Heaven, Earth, Me

When Soluna's core was swallowed into the [Celestial Energy Star], the spirit felt like her core was about to combust and disappear. The pain was piercing and enveloped her entire being.

Unlike the pain she felt when she resisted the auras' attempt to pressure her core and shatter it, this burning sensation came from within the fractured places. The feeling Soluna had was that of a burning energy filling those cracks and mending them.

Of course, Soluna felt uncomfortable and didn't like the feeling one bit. However, Yasenia's words flashed in her mind constantly. 'Become one. I need to become one if I want to overcome this. I can't fight back; I need to accept it and control it while letting myself be controlled.'

Her determination increased, and her desires and thoughts focused on her surroundings. She tried to understand the chaotic flow of energies inside the Celestial Energy star.

The pure Celestial Energy surrounding her had a primordial aura that called her yet scared her. It was deep, confusing, powerful, and overbearing. The first look told Soluna that this energy was not meant to be tamed, yet Soluna had seen how it rested inside Yasenia and was used by her.

Even in her current situation, Soluna couldn't help but feel awe for the dragoness. Still, these feelings were secondary, as most of her thinking capacity was on trying to comprehend what was happening to her core.

Strangely, the energy that was infused inside of her core to mend the cracks and alter the overall shape was not pure Celestial Energy. Even when she was inside something that was made of such a thing, the energies that seeped into her were Star energies.

She was stunned when she finally distinguished the attribute of the energy seeping into her body. 'Huh?'

However, this energy wasn't lodging into her and becoming permanent. Strangely, once the star energy mended a part of her core, it would leave her body and fuse with the Celestial Energy Star again.

The touch of Star Energy helped Soluna understand a bit about this energy that she had never really felt or taken into account.

Sun energy was the strongest Yang, the source of life, and the hottest of flames.

Moon Energy was the strongest Yin, where even the hottest flames could be snuffed out.

Meanwhile, Star energy was a mysterious and profound energy that had the ability to create fantastical phenomena. The stars were a guide as much as they were a premonition or a way to read fate.

They were everywhere in the universe and illuminated the dark stretch of space with their all-reaching light.

Such energy could mix with either Sun or Moon energy. But that was not all; it was an energy that could act as a bridge between them.

Soluna's body, which had been unstable since her birth and unable to advance in cultivation, felt stronger for the first time. If she had her human form, her eyes would've widened in surprise. 'My cultivation is advancing?'

During the last 3000 years, Soluna hadn't been doing nothing. She visited pure Sun Energy places, Pure Moon energy places, and other similar sites where those energies existed naturally, like very tall mountains.

Yet, in none of them was she able to absorb energy to increase her cultivation. When she tried to absorb the energies, there was a rejection, or more accurately, she created dangerous imbalances in her body.

There were times when she ignored it and tried to continue, and the results were giant craters and those places disappearing from existence, while Soluna took a few decades to regain her body.

Now she understood why. 'While I am a spirit of the Moon and Sun, I needed the help of a balancing energy to gently and gradually increase my opposing energies.'

In those places she visited, there was always abundant Star Energy. However, she didn't bother looking at energies other than her own because all the rest of the spirits didn't need to do so.

Hence, when she was taught how to cultivate, she was taught wrong.

Soluna was special, so naturally, she had a special way of cultivating. All the things she was taught were not useful for her.

With time, she would've probably realized. However, the time needed for it would've been very long.

By that time, Soluna imagined that Yasenia and her would be living in two different dimensions.

She was glad. While she was suffering the most she had suffered in her entire life, Soluna was happy that she decided to become Yasenia's contracted spirit.

Thanks to Yasenia, even before their ritual was completed, she learned how to cultivate her strength. Just this was more than enough for her to be delighted.

With such feelings filling her soul, Soluna's core began glowing brightly and spinning inside the Celestial Energy Star.

For the first time, the chaotic energies surrounding her felt vaguely meaningful when she willingly absorbed the Star energy to balance her Moon and Sun energies.

As her terrifyingly high comprehension level for energy tried to analyze a small part of the vast and profound meaning of Celestial Energy, Soluna's control over her own energies leaped level after level.

She didn't know how much time passed until her core was completely mended, but she didn't care.

When she was healed, the Celestial Energy Star began pulling her out of itself. Soluna realized and spoke hastily. 'W-Wait, I want to stay here a bit longer. I'm about to understand-.'

However, similar to when she was sucked in, a terrible and irresistible strength pushed her out.

Once her surroundings changed to the initial place when she arrived, the solar system, she couldn't help but feel depressed, and the urge to pout was almost uncontrollable.

'Stingy! You are too stingy, Celestial Energy Star!'

A small ball of fire shot from the star and hit Soluna's core, throwing her around like a pinball. 'Wahhh!!!'

Soluna stopped after a few moments and realized that she was moving around the Celestial Energy star at a distance. 'Hm? I'm orbiting it?'

Soluna looked around and saw that, like the rest of the planetoids, she was actually circling around the star. 'Oh? Oh! Ohhhhh!!! Was I accepted?'

