The Dark Before The Light

"Well, I'm coming back; only Edwin is staying there," Acacia replied, offering a small smile.

"Yay for me," Edwin muttered dramatically, rolling his eyes.

"Then let's have fun before we separate!" Kel exclaimed with a sudden burst of energy.

"We aren't kids," Edwin grumbled, just as Kel suddenly took off running.

"The last one home cleans the whole place!" Kel yelled back, his voice echoing. Everyone stared at him in surprise for a moment, until Acacia's lips curled into a wide grin, and she broke into a run after him.

"You guys are crazy!" Edwin groaned, chasing after them. Bella quickly adjusted her bionic leg and broke into a run, keeping pace with Edwin.

Jahir, however, merely sighed heavily and shook his head, following them leisurely, unconcerned with the race. Ahead, Acacia and Kel jostled for the lead, occasionally bumping into each other until Bella suddenly surged past them, disappearing into the house in a flash. The two stopped their struggle and tumbled through the doorway, collapsing onto the floor in fits of laughter. Edwin soon arrived, panting heavily.

"Psychopaths," Edwin muttered, catching his breath.

"It was good to finally run," Bella said with a wide smile, still heaving slightly as she adjusted the screws and straps on her leg.

"You seem comfortable with it already," Acacia observed, standing up with Kel.

"Yup!" Bella said, her smile broadening.

"We might not even need to make a collar; maybe a simple necklace would be better, given our resources," Jahir suggested, and Bella nodded.

Just then, Maximus stepped out, looked at everyone, and offered a reassuring smile and a wave.

"You're awake, big guy. How was the nap?" Kel asked. Maximus responded with a thumbs-up.

"You got to sleep in for as long as you liked while I had to run with these idiots," Edwin grumbled, slumping onto a chair with a huff.

"Idiot is an understatement," Jahir commented as he walked inside, closing the door behind him.

"And you are cleaning the whole place tomorrow," Kel said smugly to Jahir, who merely shrugged in response.

"So, can you bring food at the tip of your fingers? With your... I mean, the god's ability?" Bella asked, her curiosity evident.

"No, I can't create anything I want," Acacia replied. Unless you'd prefer rice made out of blood.

"Can you see the gods?" Edwin inquired.

"No," Acacia answered simply.

"Sounds so boring! How do you feel about the god or goddess using you to fulfil its duty?" Kel pressed, his voice full of casual intrigue.

"He... isn't using me. I mean, he is in a way, but I don't mind it," Acacia said, shrugging. 'I can't tell them that I will take over... I don't think they'll react well to that.'

"So it's a god. Which god, though?" Edwin asked, his brow furrowed.

"Destruction's fire and Rebirth's grace," Acacia stated.

"Ah, that doesn't sound good. Isn't he the god with less history? Not much was found about him, but the little that was suggested a tyrant," Jahir commented, a note of concern in his voice.

"Yes," Edwin confirmed grimly.

"As long as he doesn't hurt you, and even when he takes his powers and leaves someday, we will protect you," Bella said with a warm smile, her sincerity clear.

"Yeah, we'll be much stronger by then. Hopefully, we wouldn't have to worry about Flow," Kel added, nodding.

'Protect... me?' Acacia's gaze softened, a small, genuine smile gracing her lips.

"And we will come to visit our monarch! You better not act like you don't know us," Kel warned playfully, pointing a finger at Edwin.

"Don't you have any trust in me? If everything goes well, just say my name, and they'll let you in instantly," Edwin huffed, exasperated.

"And I want to enjoy all the luxuries during my stay. I can't come there for nothing," Acacia stated, a playful glint in her eyes.

"You people are just using me at this point," Edwin grumbled, though a faint smile touched his lips.

"Who else would we use?" Bella teased, mirroring Acacia's playful tone.

"Very funny, but you should come as well. I just need you for a while, and I'll send you back safely," Edwin said, rolling his eyes at Bella.

