Just as he sat down to rest, his breathing steadying as the adrenaline of his physical testing began to ebb. He felt powerful. His muscles hummed with potential energy, his skin was impenetrable to common stone, and his eyes could pierce the darkness.
But as he closed his eyes to center himself, he realized the greatest change wasn't in his arms. It was inside.
He hurriedly placed a hand over his heart.
The hollow cavity in his chest wasn't just full, it had mysteriously transformed.
Before the Rite, the energy had been Ash Gray was a gaseous, mist-like substance that was hard to grasp and easy to exhaust. And most importantly, it was extremely volatile, requiring intense emotional triggers to use.
Then, after a few encounters with different beasts and absorbing their soul or soul power, it had condensed into Charcoal… denser, grittier, version.
But now?
Sol closed his eyes and looked inward.
What he saw made his breath hitch.
