Dark Divinity

Taking a moment amidst the confusion, Omen cautiously made his way back uphill. He navigated his movements with precision, avoiding collisions with the trees and focusing on his footing. His shoulders still ached from the earlier impact, but he pushed through the pain.

Reaching the top, he immediately retrieved the carcasses of the rodents he had captured earlier. He scanned the area for Isolde, his eyes darting among the trees and underbrush as he headed close to the camp.

'Where could she be?' he thought, his mind racing. He called out softly, "Isolde!" hoping his voice would reach her without drawing unwanted attention

As he searched, he kept an eye out for any signs of danger, whether from the surrounding wildlife or the remnants of the giant bird. The area was eerily quiet, the usual sounds of the forest seemingly stifled by the earlier commotion.

Finally, he spotted a familiar figure in the distance, crouched near their temporary camp. Relief washed over him as he hurried towards her, the carcasses of the rodents slung over his shoulder. "Isolde!" he called again, his voice laced with both exhaustion and urgency.

Isolde looked up, her face pale but relieved. She stood and hurried towards him, her eyes widening at the sight of the captured rodents. "Omen, are you alright?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.

"I'm fine," he replied, though his voice was strained. "We need to move. This place isn't safe." There was no telling if the bird could survive his makeshift weirdly 'natural' trap.

Isolde nodded quickly, blindly helping him with two of the rodents and preparing to leave. Isolde used her exogene senses to navigate their escape, pointing out dangerous paths and directing him away from potential threats. For about an hour or two, they moved quickly through the treacherous forest terrain.

Despite her efforts, Isolde grew increasingly tired, still, she managed to ease his pain with her healing magic. The exhaustion of not eating for two days, combined with her already weakened state, took a toll on her. Her steps became slower, and her breathing more laboured.

Omen noticed her struggle and stopped, his concern growing. "We need to find a safer place to rest," he said, his voice softer but firm. He glanced around, trying to find a suitable spot where they could take a break without being exposed.

"Isolde, can you point us to a safe location?" he asked, knowing her senses would be crucial in finding a temporary refuge.

She nodded weakly, closing her eyes to concentrate. "There's a small cave up ahead… it should be sheltered from most threats."

It was funny how it was the blind girl leading the duo in this forest. Omen helped her toward the cave, his exhaustion starting to weigh on him. Once they reached the cave, he helped Isolde inside, ensuring she was as comfortable as possible.

He glanced at the carcasses of the rodents they had captured. With a determined look, he set about preparing a small fire to cook the meat, every darkling back at Tenebris knew the basic needs of survival. The warmth of the fire and the promise of food would hopefully give Isolde some strength to continue.

Determined to provide some relief, he took it upon himself to quickly skin the rodents. The task was methodical, each movement efficient as he prepared the meat for cooking. Once the rodents were skinned, he gathered some dry wood and set about lighting a fire.

"You've worked hard enough already," she said as she looked at him in concern. "Let me help you out." Omen shook his head in response. "I need you at full strength tomorrow, your healing ability needs to be at full power." He felt that the noise was loud enough to attract other purgers, and he didn't want to battle people right now in his weakened state.

With the fire crackling, he began roasting the meat. The process was straightforward, though the lack of spices and seasoning made it a simple matter. Tree salt and wild berries were the only seasonings they had managed to gather, but the smell of roasting meat was a welcome relief.

Isolde had taken the initiative to lie on the ground, her white dress stained with dirt and grime. The once-pristine garment was now a dishevelled brown mess, and her chest heaved aggressively as she struggled to catch her breath. Omen watched her with growing pity, realizing just how vulnerable she was in her current state.

As the aroma filled the clearing, Isolde's strained smile was a small but encouraging sign. She propped herself up slightly, her gaze following the source of the scent.

Omen took a moment to sit beside her, the warmth of the fire providing a brief respite from the cold and the chaos they had endured. He offered her a small portion of the roasted meat.

"Here, eat this," he said softly. "It's not much, but it should help."

Isolde accepted the food with a nod. She took small bites, savouring the meagre meal. As she ate, Omen couldn't help but reflect on their situation until she suddenly interrupted his thoughts,

"You did it, I never doubted you," Isolde said, her voice carrying a hint of forced optimism. Omen could tell immediately that she was lying, but he chose not to press her, focusing instead on quietly roasting the meat.

After a while, she spoke again. "You know, I thought you'd run away with the knife once you got away from me. After all, you did all the work, and I'm just the leech here."

