Adyr’s energy form floated above the tranquil surface of the endless, translucent sea that ford the foundation of his [Sanctuary].
Suspended in a sky without a sun, bathed in light but untouched by any visible source, the island pulsed gently beneath him.
It had grown. Where once it was barely large enough to fit a single car, it could now easily hold two parked side by side. The grass that blanketed its surface shimred beneath the warm hues of perpetual sunrise. Each blade stood tall and unnaturally vivid—so glowing with soft orange, others catching faint traces of violet, as though feeding on the radiance of a morning that never fully arrived. Though the air was still, the land felt alive, as if exhaling with every pulse of ambient energy.
Three rooster-like creatures with flared, trumpet-shaped yellow beaks stood near the center of the island, their harmonious cries rising and falling in near-perfect rhythm. It wasn’t re birdsong; the tones carried structure and purpose, like a ceremonial overture reverberating across the Sanctuary.
Floating just above them was the Echo Screar, its tiny, deep-red head swaying with grace, as if nodding in approval. It looked like a miniature gentleman in a velvet suit, silently sipping in the lody like an opera connoisseur tasting fine wine.
Under the shade of a broad, ancient tree—its bark dark like obsidian and its wide canopy tinged with gold—a fourth rooster remained apart.
Unlike the others, this one was larger, unnaturally muscular, and its call didn’t quite match the symphony. Each note it sang bent slightly off-key, subtly fraying the harmony. The signs were clear: the Null Maggot was burrowed deep in its neural system, feeding off the creature’s senses and triggering an irreversible mutation.
Off to the side, the Pulse Hopper darted about like a child on too much sugar—its grasshopper-like fra leaping from one vibrant tuft to another with gleeful energy. Each jump left tiny glowing footprints that faded seconds later. It would pause, nibble at a particularly lush blade of grass, then vanish in a blur to another corner. If the others were residents, it was the whirlwind.
And yet, the most stunning change wasn’t on this island.
"So I got twin lands," Adyr muttered with a dry chuckle, his voice drifting softly across the endless energy sea.
Anchored just beyond the energy sea, like a dream taking shape, a second island had ford. It was nearly the sa size, but clearly untouched. The mont Adyr turned his gaze toward it, the atmosphere shifted.
While the first land basked in the warm embrace of eternal morning, this second island rested beneath the hushed stillness of dusk. There was no sun in the sky, no visible source of light, and yet everything glowed.
The air was filled with the color of fading day—dusky purples and soft rose-gold blended into silver at the horizon. Shadows stretched long across the grass, but they weren’t heavy. They felt like quiet promises.
Near the center stood a single young tree. Its trunk was smooth and pale like carved stone, streaked with gentle light from within. The branches stretched high in quiet elegance, and their jade-colored leaves shimred faintly, moving ever so slightly despite the total stillness around them.
Adyr hovered between two islets for a mont, suspended between dusk and dawn.
He didn’t know what kind of [Sanctuary] other Rank 2 practitioners possessed, but with two separate lands under his control, he suspected his was likely larger than most.
Size alone wasn’t the only advantage. Having two distinct islands ant he could cultivate separate ecosystems or isolate more aggressive creatures into their own environnt if needed. That flexibility opened possibilities others might not have.
At the mont, he had three subdued Sparks, with room for seven more. Even with the space he now had, it might eventually prove insufficient, especially if he didn’t plan properly. He would need to approach this with a clear structure—deciding which skills he truly required, seeking out Sparks accordingly, and building his sanctuary piece by piece with deliberate intent.
While thinking, Adyr decided to subdue Duskrend the Spark, which he had originally purchased with the intent to evolve, but now planned to use solely for its skill.
Its skill, Wraith Glide, allowed the user to harden their wings while maintaining flexibility, at the cost of a slow energy drain per second. This would enhance flight speed and also enable the wings to serve as versatile tools, capable of striking like blades or deflecting attacks like a shield. It was a multi-purpose, highly functional ability, ideal for soone who valued adaptability and control.
The only drawback was its dietary requirent. Duskrend fed on mineral-rich stones, which Adyr didn’t currently possess. Still, that wasn’t an urgent concern. He could always pick so up later from the market.
Without delay, he converted 100 crystals into energy, bringing his remaining total down to 5,533. Then he focused his attention on his body back at Draven Mansion, which had already finished showering and dressing.
He picked up Duskrend’s small, bat-like body, ford of jagged stone and faintly glowing crystal, and began the subdual process.
Within monts, the Rank 2 Spark dissolved into shimring energy particles and reappeared in his second land.
Duskrend preferred dimly lit, rocky environnts, and while the atmosphere of the second island was ideal, the terrain was lacking. It needed hanging structures to sleep beneath, preferably with rough surfaces to cling to.
As Adyr considered the cheapest way to create a suitable habitat, a thought struck him. Instead of spending absurd amounts of crystals on materials in the practitioner market, he could make use of the shop system provided by the Player Headquarters on Earth.
Even if he couldn’t imdiately acquire mineral-rich stones for feeding, he could at least build a proper living space—sothing simple but functional—using only rit points.
One of his bodies hovered above Twilight Land, calmly strategizing. The other sat at the desk in his room back on Earth, browsing through the available structures.
He had only just evolved, but the advantages of having two synchronized bodies were already becoming obvious.
With quick judgnt and a 50% discount active, he purchased all necessary materials for just 150 rit, leaving his balance at 5,780. Then he took the elevator down to the logistics floor, carrying the supplies with efficient steps under the curious and bewildered gazes of nearby workers.
Once again, it was the first ti a player had purchased items that were normally just stored away—materials the workers had often seen stacked in the depot, silently wondering why anyone would ever need them. Now that soone was actually buying them, they still didn’t ask questions. Instead, they simply watched, quietly forming their own theories.
Adyr, without hesitation and without the slightest concern for what they might be thinking, transferred the entire shipnt directly to Twilight Land and headed back to his room.
He then sent his Earth-based body into energy form and entered the [Sanctuary] as well.
"Do you need help, brother?" One of his energy bodies asked the other with a smile as it drifted overhead.
Just like that, he had begun to explore another advantage of having two bodies within a single will.
There was only one mind controlling both bodies, but the fact that he could now operate that single mind as if it were two was what made this scene possible.
Then the two energy bodies slowly descended onto the island and began organizing the materials, decorating their new land like a newlywed couple preparing their first ho.
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