The Bloodline System

Author's Note: Unedited Chapter

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Gustav turned away and exhaled heavily. "I could get rid of you, you know," he muttered with a measured but cold tone. "I have the power to sever our partnership right here and now. I don't need you to finish this task. I can pursue it on my own."

The system's crimson eyes widened in alarm. "Gustav, don't!" she pleaded, while stepping forward.

For the first time, her voice carried genuine fear. "You can't! I'm a part of this—of you! Without me, you wouldn't have the guidance you need to complete Ehyrian's work. You'd be flying blind."

Gustav turned back to her, his gaze unwavering. "Then stop hiding things from me," he demanded. "If there's anything else, anything at all, you'd better tell me now. Because if I find out you're keeping more secrets, this partnership is over."

The system hesitated with her expression becoming a mix of guilt and reluctance. "There is… one last thing," she admitted.

Gustav's eyes narrowed. "Out with it. Now."

The system took a deep breath as her crimson aura flickered faintly. "I intend to revive Ehyrian after all of this is over."

The air in the room seemed to still. Gustav stared at her with an unreadable expression. "What?"

"Ehyrian gave his life to create the core, to guide you," the system explained. "But his essence wasn't completely destroyed. It was fragmented, scattered across the dimensions. I've been collecting those fragments ever since I was created. When your journey is complete, when you've reclaimed your full strength, I'll have everything I need to bring him back."
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Gustav's fists clenched. "And you didn't think to mention this sooner?"

"It wasn't something you needed to know until now," the system voiced with a defensive tone. "Reviving Ehyrian doesn't change your mission. It doesn't change the fact that you need to stop Nocturnis and the other enemies. If anything, his return would only strengthen your position if it happens before you defeat them."

Gustav exhaled deeply as his body eased slightly. "I'll let this slide—for now. But you'd better not keep anything else from me. If you do, I swear I'll get rid of you."

The system nodded again with a low tone. "You won't regret it, Gustav. I promise. I'm on your side. Always."

He turned away, staring out the cockpit window at the stars beyond. "You'd better be. Because I don't have time for anything—or anyone—holding me back."

He activated the ship's navigation system, setting coordinates for his next destination.

...

...

A spacecraft hovered silently in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a vast emptiness that stretched infinitely in every direction.

A tiny star, no larger than a pinprick of light, shimmered faintly before them—a curious anomaly amidst the dark void of space. Endric stood at the helm, his green dot of energy glowing faintly on his forehead as he narrowed his gaze.

"That's it?" Ria questioned while eaning against the console. His tone was laced with skepticism as he gestured toward the tiny star. "Your great karmic temporal string led us to this little thing? It's smaller than the chip in Sersi's tooth."

"Oh, shut up, Ria," Sersi shot back, rolling her eyes as she stepped closer to the viewport.

Her frost-coated aura shimmered faintly in the low light. "It wouldn't have brought us here if it wasn't something. Right?" Her voice wavered slightly, betraying her own doubt.

Endric didn't respond immediately. His focus was razor-sharp as he studied the flickering star. Something about it felt… off. He could sense an immense energy emanating from it, one that seemed to stretch beyond what the naked eye could perceive.

"It's here," he finally voiced with a tone of certainty.

"We're at the right place. Get ready. This might not be what it seems."

As the three approached the glowing dot in their spacecraft, the light suddenly flared.

Without warning, they felt a violent pull like a gravitational force gripping them and yanking them forward. The cabin rattled violently, and the next thing they knew, they were hurtling through a swirling vortex of distorted colors and lights.

When the vortex subsided, the three found themselves standing on solid ground.

Their spacecraft was nowhere to be seen. The world around them was unlike anything they had ever encountered.

The ground beneath their feet was crystalline and reflective, mirroring their faces like fractured glass. The sky above was an endless sea of shifting hues—red, blue, gold, and green, constantly in motion as if painted by a restless hand.

