Reincarnated as the Death God's Vessel

A few days passed with a frustrating slowness.

As Lidien focused on healing, he could now use his limbs, but only to move normally, without using his Sparkline.

Every morning he joined his family for breakfast, while Aria brought food at noon.

However, Nyomi was still absent, making him wonder if she had committed suicide... but he immediately abandoned the thought, for he knew that while Nyomi may be broken, her will to live and endure for her brother was real.

"Lidien... what are you spacing out about?" Aria asked, looking at him curiously with her fox-like eyes.

Lidien smiled faintly and stared back at her.

"I lost a test subject..." he whispered.

In a place where cruelty is the norm, Lidien couldn't show his concern towards a slave he had just known for two weeks.

"Don't worry, I'll find you another..."

Lidien shook his head and said,

"No, I need to find her... My secrets are with her..."

Aria only smiled; she didn't push Lidien to have a new test subject, for she knew that Lidien would not tell anyone his procedures for experimenting with ways to enter the Dreamflow.

As she stood, she kissed Lidien's forehead before saying goodbye and heading to the Knowledge Spire.

Lidien watched her leave his room and sighed.

'Damn this waiting. I'm wasting days in this room while Lily waits.'

As his thoughts immediately sharpened into a plan, he added,

'I need to find Mad Dog. It's time to begin.'

He then took a deep breath and shouted.

"Anyone!"

Lidien's shout was so loud it seemed to vibrate in his own teeth, momentarily drowning out the ever-present shattering of mirrors.

"ANYONE!"

As his last shout resounded outside, reaching the main hall, he heard the hurried footsteps of armor rattling in the corridor.

The soldier stood at the open door, bowed, and kneeled on the floor.

"Go find Mad Dog. I need him here."

The soldier stood and bowed before leaving immediately.

Lidien didn't waste his time. While waiting for Mad Dog to come, he sat in a lotus position, meditating and trying to build his Coreflux... Since he had found a method of entering the Dreamflow alone, even if it was crude and barbaric, it was enough because he didn't have time to polish it.

He also needed to train to build a Coreflux to at least double his chance, however slim, to fight the Dark Wolf Clan.

Lidien spent the whole noon until afternoon meditating, yet... unlike last time in the Knowledge Spire--where a voice during meditation had granted him a trickle of Elemental Essence--here in the Rift of the Shattered Mirror, it was different. He felt nothing. It was a void, as if the very concept of Elemental Essence had been shattered along with the mirrors.

Sighing, Lidien could only grit his teeth and curse the image of Azer laughing at the back of his eyelids.

'Is there any Elemental Essence in this place? That Azer really taught me something he knew I wouldn't be able to do here...'

Lidien waited for an hour, just sitting and not doing anything.

He didn't try to enter his Dreamflow, since there was nothing to do inside besides watching the Crimson Shard purify Essences to make verve, nor did he want to meet the Death God, supposing He was staying there and had changed his mind; he'd rather not.

Then, a small tapping on the door disturbed Lidien's silence, making him smile as he escaped his boredom.

"Come in..."

Mad Dog trudged inside, now wearing a full suit of plate armor, and his Twin Axes that he used during their time in Bone Orchards were replaced with a Giant War Axe, making him look more like a Barbarian than a Warrior.

Though Mad Dog could be considered an Officer, the Blood Rose Clan's structure is still not yet developed to the extent of giving ranks to their people, and they only assess their soldiers based on whether they are a Demon or not; even the people having the right to join the council of meetings were once Leaders of their tribe who became Demons after a painful struggle.

And Mad Dog... he is an Ash Stage Demon of Wrath, making him one of the leaders of a small camp of soldiers.

Mad Dog kneeled in front of Lidien, who was still sitting on the bed.

"I need you to gather soldiers... and wait for my orders..."

Lidien pulled a thousand merit slip from his space ring and flicked it towards the ground in front of Mad Dog.

"Use that however you want, but don't fail me."

Mad Dog smiled, as his bloodlust materialized, making his large body ooze a red miasmic verve.

"Yes, My Prince..."

Mad Dog stood and walked towards the door, but stopped once again at Lidien's following words.

"Also, a test subject of mine has escaped... find her for me."

Mad Dog turned around and bowed before completely leaving Lidien's room.

After seeing Mad Dog out, Lidien stayed on his bed, watching the mirrors outside as his own thoughts shattered against the scene in front of him.

Then a cold knot tightened in Lidien's gut.

It had been more than a month since he'd killed their princess, and the Dark Wolf Clan's silence was deafening.

For a predator, the lack of a snarl was more threatening than the roar. They should have sent an envoy, demanded blood tribute, or something.

He knew that this silence wasn't patience; it was the quiet of an ambush being set.

Lidien's mind ran with different calculations and simulations since the time he chose to eat the Dark Wolf Clan's Princess's heart, all for the sake of reviving Lily.

However, the fact that there hadn't even been an envoy visiting the Blood Rose Clan to complain and ask for compensation was not within his expectations.

'Did I fail to recognize their patriarch? Or... is there something else at play?'

Lidien couldn't move unless someone visited them to ask for compensation... and that was the only time his plan would work.

But without it, it was nigh impossible for him to proceed.

Lidien smiled, thin and sinister.

"How can we play a game of chess if these beasts don't know the rules."