Omniphage of Apathy

For the first time since he came to Spheraphase, he began to realize just how beautiful Adelasta was. Thanks to his mage skills, Vastarael managed to use the illusion robes. He didn't want to wear a mask today.

To them, they could see each other but to others, they had a plain appearance. And seeing her on the Praesit made him realize how pretty she was.

But he saw her perfectly.

Her crimson hair shimmered in the light. Her fair skin, almost ethereal, contrasted perfectly with her hair, giving her an almost otherworldly aura.

But it was her eyes that caught his attention the most—those sharp, orange irises, always so intense, yet somehow hollow, as if she were gazing through everything and everyone.

For the first time since coming to Spheraphase, Vastarael saw her not as the fierce, cold, and unbeatable adversary she usually was in the training arena, but as a person, a girl with quiet beauty he had never taken the time to acknowledge.

The way her eyes shimmered in the sunlight, the way her lips barely parted when she spoke, she was breathtaking, in a way he never allowed himself to notice before.

He felt a sudden flush in his chest, something unfamiliar. And before he could stop himself, his gaze lingered longer than it should have, his eyes tracing the lines of her profile as they walked.

Adelasta, who had been looking outside the windows, suddenly stopped, her posture stiff. She turned to face him, her orange eyes narrowing in a sharp, piercing gaze.

"What are you staring at?" Her voice was still flat, no change in tone, but there was an edge to it now.

Caught off guard, he blinked, unsure of how to respond. He could feel the weight of her stare, the way she saw right through him and for a moment, the words didn't come.

'I'm glad she didn't call me My Betrothed like she usually does.'

But honesty had always been his guide, even when it made him vulnerable. He took a deep breath and finally spoke.

"I... I was just noticing how beautiful you are. I don't think I've ever really seen you before, not like this."

There was a brief silence and Adelasta's eyes softened slightly, though her expression remained cold. She seemed to digest his words and for a brief moment, Vastarael thought she might say something, maybe even acknowledge his feelings.

But instead, she tilted her head slightly, as if processing his admission with the same detached calculation she always wore.

"That's absurd," she replied, her voice still unfeeling. "I'm just a tool for you, aren't I? Just like everyone else."

Vastarael blinked, caught off guard by her response. His heart sank but he didn't look away. He wasn't going to back down now.

"No," he said firmly. "Why would you think that?"

"..."

"You're not just a tool. I've always seen you as someone who's stronger than me, who I could never measure up to. Seriously, what's your impression of me?"

"A spoiled handsome prince who doesn't improve no matter how hard he tried to fight."

"Sheesh, that's cold. But really, I see you as... a rival? A competitor? It's hard to put it in words. Lemme think..."

For a moment, she didn't react. But when Adelasta spoke again, her voice was cold, yet there was something... strange in it.

"You're still not... I'm not someone who needs your pity..You don't need to try to alter me or change me. I don't want that."

The words hit him hard, but Vastarael refused to flinch.

"I'm not trying to save you. I'm just... trying to see you. For who you really are."

Adelasta's expression remained neutral, but for a fraction of a second, her gaze softened, almost imperceptibly. She blinked, as though the brief vulnerability in his words surprised her.

"Fine," she said, her voice quieter now, but still firm. "Just... don't expect me to be kinder to you during training. So if you are doing this with the intention of going easy on you, I cannot do that."

Vastarael smiled softly, accepting the way she was. He had said what he needed to say and now there was nothing more to be done.

"That's fine," he replied, feeling the quiet weight of the moment settle between them. "I never expected you to. In fact, I'd like it if you didn't."

Adelasta, though she didn't show it, had a new perception of him.

'So he's not just a spoiled royal. He is...'

°°°°°°

The Sky Gardens of Seraphei stretched far beyond what Vastarael imagined, a living masterpiece suspended high above the city. The massive platforms hovered effortlessly, their edges spilling over with vines and blossoms. Each garden platform was connected by shimmering, translucent bridges of energy, giving the illusion that visitors walked among the clouds themselves.

Opera had explained that the Sky Gardens were named after Seraphei, the first half-elf of Spheraphase.

Seraphei, who was said to have woven life into barren lands, created the gardens to preserve rare and sacred plants that otherwise would have perished during the early wars of the ancient realms. She used her power to suspend these sanctuaries in the air, ensuring that they would remain untouched by the ravages of time and conflict.

