Alia's mouth hung open as she stared, unable to speak, her mind struggling to process what stood before her—a massive, lizard-like beast, so large it seed unreal.
The creature let out a sound, soft and playful, almost like a purr.
"Chao~" it humd, as a strange light began to glow from its scales, growing brighter each second.
Then, to Alia's disbelief, the enormous creature started to shrink. In monts, the towering monster dwindled down, becoming a small dark gecko with dark slick skin glistening in the dim light. It hurried up to Spark's shoulder, its eyes never leaving Alia, gleaming with a strange, intelligent awareness.
Spark chuckled, reaching up to stroke the tiny creature that now perched on him.
"Good job, Chaos," he said, his voice warm with pride. He scratched under the gecko's chin, and the creature responded with another pleased "Chao~."
With a satisfied grin, Spark turned away from Alia and moved toward the side of the cave. There, resting against the rock, was an uprooted tree, its roots still clinging to clumps of dark soil from the Abyssal Forest.
Its branches drooped under the weight of vibrant blue fruits, each one softly glowing as if brimming with power
Alia's eyes widened, her gaze fixated on the fruit. The fruits were srizing, their energy palpable even from where she stood. Her mouth watered involuntarily.
These weren't ordinary fruits. No—these were spiritual fruits, rich with the kind of energy that could strengthen both body and soul. Even during her pri, when she was a treasured child of her clan, such treasures had been rare, only appearing on special occasions. And here was an entire tree of them, yanked out of the ground as if it were nothing more than a weed.
"Spiritual fruits…" she whispered, awe creeping into her voice.
Spark plucked one from a branch and tossed it into the air, catching it effortlessly with a grin.
"Hungry?" he asked, biting into the fruit. Juice dribbled down his chin as he chewed. "Mmm, even better when you're starving."
Alia couldn't take her eyes off the fruit, her mind racing. This man—this easygoing, carefree Spark—held in his hand what could be considered a priceless treasure, and yet he treated it as though it were a casual snack.
She exhaled slowly, trying to keep her composure, but her stomach betrayed her with a soft rumble. Spark's grin only widened at the sound.
"You know," Spark said, teasingly tossing another fruit her way, "you don't have to just stand there drooling."
Instinctively, Alia caught the fruit, her fingers tingling as the raw energy within it pulsed through her skin.
She hesitated for only a mont before taking a small bite. Warmth flooded her body, the energy surging through her veins, making her feel stronger, more alive than she had in ages.
She looked up at Spark, who was casually devouring another fruit, completely at ease. Despite his playful deanor, Alia couldn't shake the sense that this man was far from ordinary.
As they made their way back into the cave, arms full of glowing blue fruits, the air between them felt lighter, almost relaxed. The crackling bonfire threw shadows against the walls, providing a warm contrast to the chilling darkness that lingered outside in the Abyssal Forest.
Spark plopped down near the fire, dropping his haul of fruits at his side, and imdiately began eating them one after another. Chaos, the tiny gecko, joined in, nibbling on a small piece with its tiny teeth.
Alia took her seat across from him, chewing on her fruit in smaller, more thoughtful bites. Her gaze flickered between Spark and the little gecko, who seed entirely focused on his al.
The scene felt almost surreal to her. She recalled the blurry monts before she had lost consciousness—images of a massive, horned figure looming over her in the darkness. Now that she thought back on it, that shadow must have been Spark, riding on the back of Chaos in his enormous form.
She studied the tiny gecko. Despite its current size, she could feel the imnse energy hidden inside it. This wasn't just so ordinary animal—it was an astral beast. The Abyssal Forest must have twisted its nature, warping its size and abilities, and mutating a small gecko into a giant beast.
Alia suspected it was thanks to this beast that Spark had managed to survive in such a dangerous place for so long.
"Did you na him?" she asked, her voice breaking the silence.
Spark, still chewing on a fruit, nodded casually. "Yeah, I did."
"I should've known," she muttered under her breath. Only soone with his sense of humor would na a mutated gecko 'Chaos, the Devourer of Worlds.'
Still curious, she asked, "How did you manage to ta it as your pet?"
The word 'pet' hadn't fully left her lips when the gecko snapped its head toward her, its small eyes narrowing. It let out an indignant sound, sharp and disapproving. "Chao~!"
Spark laughed, amused by the gecko's reaction. He stroked its back as it glared at Alia.
"He hates being called a pet or lizard," Spark explained, his tone playful. "Better call him by his na if you don't want to end up on his bad side."
Leaning back against the cave wall, Spark looked pleased with himself. He grabbed another fruit, tossing it into his mouth as he chewed thoughtfully.
"I didn't ta Chaos," he said, his grin turning smug. "I chard him—with my great looks, of course."."
Alia raised a brow, giving him a skeptical look. "You chard a liz—Chaos… with your look?
"Yup," Spark replied with a playful wink. "Irresistible, isn't it?"
She sighed, clearly unconvinced by his boasting, her eyes narrowing as if trying to gauge whether he was being serious or just having fun at her expense. "Right…charming chaos with your looks."
Spark turned to Chaos, who had finished eating and was now lounging lazily on his shoulder. "Hey, Chaos, back
up here. Didn't I charm you with my handso face?"
The little gecko unbothered by the conversation, let out a nonchalant sound. "Chao~"
Spark's grin widened as he pointed at Chaos. "See? He's agreeing with !"
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