NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: Symbiosis of the Purple Paradox
The crimson leaves fluttered like whispers of fire in the interior of the wood, glittering under its soft embrace of light. In a glade where utter chaos ruled, the evidence of a gigantic battle was frozen into the face of the earth. Jagged teeth of trees rose, and their lifeless bodies of rhinos lay as if in a grotesque stillness. The air was heavy and thick with the lingering echoes of combat and tension that seemed almost palpable.
A few steps from this war-torn scene, Vacuros stirred, awakening from his collapse. "Hum," he muttered, heavy with confusion as his eyes darted around. Slowly, he rose to a sitting position, his body as stiff as a marionette unused to its strings. An odd discomfort prickled through him, a feeling he couldn't quite shake. He stood, trying to steady himself, but unease clung to him like a second skin. He heard it-a voice soft and distant, like a feather brushing against his ear.
"Hi," the voice whispered low and eerie, hardly more than a ripple in the silence. Vacuros snapped into attention, his instincts sharpening as he spun toward the sound. His body tensed, his guard raised; eyes scanned the surroundings with the precision of a predator. In an instant, the chest piece of his purple suit changed. A head appeared, luminous purple eyes gleaming like twin stars, its form attached to the suit by an intricate web of threads.
The eyes of Vacuros widened in his head as his breath hitched, stumbling backward as his posture changed into a bellicose stance. But he was even more alarmed when the head moved closer, following him step for step. His gaze darted to the threads, and his heart was racing as he traced their origin. To his horror, he realized that he was already encased in a purple fabric-a living, sentient cloth that clung to him like a second skin.
"Oh, sorry for the late introduction," said the head with politeness and a tinge of humor in his voice. "I bonded to you when I saved your life during your breakthrough to the Ascendant realm."
Vacuros froze, his mind reeling as he digested the words.
"Although I don't have a name, from this moment forth, we are bonded—through thick and thin," it continued, its voice unwavering. "I will be the fabric you wear on your journey and your armor in battle."
As the creature, Eternalsilk, spoke, Vacuros' mind was assaulted by flashes of his memories: his breakthrough and the chaos that followed thereafter replayed vividly like fragments of a forgotten dream. His lips parted, and he muttered, the words barely escaping his lips as a low, firm whisper, "Thanks for saving me."
"No problem," said Eternalsilk with a warm tone. "But you need to name me to complete this Symbiotic ritual."
"Hum." Vacuros sighed and sank into deep contemplation, his brow furrowed as if in search of the right answer within the innermost recesses of his soul. After a moment, his lips curled in a thin smile.
"Purple Paradox," he whispered; his voice was hardly audible-a secret on the wind.
"Hum," Eternalsilk echoed, this time with a curious undercurrent.
"Your name is Purple Paradox," Vacuros repeated, dry and exhausted but resolute.
"Purple Paradox. Wow, I love that!" Eternalsilk exclaimed, its joy radiating like sunlight piercing through clouds. At that moment, something profound happened-their minds intertwined, an invisible tether linking them as seamlessly as a hotspot connects to Wi-Fi.
"And now, what's next for you?" Eternalsilk asked, the voice light, though not a little tinged with excitement. The head receded into the chest of the suit, the fabric rippling as it returned to its seamless form. A moment later, it was on Vacuros' shoulder again, perched like some loyal companion.
"Hmm," Vacuros hummed, the sound deep, thoughtful.
Eternalsilk seemed to understand his unsaid thoughts, their bond so natural it felt like two childhood friends rekindling their connection. "Why don't you head in that direction? I can sense unimaginable energy emanating from there," it suggested, pointing with a thread-like appendage to the right of where Vacuros had been navigating.
Vacuros nodded slightly, narrowing his eyes in determination. He turned and started walking; the steps were unhurried, but with a purpose. And so, bound together in survival, their bond was forged into something strong with each step they took into the unknown.
Meanwhile, at the pathway beneath the dark pit, an unreal brightness illuminated the scene in surreal brightness, the walls reflecting a bright, green light that shone in the surroundings like a brilliant gemstone set aflame out in daylight. The sheen on the walls reflected like polished emeralds, their brilliance lending a fabled aura to the battleground.
Before this brightening cave, Nyxander stood with his fists clutched tightly before his face, veins bulging on his body with held-back energy. Opposite him loomed ten Ascendant Realm Primordial Rhinos, their massive frames casting menacing shadows despite the green glow. Three were standing in the front, broad horns gleaming ominously, while seven aligned behind them, their gazes cutting through the air like cold steel. The air was thick, like a storm cloud heavy with tension, predatory energy crackling between them as if a silent declaration of war.
Nyxander charged forward, moving smoothly yet fiercely, with his fists swirling in intentional circles, as if stitching his fate. The rhinos spoke as one, their horns alight with elemental power-beams of light, fire, and thunder hurled at him in a dizzying barrage of ruin. Yet Nyxander leaped with the grace of a predator and the precision of a dancer, flipping high into the air. The elemental onslaught skimmed past mere inches below his feet, a lethal orchestra narrowly missing its target. He landed with a deafening thud, crouching in front of the monstrous beasts, his resolution unshaken.
The middle rhino, towering and feral, projected a beam of light from its horn. Nyxander reacted with quick calculations, shrinking beneath its wide jaw. In one explosive motion, he expanded upward, driving an uppercut beneath the beast's chin. The force was immense, sending the rhino's head skyward and its hooves clear off the ground. Before it could recover, Nyxander seized its head with unyielding strength, twisting it toward the beast on its right. The collision was catastrophic—bone shattered with a sickening crunch as the middle rhino's neck snapped, its body collapsing lifelessly.
The beast on the right reeled from the impact, its footing unstable, its roar faltering into a guttural groan. Nyxander wasted no time, gripping the creature's horn with his right hand and pulling it closer with ferocious intent. His body twisted like a coiled spring, bending to the left, and with his left elbow he struck the beast's neck with devastating precision. The blow was final; the rhino's massive form crumpled to the ground, neck broken, life extinguished in an instant.
As Nyxander rose, a beam of light shot toward him with blistering speed. The attack struck him mid-motion, flipping him backward like a ragdoll tossed by a violent wind. He tumbled through the air, rolling over and over like a ball kicked toward the goalpost, the impact sending him crashing into the emerald-lit wall. The force was immense, smashing his back against the stone and carving a shallow crater where he hit. Dust and shards of glowing stone rained down around him, the pit holding its breath as the echoes of the strike fell into silence.