Atticus followed closely behind the elder as they made their way to the Spiritual Lake.
Throughout the walk, his mind swirled with different thoughts. He recalled the conclusions he had drawn the day before and the troubled look Celestial had shown. The Starhaven family, along with all of Sector 8, felt like a ticking time bomb.
Unlike what he had expected, the elder led Atticus behind the temple. Reaching the back, they passed through a pathway that descended underground.
The path was narrow, framed by twisted branches that resembled gnarled fingers snaking into every corner.
Eventually, they reached a place where no light penetrated, yet Atticus could still see everything clearly. It wasn't because of his keen eyesight but because of the faint purple glow emanating from the twisted branches.
The air smelled damp, but that wasn't what occupied Atticus's thoughts. His gaze was fixed on the elder leading him.
The elder's steps were slow, his back hunched and his hands clasped behind him, yet he moved at a pace that Atticus found surprising.
It wasn't a pace Atticus couldn't match; he was just astonished that the elder could move so quickly while appearing so frail.
'His body looks frail, but his skin is flawless, and he appears to be filled with energy,' Atticus thought.
He had made this observation long ago, the Starhaven seemed like a different breed of humans, almost a higher breed, especially in terms of health and appearance.
Atticus had no doubts that this elder was old, likely as old as the fire sanctum master he had met in the past, Dekai. However, there was a stark difference between them. Dekai had appeared to be on the brink of death, barely clinging to life, while this elder seemed full of vitality.
'For the combined domain that killed Dekai, I'm almost certain this elder would survive,' Atticus thought.
'Is it a trait of the Starhaven blood, or is it their spiritual energy?'
He had already established that the Starhaven were incredibly beautiful, but this went beyond mere appearance. After awakening his spirit element, Atticus had noticed a significant change in his stats, particularly his vitality. It had skyrocketed beyond anything he had anticipated.
Mana had always enhanced his body after each rank-up, but spiritual energy seemed to have a similar effect.
mIf the Starhaven possess both mana and spiritual energy, their vitality must be off the charts,' he thought. 'There must be a way to synchronize the two energies.'
Spiritual energy was separate from mana, with its source in a well in his head, while mana originated in his core. Currently, most of his strength came from the mana coursing through his body.
Although Atticus could sense a faint amount of spiritual energy moving through him, it felt negligible compared to the mana and the spiritual energy he had in his well.
'Something is stopping the spiritual energy from fully flowing through my body. Could it be the mana?'
A thought filled him with excitement.
'If I can synchronize both energies, I should be able to reach an entirely new level of power.'
His heart began to race. Although no one had told him this, he knew intuitively that his assumption was correct.
As his excitement grew, the twisted branches that lined the pathway began to thicken. They wove tighter together above them, forming an almost impenetrable canopy.
Atticus noticed the air thinning, and the light from the glowing branches grew brighter.
'We've been descending for a while now. Just how deep is this lake?' he wondered.
As he thought, the narrow pathway suddenly gave way to something stranger. Thick, glowing roots began sprouting from the ground, spreading like veins in every direction. They cast an ethereal glow, painting the surroundings in haunting shades of violet.
Atticus's footsteps paused. "What is this place?"
Since the journey began, he had been on high alert. The Starhaven family was a ticking time bomb, and he had to be ready to act at any moment.
This journey could very well be the perfect opportunity for an ambush. While he doubted Celestial would authorize such a thing, he believed everyone had their own thoughts and motives.
Niall and Dario had remained behind since outsiders weren't usually allowed in this sacred space. They had chosen to stay at the temple's entrance.
The elder smiled slightly at Atticus's question, a proud glint in his eyes.
"You haven't seen anything yet."
Before Atticus could process what that meant, the path suddenly opened into a wider space. His eyes widened as he saw the roots converging into a vast network, spiraling downward and disappearing into a deep chasm below.
The elder stepped onto one of the thickest roots, moving as though he had done so for generations.
Atticus followed suit, stepping onto the root. It was like a sturdy, narrow bridge leading deeper into the chasm.