This time, Omen could detect that she wasn't lying. Her words were soft, filled with a genuine sense of self-reflection. He paused in his task, taking out a stick of succulent meat and carefully handing it to her, realizing once again she was blind, he directed her soft hands to the meal.

"If not for your senses and forewarnings, I doubt any of this would have been easy," he said sincerely, but she remained adamant.

"I heard the giant bird's screech. I put you in harm's way," she said, her voice heavy with guilt.

Despite her self-reproach, she took the second meat and bit into it eagerly. The hunger had taken over, and she tore into it with a ferocity that was far from elegant. Omen watched her calmly, a small smile forming on his lips. She reminded him so much of his younger sister—no matter how weird her demeanour might have been, there was a genuine and raw vulnerability beneath it.

"You did what you could," Omen said softly. Isolde looked up at him, her eyes reflecting a mix of relief and continued guilt.

That night, they slept peacefully, undisturbed by any further incidents. Omen woke refreshed, still brimming with energy thanks to the weird energy he had absorbed from the mutated squirrels. He now understood most parts of his sudden ability!

Standing up, he glanced over at Isolde. She was lying on her side with a peaceful smile, her eyes shut and seemingly at ease despite her exhaustion. With quiet resolve, Omen walked away from their temporary camp.

He wasn't wholly unaware of this skill; after all, it was what put him in prison in the first place. The royal prophetess had given his nefarious skill the label "the ability to steal potential". He thought it was powerful, but he never anticipated it was this powerful. Though he still wondered why his father had imprisoned him, the emperor was obsessed with strength so instead of the potential of his youngest son he became disgusted, Omen still didn't know the reason why.

He only became fast after killing those squirrels, if they were the ones that truly granted him speed. Then there was a possibility that he'd be able to gain an ability of any creature he kills…this potential…was amazing.

To his greatest amazement, he was able to recognize the alien energy that had invaded his soul and discovered that it was indeed exogenesis. The source of all magic was exogenesis, which has now spread throughout the realm to become essence, exogene, ki, mana and other forces. However, his disbelief was evident since what was in his soul was the actual thing. It was astonishing to discover a source in his soul—not just any source, but the source of all sources—because as an imperial runt, he did not even possess the black essence that was the source of magic on Tenebris. This was the only reason he was not able to recognize it right away.

Amazing!

'Does absorption only work when I kill something though?' He recalled the failed attempt with the berry branches and the lack of a result from it. It seemed clear that absorption required the death of a living creature with exogene control or supernatural abilities. So, unfortunately, it couldn't work on plants.

How many abilities can one absorb from a single creature? The death of the mutated squirrel had granted him the tree-walking passive ability. Was this a one-time gain, or could he absorb multiple abilities from a single creature? What are the limits of this power? Was there a maximum number of abilities that could be held at once? Can they be controlled and used effectively?

Omen had so many questions and theories he desperately wanted to prove, he had pursued strength when he hadn't any and now that he suddenly had one, who wouldn't be excited? The ability to absorb and utilize the powers of living creatures was undeniably powerful, and he couldn't help but wonder why his mother had chosen to seal it away.

'With such a skill, I could have become a formidable force, potentially saving her and the entire empire. My father would never have been disappointed if I had wielded such strength'.

The conflicting thoughts swirled in his mind. 'Either my mother secretly feared and ostracized me, or she was trying to protect me from my own ability.'

He considered the possibility that the pain associated with absorption might be the ability's only weakness. The transformations and the sudden influx of power could indeed be disorienting, and he had experienced firsthand how overwhelming it could be. The sudden changes to his body and the intense discomfort might have been a serious drawback, but was it enough to justify a seal?'

The notion that his mother had chosen to seal his power, only to have it released in his final moments, raised unsettling questions. What was her true endgame, yes, every mother would love their child to survive the unknown but knowing her it was probably not the reason…

The potential of his ability was immense, but the unknown drawbacks loomed large in his mind. He shivered at the thought of what might lie beneath the surface of this newfound power. The possibilities were thrilling, yet the uncertainty was equally terrifying.

'Is it psychological? Physical? Spiritual?' he wondered, grappling with the fear of the unknown. So far, he hadn't experienced any adverse effects, but the unpredictability of his ability made him anxious. The idea of facing unforeseen consequences was daunting.

He shook off the creeping fear. 'Well, there is no use crying over spilt milk. The instant dash I absorbed was the only thing that saved me during the short battle with the two-headed bird. I might as well master it'.