Lyerin stood at the entrance of the ruined sanctuary, his mind still reeling from the events of the past few days.


    The eerie silence of the night was punctuated by the distant roars of the hulking eldritch horses, their massive forms casting long shadows under the pale moonlight.


    The girls, huddled close to him, watched him with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension.


    They had seen Lyerin do many strange things, but there was something different in his eyes tonight—something that made them uneasy.


    Without a word, Lyerin reached into the pouch strapped to his side and pulled out a small, smooth object.


    The girls watched as he held it up to the moonlight, revealing it to be a small, ss-like orb. It shimmered in the pale light, a swirl of translucent colors moving within its depths.


    "What is that?" Corora asked, her voice barely above a whisper.


    Lyerin didn''t answer immediately.


    "Follow me," he just said quietly, his voice carrying a weight of seriousness that made the girls exchange nervous nces before they hurried to keep up with him.


    Soon, he turned and began to walk toward therge statue that stood in the center of the sanctuary''s courtyard.


    The statue was of a centaur, its proud, chiseled features worn down by time and the elements, but still radiating an air of power and nobility.


    They approached the statue, its imposing form looming over them.


    Lyerin''s expression was unreadable as he stopped in front of it. He gazed up at the centaur''s face, his hand tightening around the orb.


    "Is that...?" Cornelia began, but her voice trailed off as Lyerin suddenly moved.


    With a swift, decisive motion, Lyerin pressed the orb against the chest of the statue and began to tear at the flesh-like surface that had grown over it, as if the stone had been encased in some kind of organic matter.


    The girls gasped as the fleshy material peeled away, revealing a glistening, transparent liquid that pooled within the open wound.


    It was as clear and pure as a mountain spring, yet it shimmered with an otherworldly light, like moonlight captured in water.


    Lyerin''s hand trembled slightly as he held the orb over the wound, allowing a single drop of the liquid to fall onto the statue''s head.


    The liquid spread across the stone like a living thing, flowing into the cracks and crevices, seeping into the very heart of the statue.


    "I''m not sure if this is going to work," Lyerin murmured, more to himself than to the girls. But before he could say anything more, the statue began to glow.


    A soft, ethereal light emanated from the centaur, growing brighter with each passing moment.


    The girls stepped back, shielding their eyes from the sudden brilliance.


    The light was not harsh, but warm, and as it grew, it began to pulse, as if the statue had a heartbeat.


    Then, something miraculous happened.


    The light began to shift, moving like liquid, flowing from the statue''s chest and spreading out in all directions. It coalesced into a mass of transparent energy, swirling and twisting in the air, taking on a form that was both beautiful and terrifying.


    The energy moved with a purpose, flowing around Lyerin and the girls, enveloping them in its soft glow.


    The hulking eldritch horses outside the sanctuary roared in response, their deep, guttural voices rising into the night.


    One by one, they turned their massive heads toward the sky, their glowing eyes reflecting the light of the energy.


    They stood still, almost reverent, as if they were witnessing something sacred.


    Lyerin watched the phenomenon unfold, a small, satisfied smile ying on his lips. "I never expected this to work," he whispered, his voice filled with awe. "If I had known, I would have brought more people here. But now I know... now I know how to harness this power."


    The girls stared at him in disbelief, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and wonder.


    "Lyerin," Sophia began, her voice trembling, "what is this? What have you done?"


    Lyerin turned to her, his smile widening. "This," he said, gesturing to the swirling mass of energy, "is the essence of an eldritch creature. It''s the purest form of their power, something that can be used to... to awaken thetent abilities in those with the potential for spirit manifestation."


    The girls exchanged confused nces, but Lyerin continued, his voice growing more excited as he spoke. "This is how the old families, the ancient organizations, would recruit those with spirit manifestation potential. They would use the essence of an eldritch creature to trigger the awakening. It''s a rare process, one that requires careful preparation. But I managed to get it from...


    well, from someone who didn''t even realize what they were carrying."


    He hesitated for a moment, thinking of the blonde girl once more. She had been young, so full of life, yet burdened with something far beyond her understanding. "She was still young," Lyerin murmured, almost to himself. "I never expected it to work like this."


    Corora''s eyes widened as she realized she had no idea what he was saying. "Huh?"


    Lyerin nodded slowly, his gaze returning to the glowing energy,pletely ignoring her. "Now, I can finally take you girls—and any other intelligent creatures we find—into the ruined magical world of the eldritch tribe. But this is a one-time thing. For animals with intelligence, that is."


    A soft chime sounded in the air, and a translucent notification appeared before Lyerin, its words glowing faintly in the darkness.


    [ Ding!


    [ The host can take fifteen intelligent creatures.


    [ Note: Only those with high intelligence can survive the transition. Others will perish. ]


    Lyerin''s eyes narrowed as he read the message. He nodded to himself, his mind already calcting the possibilities. "Fifteen," he muttered. "That should be enough for now."


    He turned to the girls, who were still staring at him in shock. "Corora, Cornelia," he called, snapping them out of their daze. "I need you to gather the woodpeckers and the moles I ordered you to find earlier. We''re taking them with us."


    The girls exchanged nervous nces, but they nodded and hurried off to do as he asked.


    Lyerin watched them go, his mind still racing.


    This was a chance—a chance to gather those with the potential to survive in this harsh, new world. He needed to act quickly, before the opportunity slipped through his fingers.


    As the girls returned, carrying the small, wriggling forms of the woodpeckers and moles, Cornelia couldn''t contain her curiosity any longer. "Lyerin," she asked hesitantly, "why are they still alive? I saw one of those hulking horses crush a cockroach earlier, but these... they''re unharmed. How?"


    Lyerin turned to her, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "I left a protective aura on them," he exined. "And on all of you, as well. It''s a temporary measure—onlysts for about half a day—but it''s enough to keep the eldritch horses from seeing you as prey."


    Cornelia''s eyes widened in understanding, and she nodded, her curiosity satisfied. She stepped back, allowing Lyerin to take the creatures from her.


    Lyerin nced around at the group, his expression serious. "Any more questions?" he asked, his voice calm but firm.


    The girls looked at each other, then shook their heads in unison. "None," they replied.


    Lyerin nodded, satisfied. "Good. Then let''s go."