As they continued, eventually reaching its end, Atticus's gaze landed on an underground world, breathtaking in its beauty.
'Wow,' he thought, momentarily stunned.
The cavern stretched endlessly, bathed in a soft purple light. Countless translucent beings floated silently through the air, glowing faintly.
"Spirits," Atticus concluded, watching them drift effortlessly between the enormous roots and through the cavern, as though they were part of the air itself.
The underground world was utterly silent, serene. Atticus noticed numerous Starhaven inhabitants roaming the space. There were no modern buildings; instead, the people lived in homes carved directly into the colossal roots.
The Starhaven people here wore no modern clothing, opting for garments crafted from the branches and leaves of the eternal canopy.
The elder noticed Atticus's surprised expression and smiled before explaining.
"This place lies directly beneath the Eternal Canopy and serves as home to countless unbounded spirits. The people you see here are members of the Starhaven bloodline who were unable to bond with a spirit. They chose to forsake material possessions and instead live alongside the spirits, hoping to deepen their connection and eventually form a bond."
Atticus frowned. "I thought all those with Starhaven blood could bond with spirits. What prevents them from bonding?"
The elder shook his head. "Having the Starhaven bloodline does not guarantee a bond with a spirit. The bonding process is entirely up to the spirit, and they tend to be selective when choosing their life partner."
'I see,' Atticus thought. It made sense. Considering the spirits were a higher race, it was understandable that they would seek partners with potential to match their power.
The journey continued, and the root they were walking on stretched high above the underground world. Even at their pace, they had been walking for over 20 minutes.
'This tree is enormous,' Atticus realized.
They were still under the Eternal Canopy despite the distance they had traveled. The sheer scale of it was staggering.
Atticus noticed the root path beginning to slope downward, leading toward a shimmering glow in the distance.
'The spiritual energy is increasing,' he thought, feeling it intensify with every step.
As they descended further, the source of the energy came into view.
The thick root they had been walking on split into countless smaller tendrils, weaving a complex pattern above and below a small, glowing lake.
Above the lake, roots dripped glowing purple droplets of liquid spiritual energy. Below, more roots cradled the lake like a web, pulsing faintly as though drawing power from its depths.
It was a serene sight.
"We're here. Welcome to the Spiritual Lake," the elder said with a proud smile. Despite his age, his teeth were as white as a newborn's.
Atticus stepped closer to the lake and peered down into its depths.
'It's immense,' he thought.
The spiritual energy emanating from the lake was thick and overwhelming.
'What now? Do I just jump in?' he wondered, his thoughts shifting briefly to Seraphina, who was supposed to be his teacher. Since their talk, she had mysteriously disappeared, leaving him to figure things out on his own.
Uncertain, Atticus turned to the elder, who observed him with a raised eyebrow.
"I take it its purpose hasn't been explained to you?" the elder asked.
Atticus shook his head.
The elder nodded as though this was expected.
"The Spiritual Lake, as you've likely guessed, is concentrated spiritual energy, so dense it has taken on a liquid form," the elder began.
"You may have already felt it, the spiritual energy is clashing with the mana inside you, refusing to flow freely. This is because your body needs time to adjust, allowing the spiritual energy and mana to mix without conflict."
Atticus nodded. He had been wondering about this issue and how to resolve it, but it seemed the lake provided the solution.
"The lake will force that process to happen," the elder continued, stepping closer to the water's edge.
"When you immerse yourself, the spiritual energy will flood your body, completely overwhelming it. This will force your mana to adapt, to mix, and eventually synchronize with the spiritual energy. The process is neither easy nor pleasant, and you will experience considerable pain. But it is necessary."
"So, I just need to drown myself in it?" Atticus asked bluntly.
The elder raised an eyebrow at his lack of hesitation. He had just explained the immense pain involved, yet Atticus hadn't even flinched.
The elder nodded slowly.
Without waiting for another word, Atticus turned and leaped into the lake, his heart thrumming as he plunged into its depths, leaving the elder to stare at the lake with a dumbfounded expression.