Chapter 52: Becoming an Eboncrest

"The Vorath have a total of four royal families and, therefore, four royal settlements,"

Doma began explaining as he led Arlo down a long flight of stairs, eventually descending into what appeared to be a gigantic castle.

"Our settlement is controlled by the Eboncrest family, the third mightiest Vorath royal family in all the lands," he said proudly.

Once they arrived outside, Arlo turned back and finally got a proper look at the structure behind them.

Truthfully, it really was a castle, reminding him of Umbrasol.

Instead of leaving through the front gate, they had taken the back route, eventually exiting the castle and arriving outside.

Hundreds of Vorath in their humanoid forms moved about around the royal castle.

For the first time, Arlo could truly experience the atmosphere surrounding the Vorath.

It was far less troubled than he had expected, carrying an almost familial feeling as the Vorath around him peacefully spoke with one another, with genuine smiles appearing on their faces.

It was the first time Arlo had ever seen a Vorath smile.

Every Vorath he had encountered until now had been violent, acting more like rabid dogs than ordinary people.

’I guess things really do look different when viewed from a closer perspective. The Vorath are just like humans.’

’Of course, they raise and teach their own differently, and this side of them is reserved for their people.’

"This part of the settlement is reserved for those who are related to the Eboncrest family in one way or another,"

Doma continued as they walked.

"Whether they are workers, gardeners, or guards, everyone living here falls under the direct aegis of the family. The settlement was built to keep them close to their duties, and they are even allowed to bring their families with them."

He looked around the settlement with a faint smile.

"Living here is the greatest wish of many Vorath outside it."

"That said, you will first be taken to the Eboncrest Shrine, where your human scent will be washed away. Even now, you are drawing quite a few curious gazes."

Arlo looked around and realized that Doma was right.

Several Vorath were watching him with furrowed brows, but upon noticing him walking beside a guard from the palace, they only stared for a while before eventually turning their attention elsewhere.

’Guess I would have been in trouble if I had tried sneaking in here instead.’

’The Vorath would have smelled that I am human the instant they got close to me, and even if I revealed my Vorath form afterward, having to explain why I still carried a human scent to every single Vorath would not have been easy.’

They continued toward the far end of the settlement, and the farther they went, the fewer people they encountered.

Eventually, they arrived before another enormous structure.

A structure that looked less like an ordinary building and more like a temple, with statues of different Vorath lining its upper edges.

"This is the Vorath Shrine, a place where even King Eboncrest would enter with his head slightly bowed and treat with the utmost reverence."

"This is the origin of our Eboncrest bloodline," Doma said, his face filled with focus and respect as they carefully approached the cubic structure.

Upon arriving before its enormous golden doors, they stopped.

Doma slowly got onto his knees and bowed toward the gate.

The instant he did, the doors automatically opened, and they both stepped inside.

Long halls stretched before them, dimly illuminated by numerous light crystals embedded across the ceiling.

"The Pool of Cthulhu," Doma explained as they continued walking. "That is where you must bathe before you can officially be welcomed into the Eboncrest family."

"It will wash away your human scent and make you officially one of us."

They eventually arrived before an enormous gate at the end of the corridor.

It was pitch-black, with purple runic lines spread across its surface, each of them glowing faintly while releasing an aura cold enough to send chills down Arlo’s spine.

"Why are there no guards around the shrine?" Arlo suddenly asked. "Everything seems completely unprotected."

Doma smiled.

"This is the birthplace of us Vorath, a place we hold in the highest reverence."

"Even the greatest rascal among us would not dare come within a hundred meters of the shrine."

"If it senses impure intentions, the shrine can curse someone with instant death or strip them of all their strength."

Arlo stared at him in disbelief.

’A building can curse someone? Probably some superstition.’

"Place your hands on the door," Doma instructed after placing his own palms against its surface.

Arlo stepped forward and did the same.

RIIIIIPLE

A wave rippled across the door from where his hands touched it, like a drop of water falling into a still pond.

The door immediately flared with brilliant purple light, and Arlo gently pulled his hands away.

GRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUM

The enormous gate slowly began opening.

They both looked curiously into the room beyond before carefully stepping inside.