"Huh? You want to deceive your family?" Bella asked, a surprised arch to her eyebrow.

"Yeah, I have no interest in whatever marriage plans they have. If I claim I'm single, they'd become deaf, but I can push that wench away with you. It'll be quick, and you might come back earlier than Acacia," Edwin explained, his tone a mix of exasperation and calculation.

"You are stealing everyone!" Kel exclaimed dramatically.

"It's their choice at the end of the day," Edwin shrugged. "I would actually prefer for all of you to come, but someone needs to stay behind."

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"You can be cute sometimes," Acacia teased, and he huffed in response.

"I'll think about it," Bella said, rubbing the back of her neck, a genuine smile now on her face.

"Just bring lots of stuff, okay?" Kel said towards Acacia, his voice a playful plea.

"Got it," Acacia replied. She then heard a soft grunt from Maximus. "I'll get something for you as well." Maximus sent a thumbs-up in her direction, a silent acknowledgement.

The house buzzed with lively chatter and laughter for hours, eventually quieting down as everyone retired to their rooms for the night. Acacia, despite her earlier extended sleep, found it difficult to drift off, unlike Bella, who was already deeply unconscious on the bed.

'It's been a long time since I exercised,' Acacia thought, deciding to work out to pass the time. She grabbed the monster encyclopedia, laid it open on the floor, and began doing push-ups. As she moved her mana throughout her body, she simultaneously studied the book, flipping through its pages with each rise and fall. Sweat began to bead on her skin as she immersed herself in both activity and learning. After three hours, a dull ache spread through her arms, and she stopped, collapsing onto the floor. She picked up the book and continued to read until, eventually when her gaze drifted to her arms, noticing the lack of lichtenberg markings on both.

'I didn't even realize when it healed.' Acacia thought as she looked down at her feet and noticed there was nothing there as well. She shrugged and continued to read before falling deep asleep.

A week later, Acacia had fully integrated her exercise routine. She'd be up and running at the crack of dawn, returning just in time for breakfast. Push-ups and sit-ups before bed became her nightly ritual, a way to occupy her mind.

She was alone in the room, re-reading the monster encyclopedia for the tenth time before finally closing it shut. Reaching for her neck, she noticed it was empty. "Behemoth," Acacia called. After a few moments, the creature rushed towards her, the head of a lizard clutched eagerly in its mouth, which it proceeded to chew on.

"I told you not to wander too far," Acacia chastised, flicking his head. He hissed in response. "You're also growing a bit bigger, or am I imagining it?" Acacia grabbed him, lifting him to inspect his body. Behemoth stilled in her grip, tilting his head. "You're kinda cute if this was your true form, but then you wouldn't be able to cling to me anymore." Behemoth bit down on her hand in response. "Sometimes I don't understand your ways of communication," Acacia sighed, setting him back down.

Acacia stood up from the floor and flexed her shoulders. Behemoth watched her, head cocked curiously. Acacia then began to tear at her own skin with her nails, piercing her shoulders and feet, drawing blood that instantly engulfed her frame, solidifying into a dark, crimson armour. She walked around, tapping on the hardened shell. "It's hard and perfect, but it needs too much blood to form. I might get tired quicker. I think I'll use this only in defensive situations." With a snap of her fingers, the blood armour dissolved into thin air.

"Alright, I can make anything with my blood, but it'll be poisonous. The butterflies have their limits, but I can control my blood even when it's inside someone's body. My illusions work really well, though they consume a lot of mana and give me illusions in return. That's improved a bit since my stay in Encer; I can use an illusion now without seeing anything myself, but using it for a long time still has drawbacks. My wings are getting a bit bigger, and my nails and teeth are still very sharp. I still get hungry from regeneration, but I'm starting to get used to the feeling. What else?" Acacia said, tapping her chin and looking down at Behemoth. "I think that's all the recent progress."

"You can change in size; your strength is tied to your size. I wonder if I can improve that?" Acacia mused out loud as Behemoth climbed her leg and headed towards her neck, curling around it.

