Solar Blood Masters

"Haa… these new powers."

Raphael couldn't help but grinned.

The Sagewood Script hovered before his eyes. A new list had materialized, detailing the amplification to his techniques and the unlocking of the rare arts bestowed upon him from his new Soul Satellite, which he dubbed, 'Purple Eye'. It glowed gently upon that Blood Shadow Planet, a treasure from his recent ordeal.

He laughed with an eagerness to practice them, but this will have to wait until he returned to the Golden Prism Citadel.

After absorbing Zhu Jian, he brought forth the crimson pills stored within his gourd and carefully poured them out before him.

They weren't the size of regular medicines sold in the human marketplaces nor those candies he used to sneak from the kitchen pantry's. These pills were much bigger.

"Hmm. Perhaps useful against those fools who want a taste of a Golden Bull Thork's hooves. Or maybe even Lu Ignis himself."

Raphael was truly impressed with how potent they were. He chuckled as he imagined slipping one into Tajmani's breakfast, then dismissed those dark, yet delicious thoughts of revenge with a shake of his horns.

"Now isn't the time. Focus!"

He then tucked those red pills into his shadow for future use.

"You've done well, Raphael. Your strength is now at the 5th layer of the Nightmare Calamity Stage."

"Huh?" Raphael, who'd been engrossed in his power up session looked around the muddy cave wall, "Oh, you're right!"

He was almost back at his prime level again! A few layers away and he would once more challenge those at the peak of might.

"Kwan Yuu's soul is powerful indeed! To think I was only at the peak of the Calamity stage moments ago. This Purple Eye Soul Satellite is truly a game changer." He snorted and stretched, relishing in this burst of strength, then a bold idea had his golden form trembling with an urgency.

BOOM!

He stomped his hoof.

And without warning, began expelling potent, golden energies towards the pulsating roots that surrounded him. The air crackled! The earth shook! It was a terrifying display of his chaotic essences that had Thienika's heart dropping as she watched this bull's cultivation rapidly decrease: from 5th layer to 4th layer, to 3rd layer.

"Raphael, what are you doing? No…STOP!" She urged but it was too late. Her roots were already eagerly devouring his offering like a thirsty sponge soaking up a ocean.

Her admonishments were in vain, for Raphael had a far different agenda in mind.

"AHHH!" He yelled as he pushed harder. More essences oozed, the tremors shook her being with delight as his cultivation dropped from 3rd Layer to 1st Layer Nightmare Calamity Stage.

Then as if by a limit his ancient lineage couldn't overcome, he fell flat.

Raphael looked pale, but his breathing was calm, his hooves no longer trembled. It would appear as if he was at peace with his decision, or perhaps death had already claim his sanity.

"What… have you done?"

"This will help you recover faster Grandma!"

He was now weaker than when he'd first arrived in Yama Yaguai. A bull Calamity of meager power, however, he didn't regret his choice. Not one bit, "After all, didn't you tell me earlier that your life force was depleted? I thought this would help."

"You are a reckless bull," Thienika laughed.

"But this generosity? It's beyond my wildest imagination, for never have I, Thienika, The Draconic Star Lumber encountered a creature who would so readily sacrifice for a being they'd only known for a day, much less a dying one at that."

The tremors and rustling of her roots didn't match her words. It was as if they celebrated with joyous thrum,

Raphael snorted. "It's nothing Grandma. You saved my life and taught me about the Buddhist Pill Gourd. Compared to those, sacrificing a little Solar Essence is just a thank you."

There was a moment of silence. Then Raphael heard sobbing noises.. However, he couldn't see here face, so he only guessed that she was weeping. But when he observes her roots, they were wagging excitedly

And it was then, she truly understood what she'd witnessed, for in a world where taking and devouring was paramount, Raphael's selflessness was a beacon of hope, "Raphael… There are no words in my ancient tongue that could truly express this feeling of gratitude."

She then gathered resolve which had helped her survived countless wars and cataclysmic events of the past. "Now then, to answer your unvoiced question about those 'Why's', and those 'How's'…. Well. It's simple, with your generous gift, I have enough strength to participate in the Great Divine Tribulation. I can contend."