'Yes.' f𝚛𝗲𝐞𝐰e𝗯n𝗼v𝗲𝚕.𝚌o𝐦

A voice she had never heard echoed in her head, startling her. 'W-Who is this?'

'Well, my mistress calls me Draheart. Although, she is still too weak to hear my voice.'

Soluna blinked a few times. 'Draheart… her weapon? [Draconic Heart]?'

The voice released a gentle laugh. 'That's right. I'm [Draconic Heart]. After her last tribulation, I managed to break through into the Transcendence Realm Treasure Rank, which finally unshackled my consciousness.'

Soluna tilted her head and asked. 'Why do you sound feminine? Are you a female?'

'Well, I guessed that my mistress would prefer it if I were female… She seems to prefer females in general.'

Soluna's core moved around until she finally spotted the red-colored planetoid that represented Draheart. 'Well, Yasenia doesn't really mind, I think? I heard that she has a brother named Oliver, and she is super close with him!'

Draheart commented. 'Hm. That's right, I have a recollection of having met him before.' Then, with a strangely prideful tone, Draheart commented. 'I even clashed with his weapon in the past! He uses a warhammer!'

Soluna asked, not finding a talking weapon to be a strange thing. 'Say, Draheart.'

'Yes, Soluna?'

Soluna paused. 'Oh! You know my name!'

Draheart laughed gently. 'Of course, I know. I can see the world through my mistress' eyes.' Draheart added. 'Which, by the way, you can do so too. Right now, my mistress is preparing for war!'

Soluna asked strangely. 'Why are you so excited?'

Draheart said happily. 'I will be able to dig into my mistress' enemies' flesh and rip them into pieces! Their weapons will bow down to me and be slaughtered like their masters! Hahahaha.'

Soluna felt that a weapon being bloodthirsty was not a surprise at all. 'So… How do I do it?'

Draheart, who was about to answer, sent a message with a gentle laugh. 'Well, you can ask my mistress yourself.'

Yasenia's mellow and charming voice spread inside the Dantian like a soothing wave. "Soluna, are you awake?"

Soluna realized that all the treasures had become a bit brighter when they heard Yasenia's voice as if they were delighted and trying to look cool for her. This action almost made Soluna laugh.

'Yes, I am awake, Yasenia.'

The dragoness's voice reached her again. "I see. Congratulations on breaking through, Soluna."

Soluna was confused. 'Breakthrough?'

Yasenia laughed, filling the entire space with a gentle and melodic sound. "Yes, Soluna. Look at your cultivation level."

Soluna looked into herself and was stunned to find out that she had entered the second level of the Spirit Core Harmony Realm. Moreover, she was nearly in the middle of the level. 'H-HUH!? H-How!?'

Yasenia's laughter echoed again. "If you don't know, how should I? It's probably something that you did when you were inside my Celestial Energy Star."

Soluna remembered the sensations she felt and suddenly had the urge to go outside and try a few things. 'Y-Yasenia, I want to go out, can I?'

"No need to ask, Soluna. Now, we are companions, eternally bound. Just tell me these things. I swear on my pride as a dragon that I will never treat you like a slave as long as you follow me."

Soluna then felt a pull on her core, and her conscience flickered a few times before appearing outside in her usual physical form. Her appearance didn't change at all other than her colors changing.

For example, her hair, which was a mix of golden and silver, changed into a gradient that started silver in her head and turned golden past the middle point. Her dress was a perfect mix of golden and silvery colors, while her face was perfected and became human-like, without any blemishes or even hints of her being a spirit.

If it weren't for her energy and her dress were made of pure Moon and Sun flames, she would look like any other woman or, well, any extremely adorable woman.

Soluna blinked a few times and looked around, taking in her surroundings. Seeing Yasenia smiling at her, she couldn't help but feel her soul flutter, and she dove into her arms, ignoring everything else. "Yasenia! I did it! As you said, I needed not to resist and let the Celestial Energy Star swallow me!"

The dragoness caressed her hair with a smile. "Of course, you are my companion, so you can obviously do something like that, which is one thousand times harder. Four months, and you've already broken through!"

Soluna felt comfortable hearing those words and giggled while rubbing her face in the comfortable pair of large and soft white mountains. "Thank you, Yasenia."

She couldn't help but realize that there were too many people around, most of them in the fifth realm. "Hm? What's happening?"

The dragoness smirked. "Well, you wake at a perfect time. We are going to war."

Soluna blinked a few times. "Ah, right. Draheart told me."

Puzzled, Yasenia asked. "Draheart? She can speak?"

Soluna said without any care in the world. "Well, not with you because you are too weak."

The dragoness's lips twitched as she felt as if someone punched her gut. 'She is ruthless, eh?'

*****************************************************************

Author: Well, this is the last chapter of the volume. What time other than this would be better to thank you all? Thanks for reading until Volume 14! We are already at 1.9 million words, almost 2,000,000. Unbelievable, hahaha.

Now, let's thank the growing little family! (When the day arrives, copy and paste Patreons. Good luck, future Jon!)