'I'm going to Lalan. I'm actually a little excited, though. I've never travelled past this big city before. I wonder what I'll find; I hope whatever was left behind is good,' Acacia thought, gazing out the window. 'Thankfully, they didn't treat me differently.'

Lucian POV

Silence. Not the tranquil, self-chosen kind, but a suffocating, forced quiet that Lucian had come to despise. It was the silence of uncertainty, a heavy, unyielding shroud of unanswered questions. No matter how much he yearned for a clamour of answers, this unmovable force remained.

'If I had known I would be in this dilemma, I wouldn't have killed you. Then I would be sure if you had a lookalike or... if you're alive.' Lucian's gaze was fixed on a faded photograph of Acacia clutched in his hands. He then shifted his attention to the expansive window of his office, watching as workers painstakingly cut down vines, hauling them away one by one. 'Even in your death, you still manage to ruin so many things, like a curse... yes, a curse.'

Lucian turned away from the window, carefully placing the photo on his desk. 'Since the day you were born, you were a damn curse to my soul. No matter how much I backed you into a corner, you always found a way to bite back.'

"Lucian!" Odette's voice, shrill with distress, sliced through the quiet as she burst into his office, her face pale.

'What does this useless woman want?' Lucian sighed inwardly, then forced a smile.

"Sit down and breathe, Mother." Lucian walked over to her, gently guiding her into a chair, allowing her a few moments to compose herself. "Now, tell me what has bothered you?"

"It's your sister. I keep having these dreams of seeing her, a little version of her walking away from me," Odette stammered, wringing her hands.

'Then tell that to your husband, don't bother me,' Lucian thought, rolling his eyes imperceptibly before settling back into his own seat.

"You must be stressed with the recent rumours about Acacia's lookalike. Acacia is dead; she wouldn't terrorize her family if she wasn't, and she doesn't have any abilities. Many doctors and trainers have confirmed that," Lucian reassured, his voice smooth and calm.

"You're right... she wouldn't hurt her family," Odette murmured, slowly nodding, seemingly comforted.

'But that's the problem. Acacia would absolutely try to harm me if she had the chance. Which is what makes everything much more conflicting,' Lucian thought, rubbing his temple.

"You must be stressed with the reconstruction. I shouldn't have bothered you with useless things," Odette said, standing up.

'At least you have a brain to leave me be,' Lucian mused inwardly.

"Nothing involving my mother is useless," Lucian said, flashing a gentle, practised smile. Odette's face softened, and she walked over to him, kissing his temple lightly.

"I am so proud of you, my treasure," Odette whispered before turning and walking out of his office. Lucian glanced at his watch, waiting precisely six minutes. Then, he pulled open a drawer, retrieving a fresh pair of gloves and a box of wipes. He meticulously removed his current glove, used a wipe to thoroughly clean his temple, and then cleaned his hands before donning the new gloves. The old ones and the used wipes were deposited into the bin.

"Treasure... indeed," Lucian thought aloud, a faint, almost imperceptible sneer touching his lips. Another knock echoed at his door. He closed his eyes for a brief moment, then opened them. "Come in."

"Good morning, sir," Barachiel greeted, stepping inside.

'It is a person worth my time,' Lucian mused, turning fully to face his visitor.

"Morning," Lucian greeted, his gaze drifting to the claw-like scar on the left side of Barachiel's face, then to the lighter shade of blue in his hair. "Your face seems to have healed well."

"Yes, sir," Barachiel replied, his tone firm. "Ten sky crafts were untouched. The rest were completely thrashed by the vines. We've managed to remove at least half of the vines, but progress is slower than usual."

"So many losses. Have you apprehended all the rebels?" Lucian sighed, a hint of weariness in his voice.

"Yes, we seized their drugs and managed to find at least twenty of them. Unfortunately, they seem to lose their senses without the drug; they become very skinny and weak. But with the drug, they gain abilities and become inhumanely strong, but only for a day," Barachiel reported.