. He wouldn't have entrusted something so critical to the old Dredre, but the current Dredre was a completely different being. She had grown far beyond the simple, naïve pixie she once was. Now, she was someone Wyatt trusted blindly, someone who could not be swayed—even if the Librarian himself appeared and demanded her compliance.
Wyatt wasn't just planning to use the river of souls as a refuge to escape death. He intended to use it as a corridor—a means of transportation. No matter where he was in the myriad realms, he believed he could count on returning to Dredre's side through the river of souls.
He mulled over his plan, a flicker of determination in his eyes. He was confident his Primordial Soul would hold up better than an ordinary soul against the river's Breath of Erosion, buying him the precious time he needed to pull off this soul transmission. Dredre's tiny hands hesitated, not reaching for the gemstones. Her expression grew serious as she looked up at him, her usual playful demeanor replaced by an uncommon, solemn concern. Her wings drooped slightly as she stared at the gemstones in Wyatt's hand, their meaning sinking in.
She understood all too well the gravity of what it meant for a soul to enter the river of souls. It was the same reason she had decided not to reveal her connection to it, even to her tribesmen, with whom she shared everything. But now, as she realized the implications of the gemstones Wyatt was handing her, her chest tightened.
Dredre knew Wyatt was mortal—he would eventually die, unlike her, an immortal pixie. But she hadn't thought they would have to confront the idea so soon. Talking about it now made it feel real, no longer just a fleeting worry her mind had dismissed. She wasn't ready to lose him. Her dreams of exploring the myriad realms had always included him by her side.
Her voice was soft, trembling slightly as she asked, "Wyatt, are you going to die?"
Wyatt blinked at her, startled by the question, before shaking his head with a small smile. "Nope, I'm not planning on it. Because you're going to revive me, right? Unless…" he paused, raising an eyebrow playfully. "You're saying you don't plan to? Then I guess I am doomed." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood, though the sight of distressed Dredre tugged at his heartstrings.
Dredre's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head, her wings fluttering with urgency. "No! I'll always find your soul and revive you, no matter what!" she declared with conviction.
Before Wyatt could respond, she flew over to his forehead, her small hands gripping it as if holding on to him for dear life. Then, leaning down, she kissed it gently.
A radiant golden light burst forth from her tiny body, enveloping them both. Wyatt's eyes widened in awe as he felt the light seep into his body, marking his primordial soul. It was more than just a promise—it was a bond, unbreakable and eternal.
As the glow faded, Dredre floated down to his eye level, staring straight into his gaze. Her expression was resolute, yet her voice softened with a hint of vulnerability. "How can I travel the myriad realms without my trusted partner? It would be lonely."
Wyatt's chest tightened at her words. This was the first time she had spoken about her dream since she'd first confided in him long ago. He smiled gently, reaching up to pat her on the head. "You won't have to," he said softly. "We'll explore it together, I promise."
Dredre nodded as she took the gemstones from Wyatt and then carefully stored them in her private storage space along with her other precious belongings which were mostly seeds. Then her wings fluttered softly as if relieved, and for a moment, the room felt lighter, the weight of the conversation replaced by an unspoken understanding.