Death... and me

Avoiding the area where the Chasm's power was coming out, they entered the Chasm again, diving deep down. It wasn't hard since the Spatial Manipulation Crystals were using a lot of the Chasm's own power, so the power on the surface wasn't that big.

Once down there, Lotar went straight to one of the crystals and used his own bloodline to stop the crystals once again. Rean also got rid of the runes, making everything return back to normal. Now, they were gathered at the bottom, with the Small Sphere of Light and Dark Light at the center. Naturally, Rean and Kentucky it was the Universe Foundation Fragment.

"Let's start it from the beginning. Just what are you?" Iolanda asked with a serious expression. Other than Kentucky and Rean, the others really didn't know it was a Fragment.

"Hmph!" The Fragment didn't seem very willing to cooperate, though. "Why should I tell you anything? You should have just followed the pact I had with your ancestors and focused on opening a breach in this Dimensional Realm."

Rean pondered a bit and felt a little confused. He knew the identity of the little sphere, but he felt that it didn't fit somehow. "Do you at least have a name we can use?"

"Lostrai," the Fragment answered.

Rean nodded. "Lostrai, we have been under the impression that this Azum Dimensional Realm is kind of a prison, and this pact about the Shadow Ferals making an opening reinforces this theory. However... are you the one trying to escape, or is it something else?"

Lostrai was taken aback. "How much do you know?"

Rean smiled and shrugged his shoulders while shaking his head. "I know nothing. This was just my gut feeling. I'm sure you are strong when you use that facility we destroyed to absorb energy. However, I doubt it was you who created it; you just took advantage of what already existed here. That said, my theory is that this 'prison' is not made for you."

Iolanda and Lotar looked at Rean in surprise. "Now that you mention that... this guy is indeed pretty weak without that source of energy."

"Hmph!" Lostrai obviously didn't like their words. "So be it. I did what I had to do to get away from this place. I have no regrets. Regardless, I'm still in a safe position since no one can destroy me. You can do whatever you want."

Rean pondered a bit and had an idea. "I know you are a sentience born in a certain item I can't mention the name now. How about this? I saw how you couldn't use laws, and the reason is exactly your vessel. If I can make a vessel worth of your sentience, would you be willing to leave that item behind?"

Iolanda and Lotar were confused. "Item, what item? Rean, what are you hiding?"

Rean shook his head in response. "This is something that goes beyond my authority, so I can't comment. I just hope you would bar me if I reach a deal with Lostrai."

"As if!" Lotar immediately refused. "There is no way we would let this thing esca-"

"Alright!" However, Iolanda accepted instantly.

"Queen!" Lotar almost vomited blood. "You can't! How many members of our race died because of this guy! The others won't accept it!"

Kentucky raised his wing. "You don't understand. It doesn't really matter whether you want to take revenge on him or not. You can't destroy him, and you can't touch his soul either. He is an artifact spirit, so he can easily force himself to fall into a deep slumber and just let the years pass until a day comes when he can get himself free."

"Not if I throw him inside a Black Hole," Lotar snorted. At his level, he was obviously aware of such celestial bodies outside the Realm of Gods.

Rean and Kentucky were a little alarmed. That absolutely couldn't happen since they would never be able to recover the Universe Foundation Fragment from there. Well, perhaps if they became Semi-Celestiais themselves one day.

Yet, Lostrai seemed unaffected by the threat. "Do as you wish."

Iolanda refused the idea. "Enough, Lotar. Everyone here owes Rean and Kentucky for us to finally be able to take the entity that forced us to do this work. I know it feels hard to simply let it go, but our priority is to leave the Azum Dimensional Realm. Rean and Kentucky provided us with that opportunity."

"This..." Lotar wanted to refute but couldn't find words to do so. Lostrai wasn't of much use to them since it had a very pure Light Element, which would be terrible for their race, too. "If this is the Queen's final decision, I will comply."

Rean and Kentucky looked at each other. They felt that Aelrie's memories probably influenced Iolanda's decision a lot at this moment.

"Why are you all advancing this conversation without me?" Lostrai suddenly asked. "I haven't accepted anything yet. First of all, there is absolutely no way this boy can provide me with a vessel that could satisfy me more than the one I have at the moment."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Rean commented with confidence. "Not only can I prepare a vessel for you, I can make a vessel in any shape or form you like. Sure, it won't be as resistant as the one you have at the moment, but it will have a crucial advantage. It will allow you to use laws. At the moment, because of the nature of the vessel you are using, such a thing is impossible. We both know that just the fact your sentience was born inside that thing is already a miracle in and out of itself."

Lostrai wanted to refuse, but he was more surprised about how much Rean seemed to know about him. "You have more, don't you?"

"I do," Rean answered without hiding his intentions. "That's why I'm certain I can fulfill your expectations."

Lostrai fell silent for a few moments before finally reaching a decision. "If it can satisfy me, then we have a deal."