NOVPUB
Chapter 408: 408
Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she took a deep breath and stepped out onto the deck once more. With a mental command, she lowered the magical shield that protected the ship from the sun’s rays. The world opened up before her, a vast expanse of blue sky and shimmering ocean. The sun beat down, bathing everything in its golden light.
But it wasn’t the same.
The sky was blue, the sun was bright, but the sensation she craved was absent. The warmth was there, the physical warmth of the sun, but it lacked the... something she had experienced before. It was like a melody without its key, a painting without its color. Disappointment washed over her.
From that day forward, Xerosis began a daily ritual. She would venture out onto the deck, hoping, searching, for that elusive feeling. She would stand beneath the sun, willing it to happen, but it never did. The ordinary warmth of the sun was a constant reminder of what she was missing, a pale imitation of the intense, almost spiritual experience she had briefly encountered.
Crepuscular watched her from his fiery realm, his gaze fixed on the tiny ship sailing across the vast sky. He saw her repeated trips to the deck, the subtle shifts in her posture, the faint flicker of hope and disappointment that played across her face. He understood her yearning, her desperate search for something she couldn’t quite define.
He hesitated to intervene. He was accustomed to such reactions. Fear, awe, even revulsion – he had seen them all reflected in the faces of mortals, and even in the faces of some of his own kin. His very presence was overwhelming, his power too vast for most to comprehend. His daughter’s fate served as a constant reminder of the potential for unintended harm.
Weeks went by with Xerosis not giving up to where she triggered her innate protection from the sun which was the mist, that still didn’t deter her as she had a look of challenge while staring at the sun.
Seeing Xerosis’s unwavering persistence, her daily pilgrimage to the deck despite the repeated disappointment, stirred something within Crepuscular. He recognized that drive, that relentless pursuit of something just beyond reach. It was a trait he himself possessed, a burning desire that fueled his own existence. He had initially retreated, hesitant to inflict further discomfort, but her refusal to give up sparked a renewed resolve within him. He couldn’t simply stand by and watch her chase a phantom sensation. He had to try again, but this time, he would be more careful, more measured.
He focused his attention on the ship, not on Xerosis directly, but on the very air around her. He wouldn’t manifest as a blinding aura this time. Instead, he would weave a subtle warmth into the sunlight itself, a gentle caress that would barely register as anything out of the ordinary. It would be a whisper of his presence, a hint of the connection he longed to share.
Down on the deck, Xerosis stood as usual, her face turned towards the sun. She had almost resigned herself to the fact that the sensation was a one-time occurrence, a fleeting dream. Yet, she continued to come out, driven by an inexplicable hope.
Then, it happened.
It wasn’t a sudden, overwhelming surge of warmth like before. It was a gradual, almost imperceptible shift. The sunlight, which had previously felt ordinary, now seemed to possess a deeper, richer quality. It wasn’t just warm; it was... comforting. It felt like a gentle hand resting on her shoulder, a silent reassurance.
Xerosis’s breath hitched. She felt a subtle tingling sensation on her skin, a warmth that spread through her body like a gentle wave. It was faint, almost ephemeral, but it was undeniably there. It was the echo of what she had felt before, a muted version of the intense embrace that had startled her.
She closed her eyes, savoring the sensation. It was as if the sun itself was reaching out to her, offering a silent greeting. A small smile played on her lips. She didn’t understand what was happening, but she knew, deep down, that this was what she had been searching for.
Up in his fiery realm, Crepuscular watched with bated breath. He saw the subtle shift in Xerosis’s expression, the gentle curve of her lips. A wave of relief washed over him. He had done it. He had managed to connect with her without causing her distress.
He maintained the gentle warmth, a constant, subtle presence in the sunlight that bathed her. He didn’t want to overwhelm her, to frighten her away again. He wanted her to become accustomed to it, to recognize it as a comforting presence, a silent connection between them.
The gentle warmth became a constant in Xerosis’s daily life. It was no longer a fleeting sensation, but a consistent presence that accompanied her whenever she ventured onto the deck. She grew accustomed to it, recognizing it as something more than just the sun’s natural warmth. It was a subtle, almost imperceptible caress, a silent reassurance that she wasn’t alone.
As the days turned into weeks, Xerosis began to notice subtle variations in the warmth. Sometimes it would be a steady, even sensation, a comforting embrace. Other times, it would fluctuate, pulsing with a faint rhythm, like a heartbeat. She began to wonder if there was more to it than just a simple feeling.
One day, while basking in the familiar warmth, a thought struck her. What if these variations weren’t random? What if they were... messages? The idea was outlandish, but it resonated with a strange certainty within her. She focused her attention on the warmth, trying to discern a pattern, a meaning behind the subtle shifts.
She noticed that when she thought of her brother, the warmth would intensify slightly, becoming a comforting surge. When she thought of her journey, it would become a steady, unwavering presence, a silent encouragement. And when she thought of the initial, overwhelming experience, it would flicker briefly, a gentle reminder of the intense power behind it.
Slowly, tentatively, Xerosis began to experiment. She would focus on a specific thought or memory, and then observe the corresponding change in the warmth. She discovered that she could elicit different responses, different patterns, simply by focusing her mind. It was a crude form of communication, a language of feeling, but it was undeniably there.
Up in his fiery realm, Crepuscular watched with a mixture of awe and trepidation. He had intended the warmth as a simple connection, a way to reassure Xerosis of his presence. He hadn’t expected her to decipher it, to turn it into a form of communication.
He felt a surge of pride at her ingenuity, her ability to perceive the subtle nuances of his power. But he also felt a pang of worry.
He decided to test her. He focused his attention on a specific image: a single, blazing star, burning brightly in the vast expanse of the cosmos. He then amplified the warmth, making it pulse with a distinct rhythm, a slow, deliberate beat.
Down on the deck, Xerosis felt the shift immediately. The warmth intensified, pulsing with a distinct pattern. She closed her eyes, focusing her mind on the sensation. And then, an image flashed into her mind: a brilliant, solitary star, shining against the backdrop of an endless night.
Her eyes snapped open. She gasped, a mixture of surprise and wonder filling her. The image was so vivid, so clear, it was as if she had seen it with her own eyes. She realized then that her theory was correct. The warmth wasn’t just a feeling; it was a language, a way for her uncle to communicate with her.
He had found a way to speak to her, not with words, but with the language of the heart, the language of feeling. And as Xerosis began to explore this new form of communication, a unique and extraordinary bond began to form between them.
The establishment of this unique form of communication opened a new Chapter in their relationship. What began as a simple reassurance evolved into a complex and intimate exchange. Xerosis, with her sharp mind and keen perception, quickly became adept at deciphering the nuances of the warmth. She learned to distinguish between different rhythms, intensities, and patterns, each conveying a specific meaning.
Crepuscular, in turn, found himself becoming more attuned to her thoughts and emotions. He learned to modulate the warmth with increasing precision, crafting intricate messages that conveyed not only images and concepts, but also feelings.
One day, while Xerosis was on deck, she focused on a memory of her childhood with her brother. She felt a surge of warmth, not just the usual comforting presence, but a warmth that resonated with a deep sense of longing. It was as if Crepuscular was sharing her own nostalgia, her own bittersweet memories of the past.
She then focused on the image of Crepuscular himself, the figure she had briefly glimpsed during her initial experience with the sun. The warmth intensified, becoming almost overwhelming for a moment, then softened into a gentle, steady pulse. In her mind, she saw an image of his face, not the imposing, godlike visage she had initially perceived, but a softer, more gentle expression.