Her hope touched his very essence and reminded him of a goal he had almost dismissed as being childish.

"Hooooray! WE can finally get Void Emperor Sindoll's blessing! We'll both participate! WE WILL SUCCEED!" Raphael's boisterous holler shook that cavern and causing more dirt to fall down upon him from the openings in the roots above.

"Yes…" She smiled at the sight of the happy bull. "But… before you jump into those fires that illuminate our shared aspirations, what is it that you desire Raphael? Don't you have dreams, or goals? Surely they are more potent than gratitude."

"I…" he then paused to ponder for a bit. "You see Grandma… it's this… I want to be… human…"

The answer shook the cave even more, but this time it wasn't the roots dancing or dust falling. It was the air.

"HUH!"

Thienika's response was an echo, then, she suddenly understood, this wasn't just the ramble of an ancient mind, there was logic and reasoning buried there.

She simply said, "I see."

'Could it be that those ancient souls he acquired has merged with his essence and granted this desire? Hmmm… This bull is truly unique. To have those potent energies of both human and those from a lineage of might? Truly interesting.'

She then voiced her observation, "If you want more than just an imitation of their form, Void Emperor Sindoll's methods might be the answer you seek. It is said she's capable of transforming creatures into their true heart's desires."

Her words had Raphael laughing again as he envisioned a day when he'd be able to walk upright, hold those tomes in his own hands, not those clumsy hooves that he was getting used to, and perhaps even become a King to a generous queen. He was now fantasizing about an entirely new life.

Such joy!

"ALRIGHT! Let's do this!"

His roar reverberated and caused the earth beneath him to ripple. This action of his revealed a large clam. The color was a calming violet.

"Hmm. What's this? Never seen one like it before…" He was intrigued.

A root extend to caress it.

"A magnificent find, indeed." Thienika's voice had a touch of amazement as she revealed its discovery.

"This clam. You were clinging to it when I discovered your injured form, young Raphael. I'd forgotten about its presence in my efforts to heal you."

"Oh… This clam?" As his gaze linger upon its form and its peculiar streaks, he remembered something.

"That's… what crashed into us back in that red rift. A creature from another world? And it's here? Still alive? Could it contain treasures?"

…

Whoosh! Whoosh!

His wings flapping slowly, Raphael hovered above the Dark Swamp Gorge. Below, a chain of chaos played out.

The ground rumbled and trees swayed, not from a passing storm but something far more unsettling. Massive roots erupted from the muck, shattering earth and uprooting trees. Creatures scattered while crying with a primal terror as a collective panic rippled through those who'd called this treacherous landscape home for so long.

"I… never expected her roots to run so deep within this gorge." Raphael gasped. He was truly awestruck by the scale of what he was witnessing.

From his aerial vantage point, he saw Thienika's true form slowly emerging. Those ancient roots stretched for miles. This realization shook him.

And then he saw it… Her enormous, tree trunk lifted from the ground. Mud splattered, and ancient stones crumbled.

"Magnificent…" Such power emanating from a being whose form resembled something he'd only read in books about ancient Gods. It made him shiver.

A cacophony of shrieks, grunts, and howls erupted as nearby creatures observed this spectacle with terror, confusion and perhaps even a dash of curiosity.

"What is that thing?!"

"Its a… a… a moving forest!"

They huddled together, those brave enough, craned their necks, for even the mightiest Calamities paused their duels to watch the emergence of this colossal being.

As the tree unfurled, those smaller trees around were simply uprooted. Leaves were scattering as if the wind was afraid of being devoured.

"Move! We don't want to be trampled on today!" A group of intelligent fungi yelled.

Then, finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Thienika stood before Raphael in all her pale and withered glory.

It was truly a sight to behold even though her magnificent silver bark was now covered in patches of grey rot, and her once vibrant star-leaves were riddled with holes and tears, the remnant of her former glory radiated in waves.

