The concern etched on Isola, Ceti and Merina's faces was palpable, their eyes glancing nervously at Asher.
The five Umbralfiends, however, seemed surprised and curious. They all had thought he was done for but contrary to their expectations, the phoenix and the Bloodburn Consort didn't even fight and the quest ended before they even realized it.
Sylus, Orin and their wives could only exchange confused looks while Mirena pouted, brimming with dying curiosity, wondering what kind of trick the Bloodburn Consort pulled.
Asher, came back from his reverie as he ran a hand through his hair, "Yeah, I'm fine..." His voice was distant, mind still preoccupied with his interactions with that woman.
The memory of the woman's gentle smile, her gratitude, and her final moments seemed to reverberate in his mind while his chest ached.
Isola didn't look entirely convinced, her eyes still filled with doubt, "Are you sure? Because all we saw was you and the phoenix, staring at each other. And then, it just disappeared. We also got the quest completion message... It was strange."
Chuckling softly, Asher shrugged, "Indeed, it was strange," His eyes held a hint of amusement, disguising his inner turmoil.
A silent communication passed between him and Isola, his mental whisper telling her that he would explain later, making her feel less worried.
"Since Master is safe and the quest is completed, there's nothing to worry about now," Merina's tone was firm, echoing the relief reflected in her eyes while feeling that he didn't want to get prodded by questions now.
A moment of silence passed before Ceti's gaze flickered to the glowing feather that Asher was still holding.
Her eyes widened as she asked in awe, "When did you manage to pluck one of its feathers?" Her tone was a mix of shock and awe, her eyes locked onto the big, fiery feather in Asher's hand.
The chuckle that rumbled in Asher's chest felt hollow even to his own ears. His gaze remained fixed on the feather, the luminescent plume radiating a soft warmth that seemed to seep into his skin.
"I think I'll keep it as a trophy," Asher spoke, his voice filled with false cheer. His eyes held a touch of melancholy that was completely at odds with his words, "A reminder that we faced down a legend and lived to tell the tale."
But beneath the calm exterior, Asher was far from jubilant. He knew the truth of the fight.
This phoenix named Pyrrah or whatever was left of her never fought for real. It was a weakened, dying entity simply awaiting the end while suffering the entire time. The fact that she had no memories and was in such a pitiful state only meant that he interacted with the last vestiges of her soul.
And the thought filled him not with a sense of accomplishment but an unspeakable emptiness.
His attention was drawn back to the feather in his hand, the bright glow captivating yet disconcerting. Only he knew this feather was far from being a trophy as he once again took a look at its details,
[ Item Name: - ]
[ Grade: Immortal ]
[ This feather contains two final drops of whatever is left of my bloodforce, and I had nothing else but this to repay you for what you did. Despite your demonic heritage, I felt that you could harness the power in each drop, albeit temporarily. Use them wisely, and only in dire need, as the backlash will leave you weakened and vulnerable. If we had met under different stars, perhaps our story could have been different. May this gift be a beacon in your darkest hour ]
As Asher delicately tucked the immortal grade feather away, his mind whirled with thoughts and speculation.
This was a treasure beyond anything he had encountered before, a gift bestowed by a dying phoenix with her last breath. It was a power he could call upon when needed, but the warning was clear - it came with a heavy price.
And such a precious treasure surely can't be made known to others.
Meanwhile, the five Umbralfiends were holding various items in their hands, their eyes twinkling with delight.
"Oh my devils…We got precious treasures just like what we were promised," Mirena said with a delighted look as she showed it to their princess.
Isola stepped forward to inspect the objects. Her eyes lit up as she inspected each one, her fingers tracing over the intricate details.
"Hmm, these are indeed precious," she said, her gaze appreciating the items, "This is a Lava Pearl," she pointed towards a small, glowing orb held by Mirena, "It's a rare gem formed within the bodies of magma creatures. Quite resilient and an excellent conduit for enchantments."
She then moved towards Orin, who was holding a large, black crystal that pulsed with a steady inner light, "This is an Flame Heart Crystal. It contains the very essence of this realm and can significantly enhance any fire-based spell," she explained as she looked at Asher and added, "Maybe you or Callisa can use this at the right time and gain 50% more damage but can only last for a single attack."
"That sounds really powerful," Asher agreed with a nod.
Lastly, she gestured to a small bag of glowing capsules in Elysia's hands, "And these are Pyrospore Capsules, harvested from this place. They explode upon impact and could be useful for diversions or even throw at our enemies."
The group nodded in understanding, their faces brightening as they fully realized the value of the items they held.
"Now we can finally leave this place before we die from the heat," Ceti said with a relieved sigh, and the thought that they still could retain 25% of the total shards they had now was icing on the cake.
The marker came up, and everyone knew where to go to forge the 3rd Deviar Crystal.
