✦ Chapter 41 — Closer to the Next Veil
The sky above the Ink Sea hadn't changed in hours. No sun. No stars. Just a constant dim shimmer reflected off the dense, black mass below them. Puff continued his lazy stride forward, unbothered, his heavy paws never once sinking into the darkness.
Jio sat a little behind Laei, quiet as always. But this time, his fingers fidgeted slightly, a small sign he'd been thinking too much.
He finally turned toward Vexi, who had her arms crossed, leaning back against one of Puff's soft folds.
"…Your tribe," he said, almost out of nowhere. "Why did you come with us?"
Vexi glanced sideways, arching a brow. "That's the first real question you've asked me."
Jio just looked at her, waiting.
She sighed, then shrugged.
"It's… not that exciting," she admitted. "Every once in a million years—literally—someone from my tribe has to travel with outsiders."
"Why?" he asked simply.
"Our leaders say it's a cleansing. Not for us—for the world. Our tribe needs to see how the realms shift. How people think. How bad or good ideas grow." She paused. "They think if we don't open the door every once in a while, we rot. Inside."
Jio nodded slowly. "So, you didn't choose?"
"I volunteered," she corrected. "But I didn't have to think much. It's part of something bigger than me. My people say: When the wind moves, we must follow the scent."
Jio let that sit for a moment, then offered a very faint smile.
"…Sounds lonely," he muttered.
Vexi smirked. "You think I don't notice how lonely you look sometimes?"
Jio blinked at her, caught off guard.
But he didn't deny it.
They didn't say much more after that, but something between them softened—quiet understanding passing without noise.
Meanwhile, Havella leaned forward slightly, her fingers still glowing with faint mana from idle practice. She had been listening too.
"Laei," she said, "you mentioned devils before. But… are they actually devils? Like, a race?"
Laei, who had been humming softly to herself on Puff's head, tilted her head down to look at her.
"No," she said. "Devils… is a concept. A role people choose."
"So they're humans?" Havella asked.
"Yes," Laei nodded. "All of them. Humans that chose to step outside what we'd call natural morals. They bend, twist, and eventually break into something else entirely. But by race… they're still human."
"Race matters?" Jio asked suddenly, catching on.
Laei looked at them one by one and spoke more carefully now.
"There are universal races. Recognized across most Realms. It helps define how certain systems work. You already know them. There are seven, for now."
She raised her fingers and began to count.
"One. Human. Standard. Versatile. Most races descend from or imitate humans in some form."
"Two. Keenel. They're what people call 'sharp-touched'. Born with natural instincts or heightened minds. They adapt faster. Sometimes they see glimpses of the future."
"Three. Fairie. Like Approcajjot. We exist close to the fabric of the Realms. Not all Fairies are good. Or innocent. But our connection to realm-magic makes us… different."
"Four. Fairy. Different from Fairie. Fairies are small. Ethereal. Often wild. They follow no rules, but they hold deep magic, Fairy for another part....let's just say you aren't ready to know yet"
"Five. Mehca-Fairy. A rare fusion. Part Fairy, part machine. Artificial souls in real bodies. Unstable, but incredibly powerful."
"Six. Mythical Beasts. Creatures like Puff. Ancient. Real beyond belief. Most aren't born—they manifest."
"And seven…" Laei hesitated.
"Seven is God. But not as you think. A God is a status, not a species. Any race can become one, though it's… rare. And dangerous."
Havella frowned. "Dangerous?"
"To the world. To themselves," Laei said softly. "No one remains untouched after being called God."
They each fell into their own thoughts after that.
The sea stretched endlessly ahead.
But something was changing in the air.
A subtle shift.
A faint pull, like the realm itself was breathing them in, dragging them toward the unknown.
The Second Realm was near.
And none of them would step into it the same as they had the first.
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End of Chapter 41
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