063 - The Sleeping Forest

"Sister!" Soo cried out, hacking down with full force, his blade slashing down on Magnus' arm. "Release her! Let her go!"

Soo raised his sword above his head, his chest heaving, and cleaved down on his shoulder. The blade entered an inch into Magnus' flesh, but no further.

No matter how she tried Min could not dislodge Magnus' black veined hand from her throat. Her gasps grew shorter, eyes turning white and bulging, finally going limp.

Soo spluttered, coughing up another mouthful of blood. He brought down his sword again to no effect, slashing and stabbing desperately.

I can move!

The enormous weight that had been pressing down on Magnus evaporated as soon as Min fell unconscious.

Magnus dropped the girl, grabbing the sword in his shoulder and Soo's clothes with his other hand.

"Filthy brute! Unhand me!" Soo struggled to escape Magnus' hold, unable to pull his sword or take a step back.

Bam!

Magnus slapped Soo in the side of the head sending him crumpling to the ground.

"Haaaaaa, haaaaah . . " Blood was still pouring out from the gaping wound in Magnus' neck, every limb felt like it was weighed down by iron shackles.

Soo tried to roll over, crawling on the dirt towards his sister.

"Ahh!" Soo cried out in agony as Magnus stepped on his back. The white clothes stained with blood and dirt, Magnus pressed down with even greater force.

Kill . . . kill them . . crush him . .

No.

Wait.

Don't kill them.

Eat.

Devour!

Swallow them whole!

Magnus felt a wave of dizziness wash through him, sparks of light and colours turning the world inside out.

Beneath his foot Soo still struggled, Magnus lifted his boot and stomped down on his head . . Careful . . don't kill . . ah haa . .

All the power Magnus had god from the Griffon now flowed out from the wound in his neck and shoulder. The small white core trembled, a dozen tiny fractures appeared, a numb cold sensation spread from beneath his navel up through his chest.

I'm dying . . I'm dying again . . will I come back? I've died before . . but I've never been this hungry . .

Magnus collapsed to the ground next to the brother and sister. I can see again . . I can move . . Magnus salivated looking at them both. From his finger emerged a red thread, he pointed it at Soo . . . wait . . I need to do something first . . Kujatas voice ringing in his head; never eat outside a formation.

He felt weaker with every passing moment, collapsing after placing and infusing the last stone, a pressing desire to eat, drool running down his chin.

Soo's inner sea and sky trembled as Magnus shot his red thread out. The thousands of flashing clouds were pierced right through, innumerable red mouths spreading out to every corner of the sky. Huge waves rose and fell, thunderous roars and bangs . . Magnus was well used to it by now.

He guided the thread of Vigour as it split, swallowing the waters, devouring the flashing clouds. Soo was grievously injured, Magnus could feel the wane and ebb of his life forces, feel the inexorable pull of the void.

There was something beneath the waves . . Magnus guided a red thread down into the depths of the ocean. A shining yellow orb made from a dozen threads pulsated gently beneath the seas, like a ripe peach . . he pierced right into it, drinking the yellow energy whole.

All that was Soo was swallowed whole. Every memory, every scrap of power, all the accumulated life force was cracked open, relentlessly devoured.

This wasn't a broken inner world like with Lars, Soo had his entire body and mind intact, and devoured it all. So many memories . . so many people . . all kinds of information and knowledge flowed into Magnus, incredible sights and places . .

There was a palace . . a giant stone and wood palace that stretched as far as the eye could see . .countless courtyards, countless people . . familiar faces . . boys and girls and all kinds of colours . . Min! Min, sitting beside me, both reading from a book . . look, isn't that father?

A handsome man in mail armour approached, a warm smile and open arms . . his touch . . father . . Sung Hu . . . mother . . Ji Min! Their faces floated before his eyes, their small courtyard in the outer palace . . spring and summers drifting by . .

More than two decades worth of memories entered into his mind all at once. There were worlds . . the forests of distant worlds . . the endless flaming peaks . . a city of flashing lights . . the Alchemists revolving tower!

His body warmed, the flow of blood restored. The wound in his neck healed in a flash, a great deal of the energy he absorbed from Soo flowing to his injuries. In a matter of moments the muscles and flesh healed, all the black lines that had appeared sunk back down beneath his skin.

It is inside me . . around the small white core was now an extra aura, a faint yellow thread curling around the seed like core. This is . . Mens . . a spirit thread . .

Magnus lay still next to Soo's corpse, entirely absorbed by the many images and smells and sounds. Strict lessons in a bright classroom . . hours spent practicing sword play with others . . days and weeks and months . .

An undetermined amount of time passed, Magnus lay in a dream like state.

Nearby . . Min stirred into wakefulness, her throat almost crushed. She sat up in a daze, seeing Magnus and Soo right next to her.

"Brother!" Her voice hoarse and cracked, the clear imprint of a hand on her throat.

She fell on her brother's body, his eyes open, unseeing.

"Soo! Brother!"

Min's sobs woke Magnus from his stupor . .

"Sis?" Magnus blinked. "Min, sis, I'm right here . . oh."

"You! How are you . . your neck!" Min fell back in horror. "You've killed him! Your skin . . STAY! DON'T MOVE! Hahgh!" Her voice croaked with the effort, the yellow spirit threads faint, unable to affect Magnus in the slightest.

"Min . . that's right . . sis . ." A red thread appeared from Magnus finger.