Right before them was a rectangular chamber, and at its center sat a large rectangular pool filled with purple liquid.

"Every newborn Vorath is brought here to bathe in the pool once in their lifetime, a year after their birth and on the night of the Red Moon."

"It has been sixty-four years since I last saw these tears,"

Doma said, looking at the pool as though it were the most precious treasure in the world.

He quickly regained himself and turned toward Arlo.

"Go in and take your clothes off first because the liquid will burn them away. I will wait outside until you are done."

With that, Doma stepped out, the door closing behind him.

Arlo stared at the pool with furrowed brows.

"Wait, did he just say it can burn my clothes? Then, who is to say it will not burn me as well?"

Before he could think any further, the familiar golden notification panel appeared before him.

[Congratulations. Host has come into contact with a powerful source of Bloodline Energy.]

[Absorbing the liquid will greatly enrich Host’s perfected bloodline and set it on the path of reverting toward its original bloodline.]

[Would Host like to absorb the Bloodline Energy?]

The system asked.

Arlo carefully read through the notifications before giving a nod.

[Then all Host needs to do is make contact with the pool.]

Taking off his clothes, Arlo carefully dipped one finger into the purple liquid before immediately pulling it back out.

Nothing happened.

Seeing that the energy had not burned him, he was finally able to relax.

He jumped directly into the pool, quickly sinking beneath the surface.

[Host’s Bloodline Evolution and Purification Process Will Now Begin!]

And immediately...

Arlo’s human body began undergoing rapid changes as he uncontrollably morphed into his complete Vorath form.

But that was not all.

Even his true Vorath form began rapidly evolving.

Bones writhed grotesquely beneath his flesh, shifting and reforming throughout his body as an ocean of pain suddenly assaulted him.

Pain far worse than his initial fear of being burned alive.

____________________

"If it is not my royal son, Demois..."

A booming voice echoed through the palace hall as a figure stepped through its enormous golden gates, his gaze immediately rising toward the dais at the far end.

"My humble greetings to King Eboncrest."

Prince Demois dropped onto one knee, clenching his hand into a fist and pressing it against his chest as he bowed.

"Rise, young warrior. Your timing is perfect," King Eboncrest said.

He was built like a miniature titan, standing nearly two point three meters tall and possessing a body just as muscular as Prince Demois himself.

His voice was loud and boisterous, every word reverberating through the enormous hall as Demois walked up the stairs leading toward the dais.

A table covered with different dishes had been prepared there, and aside from his father, two other figures were already seated around it.

The first was a long-haired woman of exceptional beauty, whom Demois respectfully greeted with a bow.

Beside her sat a younger woman with long dark hair, an oval-shaped face, light brown skin, and full pink lips.

She too was exceptionally beautiful.

Had Arlo been there to see her, his jaw might have dropped to the ground.

Because she was none other than Milliani Eboncrest, the Vorath whose life he had saved back in Sector X.

"Just in time for a family dinner. You really do know how to show up at the right moment, Demois," the woman said with a graceful smile.

Demois smiled and took the seat opposite her.

"Well, Isadolla, I would say he inherited quite the impressive set of genes from his father. MUHAHAHA!"

King Eboncrest burst into loud laughter.

Isadolla immediately punched him on the shoulder.

"No one asked you, you big doof!"

The king only grinned.

"Hey, Milliani, put that down!"

Isadolla suddenly turned toward Milliani, who quickly tried to hide the phone she had been curiously browsing through.

Milliani rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"But why?" she complained.

Isadolla stretched out her hand, and after a moment of reluctance, Milliani handed over the phone.

"Because I said no human tech at the dinner table."

"You are always on those things, and that is exactly why you keep getting yourself into trouble, running around and listening to whatever nonsense those lying bastards tell you."

Milliani conceded and reached toward her food, only for Isadolla to immediately slap her hand away.

"Ouch! What did you do that for!?"

"A princess cannot be the first person to eat, Milliani. How many times have we gone through this?"

Milliani’s eyes flashed with exhaustion as she silently pulled her hand back.

"Ah, do not mind it, Isadolla. She is the mighty princess of the Eboncrest Kingdom. Let her have her way," King Eboncrest said.

Milliani made a face before quickly diving toward the food before anyone else could.