Tall, spindly structures shaped like twisted spires rose in the distance. Their surfaces were covered in a strange script that seemed alive, writhing and shifting with purpose.

In the far horizon, massive, floating orbs radiated a soft, pulsing glow, casting long, warped shadows across the land.

"This place…" Sersi whispered as her frost aura flared instinctively. "What even is this? It feels… ancient."

Before Endric could answer, the air around them vibrated, and three tall, dark figures emerged from the horizon.

They were clad in flowing black robes that shimmered with an eerie, oil-slick sheen. Their faces were obscured by deep hoods, but faint glimmers of silver light suggested eyes watching from within.

"Ah, the seekers arrive," one of the robed figures voice echoed unnaturally, as though layered with multiple tones. "Welcome to our domain."

"We've been expecting you," added another, its voice softer but no less unsettling.

Endric's fists clenched at his sides, but he kept his voice steady. "Who are you? Why did you interfere with our mission to retrieve the sword?"

The tallest of the robed figures stepped forward, its movements fluid and unnervingly graceful. "We are the Xyfect, a collective of the most powerful Cosmic Superior beings in existence. Our purpose is simple: to maintain the balance of the universe by ensuring no being rises in power to the level of the old deities."

Sersi frowned, stepping forward with frost coating her fingertips. "So you're glorified babysitters? That's why you're interfering? The Outworldly's power is the only thing that can stop Nocturnis from destroying everything. Are you blind to that?"

The robed figure chuckled, letting out a hollow, grating sound. "We are well aware of the Outworldly's intentions, but his goals are irrelevant. Power like his should never exist. Whether he aims to save or destroy the universe, the end result is the same—chaos and devastation."

"Bullshit!" Ria voice echoed across the crystalline expanse as he snapped. "You're telling me you'd rather let Nocturnis rampage than let someone strong enough rise to stop him? How does that make any sense?"

Another of the Xyfect spoke with a tone of disdain. "You misunderstand. We have no intention of allowing Nocturnis to succeed. When the time comes, we will deal with him ourselves."

Endric took a step forward with his glowing green marked forehead as his telekinetic energy rippled around him. "If that's true, why cloak the sword? Why go out of your way to stop us from finding it? You're only delaying the Outworldly's ability to protect the universe."

The Xyfect scoffed in unison, their voices a chilling harmony. "Delaying him is a kindness. He should consider it a gift. Should have succeeded in regaining more of his power, he would leave us no choice but to kill him ourselves."

Endric's aura flared brighter as his frustration boiled over. "You're making a mistake. You don't know what you're risking by interfering. Nocturnis isn't just a problem you can solve with brute force. He's already close to breaking free. If we don't act now, there won't be a universe left for you to 'protect.'"

"And yet, we stand by our creed," one of the Xyfect said, its tone cold and unwavering. "The Outworldly's power is an anomaly that should never have existed. Ehyrian may have chosen to preserve it, but we do not share his sentiment. We will see to it that no being—Nocturnis, the Outworldly, or anyone else—ever disrupts the balance of the cosmos again."

Ria slammed his fist into his palm, his patience gone. "You stuck-up bastards think you're gods, huh? Let me tell you something—you're not invincible. If you keep this up, we'll make sure you regret ever messing with us."

The Xyfect didn't flinch. "Bold words, but misplaced. This is not a negotiation, mortals. Leave now, and count yourselves lucky that we do not view you as a threat. Continue to seek the sword, and you will force our hand."

Endric glared at the robed figures. He could feel their immense power, a suffocating presence that dwarfed anything he had encountered before.

He knew a fight against them now would be suicide. Revealing themselves to be some of the most powerful Cosmic Superior Beings in existence already meant they were thousands of years old.

But he couldn't back down—not with the universe at stake.

"We're not leaving without that sword," he said firmly. "You've already made this harder than it needs to be, but we'll find a way. With or without your permission."