The first Deviar Crystal was dark green in color, and the second was dark blue in color. This made Asher already realize that they needed 7 Different Deviar Crystals to forge the Deviar.
And as they walked, a discussion was going on between the 5 Umbralfiends walking behind Asher and the others,
"Didn't I tell you, Mirena…Our princess has her own reasons to trust the Bloodburn Consort. She must have a good idea of what he is capable of, more than any of us does," Elysia said in a low voice to Mirena as she pouted before wincing and saying with a red face, "I know, I know…But does this mean…our princess is really close to him?" Mirena lowered her voice as much as she could as she asked the last question.
Orin and his wife, Lyra exchanged serious glances before Sylus lightly smiled and patted Mirena's head, "You shouldn't overthink anything, Mirena."
Mirena pursed her lips, though she still had a skeptical look as she briefly glanced at his back.
The next day,
Asher and the rest had advanced and were now in the 4th mini-dungeon - Tidal Tempest.
The Tidal Tempest's scenery was dramatically contrasting with Pyro Peak's harsh and desolate landscape. As Asher and the rest stepped into the new realm, they were met with an overwhelming, breathtaking view of pristine nature in its untamed glory.
The sky was a vibrant tableau of cerulean blues and greens, speckled with cotton candy clouds, reflecting onto the vast expanse of the water body beneath.
The sun was a warm, golden disc in the sky, its rays casting a shimmering glow on the surface of the water. As the day wore on, the sky would shift into an impressive array of colors, from pinkish hues to deep purples, a spectacle of a lifetime.
The terrain was an amalgamation of rocky cliffs, sandy beaches, dense jungles, and water bodies that shimmered under the tropical sun. The cliffs, worn smooth by the relentless force of water, were imposing, jutting out into the vast water body.
They also came upon mysterious whirlpools that dotted the landscape, acting as dangerous teleportation points and unpredictable traps.
It didn't take too long for them to realize what the real danger of this place was.
Powerful tides would rise from nowhere and wreck chaos at random times, destroying everything in their way.
At high tide, the world transforms into a sprawling archipelago, with only the tops of the highest trees and cliffs visible above the water. Even those landscapes that remain dry would be shaped by the force of water — caves carved by relentless waves, sweeping dunes shaped by tidal currents, and lofty cliffs worn by ceaseless spray.
Some lands would get submerged while places that were submerged would rise up. And it kept changing based on the mood of the tides.
And this made one thing obvious. They can't survive for too long without building a Shelter since it protects them against the tides, and all they had to do was maintain the Shelter long enough until they were ready to leave.
And so in the midst of an alluring and wild landscape, the group set up their shelter, an elaborate structure made of strong, durable wood and enhanced with magical enchantments for protection.
Nestled between the thick jungle and the huge waterfall, their Rare Grade Shelter was a sight to behold.
And no sooner they had set up the shelter, Callisa had excitedly jumped out of her beast bag and ran towards the waterfall to play along with Isola and Mirena while Elysia and Lyra watched on with smiles and enjoyed immersing themselves in the stream.
As for Merina, she was busy setting up things inside the shelter while Ceti, Sylus, and Orin were setting up a perimeter around the shelter to make sure they won't be caught by surprise by any intruders.
Meanwhile, Asher reclined against the sturdy trunk of a tree, his eyes drawn to the jubilant scene by the waterfall while eating some food.
Callisa, seemingly intimidating with its powerful pincers and monstrous size, was now a sight of pure delight as she played along with Isola and Mirena.
Isola was a vision of ethereal beauty amidst the spray of the waterfall.
Her midnight-blue skin was bejeweled with water droplets, the tiny prisms of light sparkling like stars against the twilight of her complexion.
The luminous white locks of her hair cascaded down her back, shimmering with the ethereal glow as they clung to the wetness of her skin. The gentle mist from the waterfall gave her a hazy, almost otherworldly aura.
Her sapphire-blue eyes sparkled with happiness as she interacted with Callisa and the 3 Umbralfiend women, the natural charm of her demonic elegance more alluring than ever. The two fins on either side of her head moved rhythmically with her expressions, adding to her unique beauty.
Asher didn't know why, but he found a certain comfort in simply watching her, a stark contrast to the chaotic three months he had spent during the entire quest.
But he still couldn't shake off the woman's face in his mind and the lingering emptiness of her disappearing into nothingness.
On the other side,
Amidst the playful splashes and the cheerful laughter, Mirena's gaze found Isola's. There was a lingering question, a shadow of doubt that had haunted her for quite some time now.
As she frolicked with Callisa's colossal pincers, Mirena hesitated, her voice softer, edged with uncertainty, "Princess... Why? Why do you respect the Bloodburn Consort so much? After everything...that happened…" Mirena always wondered why their princess wasn't angry at him for tricking her and essentially making them lose the war.