Raphael couldn't help but be amazed by the sheer size. Her branches stretched toward the sky, and her roots spread out across miles, creating a tangled web that connected her to every inch of the gorge.

This wasn't a mere tree. This was an ecosystem. A world unto itself.

"She… is… HUGE!"

Before him, Thienika hovered in the sky. She began shaking her ancient branches, flinging off clumps of mud. A shower of dirt and pebbles rained down. Then her roots retracted inwards, which anchored her form.

She was ready.

"Ok, Grandma Thienika! Let's go!" Raphael was eager to get started on their journey.

"Wait…"

She stopped him and something incredible happened.

BOOM!

Thienika's colossal form exuded a brilliant glow which lit up the Dark Swamp Gorge. And then it shrunk.

Her body contorted as branches became limbs, leaves spiraled into elegant formations, and her roots became neatly flowing. It was a beautiful dance.

Creatures that had witnessed those early events now gasped! "Impossible! It transformed? A wood nymph? Could it be?"

Raphael watched, utterly speechless.

Thienika now stood before him in a humanoid figure, old and withered. She towered over him. Her silver bark was creased and aged, forming a delicate face with closed, wrinkled eyelids. She possessed limbs. They were lanky, but impossibly strong, and each fingertip had sharp nails that could easily shred his golden hide if she wanted to.

Her head bore magnificent antlers, that of a stag's pride, with a faint glow dancing around its tips. And her long, flowing hair weren't made of fur but thinly woven translucent roots; her ancient arteries and life essence were evident there.

She wore a beautiful robe made of moonlight woven by ancient sprites from a time long gone. It was so delicate. Her leaves from her Draconic Star Lumber lineage had folded into an arrangement that resembled a majestic flower at her rear. The glow was hypnotizing, the colors swirled gently.

In one hand, she held a staff crafted from the heartwood of a fallen star. It had a soothing yet powerful energy about it. Her eyelid snapped open briefly and revealed her white pupils. They pierced through Raphael's soul with an intensity that had him cowering for a moment.

"This form is much better for travelling."

She stamped her staff against the air.

WHOOSH!

A green ripple spread outward. Those nearest beasts, unable to resist the unseen force, instantly fell into a deep slumber, leaving behind a tranquil silence in its wake.

"She… You… can transform? Really?"

This was another spectacle he hadn't anticipated.

Thienika sighed softly as she looked down at her new form. Her strength had returned, partially. It wouldn't be enough to survive the Great Divine Tribulation to claim the Void Emperor's blessing, however, the bull before her had offered something more precious than any medicine or elixir.

Hope.

She adjusted her flowing robes with one hand. "I'm ready to go, now."

"YES! Hop on!" Raphael laughed excitedly.

This was it. A shared destiny.

"We will conquer. You'll get your blessing Grandma!"

He watched eagerly as she hoisted her lanky form upon his back, carefully adjusting the 'star-flower' at her back to avoid crushing her delicate leaves.

Raphael took off into the sky with a swiftness and grace befitting a Calamity on a mission.

"Remind me, where are we going again?" Thienika asked with her head cocked slightly as she gazed upon that crimson horizon.

"Black Wind!"

"Black Wind? That's Qi Hawk's territory. Hmmm…"

"Yeah, you know him?"

Hearing that name, she saw a vision. It unfolded like a star chart, guiding her toward a place in her ancient past.

A small hawk, younger and far less imposing than his current form was buzzing around her branches, chirping. It preened its feathers with an arrogant grace that had her ancient heart chuckling.

She lightly swatted its backside with one delicate tendril, "Little one. One day you will rule those skies, but for now, your arrogance must be tempered. Humility is the way."

The vision faded.

Thienika smiled. "Yes. I know him."

Raphael snorted, "Let's go then!"

He'd made his decision, for this bull, there was no backing down. He would keep his promise.

He would bring Grandma Thienika a Void Emperor Calamity's blessing, even if it meant obliterating the entire Yama Yaguai.

With a final burst of golden lightning, they were gone, hurtling toward the heart of Qi Hawk's territory.