The Wraithlord remained asleep. I stood quietly nearby, watching him and thinking about my next move. My earlier attempt had failed—the entire Land of Desire was constructed with the Human Soul of the Wraithlord as its metaphysical foundation.
I gazed quietly at the lake's surface and sat down. The Wraithlord had been asleep for three or four hours and still hadn’t stirred. I tried to rouse him several times, but it was impossible.
Suddenly, a chill crept over me. A pale blue aura seeped from the Wraithlord’s body, and in an instant, the surrounding air froze solid. I was already outside the frozen zone, but the entire lake surface began to seal over with massive pale blue ice blocks. From the sky, icy rain fell, scattering pale blue ice crystals everywhere.
As soon as those ice crystals brushed my shoulders and head, an almost suffocating chill enveloped me. I swiftly left the lakeside, brushed off the shards of ice from my body, and quietly watched this eerie phenomenon unfold.
At that moment, the Wraithlord’s body alternated between red and blue, as if two utterly different forces were locked in combat within him. I had no idea why this was happening, but his face looked ghastly—cheeks twisted in agony, as if he were trapped in a nightmare.
Gradually, the blue force began to recede, and the red force took over most of the Wraithlord’s body. A crackling, sizzling sound erupted. Suddenly, the Wraithlord floated into the air, his four arms and four legs thrashing as an unbearably scorching wave of power rippled outward.
In an instant, everything nearby vanished. The pale blue ice blocks evaporated immediately, thick clouds of steam floating in the air. The lake water boiled, bubbling furiously, heat billowing everywhere. Bewildered, I retreated far away, watching this bizarre scene. The fiery red power now dominating the Wraithlord was unlike anything I’d ever felt—an overwhelming heat.
The water level of the restored lake quickly dropped, steam rising as it evaporated.
Gradually, the Wraithlord’s entire body turned fiery red, like a ball of flame. Intense crimson light burst from his eyes and mouth. A stream of ash-laden air swirled violently. The Wraithlord whimpered. Even from a great distance, I could still feel the heat in the air.
The hot current began to melt the surrounding rocks. I rose into the air and watched silently as the area around the former lake transformed into a flowing sea of lava. The Wraithlord howled, and the ash-filled air grew ever stronger.
With a thunderous crash, the Wraithlord suddenly fell to the ground, and in an instant, everything vanished—the world returned to silence. The lava cooled, black smoke rose, and I watched as the Wraithlord lay motionless atop the cooling magma, still asleep. It was as if everything that just happened was a nightmare, and the power that overflowed clearly did not belong to this world.
Just as I was pondering, the Wraithlord opened his eyes, yawned, and crawled up. I instantly moved to stand before him.
Old man, are you alright?
I asked, but at that moment, the Wraithlord looked at me with unfamiliar eyes, then suddenly revealed a ferocious expression.
Return my tome to me.
With a thunderous crash, the Wraithlord suddenly lashed out, catching me off guard. I was struck by his fist and sent flying, crashing into the dried lake wall. Behind me, the ground split open with a rumble, rocks shook, and I looked at the dent in my chest. The Wraithlord's hair, like flames, danced in the air, and a fierce updraft swirled around him. I saw a translucent pillar of light—power steaming from within him. Wiping the black blood from my mouth, I laughed coldly and stood up. He seemed to have forgotten me, but this state excited me—it was a chance for a real fight.
I decided not to think about anything else. None of it mattered.
Where's the tome? Give it back to me.
The Wraithlord demanded harshly. I pointed at myself.
If you have the ability, come and take it...