When they entered the main garden, Vastarael gasped. Massive trees with crystalline leaves shimmered under a golden glow that came from nowhere yet seemed omnipresent. Vines with flowers that emitted a soft hum curled around archways, while smaller plants glistened with droplets that weren't water but essence, glowing faintly in hues of green and blue.

Every step revealed something more extraordinary: a carpet of soft moss that changed color underfoot, blossoms that reacted to movement by gently swaying toward the passerby, and fruit-bearing trees with translucent fruits that shimmered like captured starlight.

Vastarael was captivated. He crouched down to touch a patch of the moss, marveling as it turned from emerald to sapphire under his hand. Standing, he moved to a vine of star-shaped flowers hanging from a lattice, gently brushing their petals, which pulsed warmly like a heartbeat.

"Look at this," he said, his voice alight with wonder as he turned to Adelasta. He pointed toward a tree whose bark was inscribed with natural runes glowing faintly. "I think this one holds essence in its roots. If someone used this in a Circle, the power—"

Adelasta, trailing behind, glanced at the tree and then back at him. Her expression was unreadable, her orange eyes cold as always.

"It's just a tree," she said, crossing her arms. "What does it matter if it holds essence? You'd find the same thing in a crafted essence stone."

Vastarael frowned, slightly disheartened, but his curiosity wasn't deterred.

"But this isn't crafted. It's natural. It's like... nature's way of Circlecraft. Don't you think that's amazing?"

She shrugged. "If it doesn't make me stronger, I don't care."

Adelasta's indifference was evident, but Vastarael's enthusiasm only grew. He darted from one area to the next, pausing at a small pond where golden fish swam in perfect, synchronized patterns, their scales catching the light like liquid metal. He watched as one leaped into the air, releasing a soft chiming sound before diving back into the water.

Adelasta stood nearby, arms crossed, her posture rigid and disinterested. While Vastarael knelt to inspect tiny glowing mushrooms growing in clusters near the pond's edge, she stared off into the distance, her gaze fixed on nothing in particular.

"You really don't feel anything here?" Vastarael asked, turning to look at her as he brushed his fingers through the glowing water.

"It's pretty," she admitted flatly. "But it doesn't change anything. A flower's beauty doesn't make it a weapon."

Vastarael sighed but smiled faintly. Her cold demeanor never bothered him much anymore—it was simply who she was.

"You see a weapon in everything," he murmured, more to himself than to her, as he stood and glanced back at the massive hanging platforms of the gardens.

She didn't respond, her gaze remaining distant. Yet, when she thought he wasn't looking, her eyes lingered briefly on the crystalline blossoms overhead, their soft light reflecting in her orange irises. For all her indifference, something about the gardens held her attention, even if she refused to admit it.

As they walked deeper into the gardens, Vastarael continued exploring with childlike fascination, touching, smelling, and even tasting some of the fruits under Opera's watchful gaze. Adelasta, ever silent, followed a step behind.

It was like she was acting as a bodyguard.

Vastarael sighed as they stopped at a tree that had pink petals for leaves. He looked at the holographic description on its display and smirked.

[Tree of Spring.]

[Once upon a time, the goddess of the elves found someone to love. However, she didn't know what to give to her beloved as a wedding gift. And so, she decided to create a new type of flora.]

[Legends say that she created five flora species as a gift to her beloved. Together, they travelled across Anqerise and created sanctuaries for them.]

[The Tree of Spring can be found in Lower Rise. This is but a copy of the original. For more information...]

'Phaenora. Can you find more information about this legend?' Vastarael asked her through his mind. He heard her answer that surprisingly, amazed him.

[Yes. I just need to contact my sister.]

'Your... sister?'

[The World System. She's an Omniscient, like me.]

'That word again,' he thought.

For some reason, whenever he asked Phaenora what it meant, she would just end up quiet. Not even his parents wanted to reveal this information to him. Even the library didn't have any information about them.

The more he existed in Spheraphase, the more he realized that secrets were hidden for some reason.

"My prince, why are you not exploring?" Adelasta asked after she saw how silent he was for a few seconds. "Are you bored?"

"Mmm... let's leave for now. It seems that we can do this another time—"

"WATCH OUT!"

The serene beauty of the Sky Gardens shattered in an instant.