The Cursed Extra: Bloodline of Sacrifice - Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Paths of Growth

“So, let me get this straight,” Caspian said, pacing the room, his hands gesturing in frustration.

“If my soul gets stronger, my summons evolve. My domain, on the other hand, depends entirely on my control over my affinity. And to top it off, my core connection is somehow tied to the number of affinities I have?”

{Precisely.}

Caspian groaned, running a hand through his damp hair.

“Bruh… that’s a lot to keep track of. Feels like I need an instruction manual for my own powers.”

{Stop whining, child,} Bloodmoon chided, its tone sharp.

{Growth was never meant to be easy.}

Caspian sighed and flopped onto the ground, staring at the ceiling.

“Fine. Then answer me this—how do I train my soul?”

The blade’s voice softened, adopting a more contemplative tone.

{The soul is not like muscle, meant to be trained through force. It grows through experience and connection.}

“Yeah, yeah. Details, please,” Caspian pressed.

{Fine. To strengthen your soul, you must embrace practices that cultivate its depth:}

{Spiritual particles—immerse yourself in meditation and prayer.}

{Self-reflection—confront your fears, your doubts, and your desires. Growth stems from within.}

{Connection—bond with the world around you: the land, its people, and their stories. True strength comes from unity.}

{Mindfulness—exist fully in the present. The past teaches, the future guides, but the present empowers.}

Caspian raised an eyebrow.

“You make it sound like I’m training to be some kind of monk.”

{Perhaps you should. You’d benefit from the discipline.}

Caspian snorted. “Yeah, not happening.”

Bloodmoon chuckled darkly. {You have much to learn, child.}

“But why these things matte—”

Before Caspian could retort, a soft voice interrupted their conversation.

“I’m sorry.”

Caspian turned to Zareth, casually drying his hair with the edge of his sleeve.

“Sorry for what?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

Zareth shuffled awkwardly, his arms crossed.

“For earlier. I… lost my temper. I shouldn’t have snapped at you.”

Caspian shrugged, smirking.

“Oh, that? Don’t worry about it. It’s a pretty common thing for kids your age.”

Zareth stiffened, his emerald eyes narrowing.

“Kid? You’re younger than me.”

“Am I, though?” Caspian teased, leaning against the wall with a grin.

“Yes,” Zareth snapped, his tone sharp.

“I’m 43.”

“Right,” Caspian said, drawing out the word.

“Elven aging. Forgot about that. You’re just hitting your awkward teenage phase, huh?”

Zareth glared at him, but the faintest twitch of his lips betrayed the struggle to suppress a smile. “You’re insufferable.”

“I’ll try,” Caspian replied lightly, before casually shifting the topic.

“So… this place. How’d you find it?” Caspian asked.

Zareth hesitated, his expression guarded. “Why do you ask?”

“Just curious,” Caspian said with an easy shrug.

“I mean, it’s not exactly a spot you’d stumble upon by accident. And you don’t strike me as the exploring type.”

Zareth crossed his arms, his gaze suspicious.

“How do you know about it?” Zareth asked.

Caspian tapped his temple with a sly grin.

“Blessing trait. My blessing points me toward things—danger, opportunities, you name it. Kind of like an inner compass.” Caspian said.

“Convenient,” Zareth muttered.

“Very,” Caspian agreed. He leaned forward slightly, his voice softening just enough to seem genuinely interested.

“But you… you must have a reason for coming here. It doesn’t feel like the kind of place someone just stumbles into. So? What’s your story?”

Zareth frowned, clearly weighing his options.

“It’s… my sanctuary,” he said finally.

“Sanctuary?” Caspian asked.

Zareth nodded, his gaze distant.

“Somewhere I can breathe. Somewhere away from…” He trailed off, shaking his head.

“It doesn’t matter.”

Caspian watched him carefully, filing the response away.

“Makes sense,” he said after a pause. “A place like this… it feels safe. Peaceful.”

Zareth glanced at him, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.

“You really think so?” Zareth asked.

“Yeah,” Caspian said, his tone casual.

“I mean, it’s not home, but sometimes you need space to figure things out, right?” Caspian added.

Zareth’s gaze flickered, his defenses lowering just slightly. “I guess.”

“Speaking of home,” Caspian said, carefully steering the conversation, “why’d you leave? Must’ve been something big to make you run.”

The question hung in the air, and for a moment, Zareth didn’t respond. Finally, he let out a frustrated sigh.

“It’s… annoying.” He said.

Caspian tilted his head, keeping his tone light.

“Annoying how?” Caspian asked.

Zareth’s expression darkened.

Caspian leaned back, his posture relaxed.

“Anyway, if you ever want to talk about it, I’m here. No pressure.” Caspian said.

Zareth’s lips twitched into a faint smile. “Maybe.”

As the silence settled between them, Caspian’s mind raced.

For now, though, Caspian let the moment rest.

There would be time for questions later.

Caspian glanced again at Zareth.

“Do you have a mask?” caspian asked.

Zareth raised an eyebrow at the unexpected question. “A mask? Why?”

“Just humor me,” Caspian said, crossing his arms. “Do you have one or not?”

Zareth hesitated before muttering a spell.

His hand reached into the shimmering void of his spatial ring, rummaging for a moment before pulling out a sleek, intricately designed mask.

“Here,” Zareth said, holding it up. “Why do you need this?”

Caspian studied the mask, its design simple but elegant, with faint elven runes carved into the edges.

“Put it on and come with me.” Caspian said.

Zareth frowned, clearly skeptical. “What’s this about?”

“You’ll see,” Caspian said cryptically, already turning to walk away. “Just trust me.”

Zareth sighed but complied, fitting the mask over his face.

The cool metal pressed against his skin, and he adjusted the straps before following Caspian out of the chamber.

As they walked through the stairs, Caspian’s mind churned.

This child… Zareth seems like a good person, even if he’s a bit rough around the edges.

But he doesn’t realize what’s coming.

He’s destined to die in just a few days.

Caspian glanced at Zareth from the corner of his eye.

I can’t just leave him to his fate.

If there’s even a chance I can help him…

“You’re awfully quiet,” Zareth said, breaking the silence. “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

“Just thinking,” Caspian replied casually.

“About what?”

Caspian smirked. “About how stubborn you are.”

Zareth huffed, but there was no malice in his tone. “You’re one to talk.”