The forest was silent, save for the faint rustle of leaves in the wind. Nexus, now fully healed, flexed her wings and let out a low rumble, a sound that resonated deep in Rayon's chest. Her black scales shimmered under the moonlight, yet her gaze was fixed entirely on him. She had felt the full measure of his power—the Black Primordial unleashed—and the essence of him that had crushed Vaeltherion with terrifying precision.
Nexus slowly approached, each step careful but deliberate. Her claws left deep impressions in the ground, yet she moved as if weighing every motion against his presence. Rayon's dark eyes tracked her, calm, unreadable, yet burning with an unshakable authority.
"You… you've changed," Nexus said, her voice resonating inside Rayon's mind as it always did, their bond allowing silent communication. "Stronger… far stronger than I imagined. The dominance you exude… it isn't just strength—it's control. I feel it in my bones."
Rayon smirked faintly, adjusting the black-tailored coat around his frame. "That's because I am no longer testing limits," he said, voice cold yet composed. "I am who I was meant to be. Everything else… the rest of the world, the vessels, the Primordials—they're all beneath what I've become."
Nexus hissed softly, almost in approval, and leaned closer. Her massive head brushed against his shoulder, and in that moment, the bond between them strengthened. Black Resonance pulsed faintly, threading through her essence and his own, intertwining them in a subtle but undeniable synchronization. She could feel his presence—the unyielding will, the unstoppable ambition, and the calculated cruelty—and she accepted it.
"You've earned my loyalty," she whispered, "for now."
Rayon chuckled, a deep, dark sound that echoed across the clearing. "I never asked for loyalty, only acknowledgement. You survive because it suits me. Remember that."
With a powerful beat of her wings, Nexus rose into the night sky, her form disappearing into the clouds, yet the faint shadow of her essence lingered, tethered to Rayon. He watched her go for a moment, then shifted his gaze toward the horizon. His mind, ever calculating, began piecing together his next move.
"The others," he muttered, almost to himself. "The Primordial vessels… I need to know them all. I need to see the scope of the threats before I decide which ones deserve to survive, and which ones deserve nothing."
Erethon materialized beside him, his form slightly ethereal, the darker edge of his personality almost visibly sharpening. "Finally. You're thinking like you were meant to, Little Monarch. That was a lesson, and Vaeltherion… he was only the beginning. The rest of the vessels? They'll feel what it's like to be beneath someone who has fully awakened."
Rayon's gaze darkened, and he flexed his hands slightly, feeling the Black Resonance coiling within, ready to devour, adapt, and dominate. "Good. Let the hunt begin. I want their strength… but I also want their fear. Every single one of them will remember the day they crossed me."
Erethon's voice was dry, teasing, yet serious. "Careful, Little Monarch. Some of these vessels aren't children playing with toys. They've been sealed and trained for centuries… but yes, I agree—you'll make them remember why they should never challenge the Monarch of the Endless Abyss."
Rayon nodded, his mind already mapping the continent, tracing every rumor, every distant tremor, every whisper of power that might indicate the presence of a Primordial vessel. His sharp, calculating eyes narrowed. He already knew some would be difficult, some dangerous—but nothing could stop him. Nothing could resist the Black Primordial now.
Turning back to the forest briefly, Rayon spoke softly, almost contemplative, yet there was an undeniable edge of ruthlessness in his tone. "Nexus will always have a choice… but everyone else will be mine to command, or mine to destroy. And I don't share power… I take it."
Vorthalaxis coiled around his arm, its own presence now seamlessly linked to Rayon's essence. Erethon lingered beside him, quietly observing, almost enjoying the darkness that spread from the young man. Together, they were the perfect combination of reckoning and chaos.
Rayon took one last look at the forest that had become a proving ground for his power, then turned toward the horizon. The distant landmass of the Primordial vessels awaited him, a continent heavy with unknown dangers, oppressive gravities, and beings that had been sealed and nurtured for centuries.
And yet, in the shadow of his Black Resonance, none of it mattered. Every Primordial vessel, no matter how strong, would feel the inevitability of his dominance. He would track them, challenge them, and either enslave their power or obliterate their existence. Nothing would be left undecided.
Erethon's voice broke the silence, smug and sardonic. "Ready to rewrite history again, Little Monarch?"
Rayon smirked, a glint of cold amusement in his eyes. "Always."
With that, he stepped forward, leaving the forest behind, Black Resonance pulsing subtly around him. Every monster that had previously dared to roam the continent instinctively kept its distance. Every shadow recoiled as if the land itself recognized the rising power of the Black Primordial.
Ahead lay a continent of untold threats, of Primordial vessels who were the architects of death, fear, and chaos in their own right. And Rayon—full potential, fully awakened, and a vessel of Insanity—was coming for them all.
And for the first time, the whispers of terror began to spread across the continent, long before anyone had seen him.