Supreme Couple In Apocalypse: Undead King & Demonic Queen

"Congrats," Isabella smiled at Rin and Erix as they opened their eyes.

Meanwhile, Aria appeared before them in the blink of an eye and sat down before them with a curious expression.

"Out of the six attributes of Aethir, how many and which ones you got?"

Rin grinned and pulled Aria's cheek gently as she spoke, "Metamorph, Liberty, Opus, Impose, Amplify, and Personafix."

"All six," Erix added with a laugh. "At least, both of us can feel six distinct attributes in our Aethir, although we don't know how to use them yet."

"I am also curious about them," Isabella said while walking towards them. Her eyes filled with curiosity. "I only know about Amplify because it is the main attribute of Spirit force, being able to boost the potency of all things and effects, but the other five are a mystery to me."

"Unfortunately, we don't have much knowledge of that," Rin wryly smiled. "If we had something that made use of Aethir's six attributes, then we could study and learn them, but for now, we can only experiment."

"I was experimenting, but it's hard and confusing," Aria quickly nodded a few times, her eyes sparkling, "But it's also awesome."

Suddenly, all four of them received a spiritual alert before Amu also appeared before them.

"We have some guests outside."

"It's Tenebria," Erix was surprised before he laughed. "Perfect timing."

Amu soon gave a pass to Tenerbria and another girl before a gentle wind breeze appeared before Erix, Rin, Aria, and Isabella.

From that gentle breeze of a whirlwind, a spark glowed before two people materialized before them.

One of them was Tenebria in her purple-black layered robe like a kimono. Beside her was a girl looking in her mid-twenties in a long blue frock and cross-collar shirt, slightly resembling a female martial-artist style outfit.

"So this is how you look?" Rin chuckled. "It's the first time you showed us your full and clear appearance."

Tenebria smiled, "But I am still not here physically. This is one of my avatars."

"But the one beside me is very much real."

Everyone looked at the girl who was also looking at them with a specific set of expressions in her eyes, mainly curious and judging.

"I am Master Tenebria's apprentice, Nira."

Nina smiled at them and cupped her fist with a short bow.

"We are here for a simple exchange that can turn into a partnership depending on your response," Tenebria said as she waved her hand, creating six pristine stone chairs with beautiful carvings around them. "Let's sit."

Aria's eyes glinted, "You used Aethir to create these chairs, I can feel the workings of Metamorph."

"Sit," Tenebria chuckled.

Aria quickly set down before her eye shone.

Not just her, but when Erix, Rin, and Isabella sat on the chair, they suddenly felt a wave of freshness gushing into them. It made them feel relaxed and clear, and was sucking their built-up exhaustion from mind and body alike!

The chairs looked hard, but they were super comfortable to sit on like they were sitting on the most comfy cloud.

Tenebria smiled at Aria and said, " Now tell me, what did I use?"

"I can feel Metamorph plus Opus plus Liberty, at least."

Aria pressed her temples with her eyes fingers, her eyes and face looking funny but cute as she looked as if she was concentrating. "There's something more…multiple things."

"Mhuu…I give up. I can't understand it."

"Not bad. You are not wrong, but just not a complete answer because you don't know how Aethir, Prana, and Soul work when they work together in a single construct," Nira said with a soft giggle. "Don't worry, you will learn everything soon."

"So, what's the business?" Erix asked, curious.

"I told you I would ask for your help if I need it and deem you qualified for it. Accepting my proposal or rejecting is up to you. I helped you on my whims while watching people here and believed you had potential, but as I said before, you don't need to feel indebted to me."

"We accept," Erix said with a laugh.

"Yep," Rin grinned. "Obviously, accepting your proposal means you will show us the next stage of our adventure, and that's all that we want to progress further."

"Is it about Shadow Bamboo Sanctuary?" Isabella curiously asked.

"We will be headed to Shadow Bmaboo Sanctuary for your next adventure, but it is not about Shadow Bamboo Sanctuary," Tenerbria smiled.

"It is about Axis Realms that exists in the Chasm of Onset," Nira said after Tenebria finished. "Master Tenebria must enter there, and she needs some trustworthy, but powerful and talented people."

"I am one of them," Nira said with a smile, her nose hanging high as she involuntarily looked prideful while mentioning it.

"And she thinks that you all are worthy of it," Nira added as her expression returned to normal.

"And you don't think that's the case?" Rin asked with a chuckle.

"I don't know, but I believe her," Nira said with a serious expression.

"Alright, back to the main point," Tenebria wryly smiled and said. "My proposal is simple and win-win for us. As we all know, you have just become independent and if you continue to remain so and explore this cosmos yourselves and learn more, you'll waste time."

"Which was I invited you to Shadow Bamboo Sanctuary. It is there where you will go next to hone yourself and learn the true ways of power," Tenebria smiled. "Do you know why you couldn't handle a candle against those pirates despite them lowering and suppressing their stats to the same level as you?"

Erix and Rin turned silent with their faces having a stoic expressions.

"It was a difference in pure skills," Erix sighed.

"Their skills were overpowering," Rin nodded.

"I didn't fight, so I couldn't tell. However, their skills had a certain clarity to them compared to our skills," Isabella thoughtfully said. "I don't have proof as this was just a feeling I got when I was watching their battles."

Tenrbai chuckled while Nira also smiled.

"That's indeed correct. Although they had their stats suppressed, even the elemental masteries and their effects, but…" Tenebria smiled, "Their skills were not suppressed. Their skills were not entry-level skills like yours, but sophisticated and advanced skills that were created with the use of all three paths."

"Magic, Soul, and Aethir. Your skills are pure Magic, while you only used Soul and Spirit force to boost those skills. This is well and good until you learn the path of Aethir and the path of Soul to create true skills that utilize the potential of all three paths."

"You have our full attention and agreement," Erix grinned, thrilled to learn and become more powerful! "Just satiate our hunger and we will go rock in Axis, Edgy, or whatever realms."

"That's right! It's fun to get stronger," Aria's pearly laughter rang.

Isabella and Rin also couldn't help but smile and get the feeling of anticipation and excitement.

They learned the importance of power more than ever recently and becoming powerful meant being able to enjoy life. If they are not powerful and something like Blue Maw pirates knocks on their door again, their journey will come to an end.

"It's well and good that you are willing," Tenebria faintly smiled. "But you have to finish a test first. You can still enjoy a thrilling adventure in Shadow Bamboo Sanctuary, but if you want to go Axis realms with us, then you'll have to prove yourselves."

Tenebria added, "I'll be making a permanent portal here that leads to Shadow Bamboo Sanctuary and send my avatar back while you all focus on your usual things as you do daily, except that you must leave a portion of time daily for Nira to tutor you."

"Teaching us about Aethir and other things?" Rin's eyes shone. That's what they wanted!

"I'll be teaching you about Aethir and Soul's basics and then how to create true skills that only come to fruition when its foundation has Magic, Aethir, and Soul all three together in a complex and logical structure, "Nira grinned and said, "If you want a true comparison between your current skills and the true skills that everyone outside uses, then..."

After a second of thinking, Nira said with a chuckle, "It's like your current skills are piles of dung decorated with diamonds and gems while the true skills are like the work of a professional painter or musician with their perfect and precise craft. Invaluable and unique to yourself."

"…"

"That's an analogy, alright."