Rise Ethereal Essence - Chapter 21

The Dark Essence executed its modified abilities effortlessly.

Within the empty region, the Dark Essence was experimenting. After a while, the blank region faded revealing the world of The Crystal Tree once more.

Observing its surroundings, the layout of the land appeared similar to the geography before the divine light shined brightly, with the exception of a few trees that had moved away.

The grey fog and eerie ambiance had been renewed into an exquisite sight.

The forest of tree-like organisms had developed a harmonious manner, aiding each other, instead of ruthlessly devouring one another.

Alongside that, the sky revealed starlight. The light from planets, stars, and galaxies had been blocked by the power of The Crystal Tree during the current era, so it was odd to see starlight.

The only answer the Dark Essence could think of was that the era had ended during the time it was in that empty region or the location it was in, was different from that of the world of The Crystal Tree. After all, when it entered this region of land it passed through a barrier. It was too soon to know.

As the Dark Essence observed its surroundings it suddenly recalled the shadow it had met. Other than the shadows of trees, nothing revealed the existence of a creature constituted of shadow.

The way that shadow called the grey fog to its hand forming a blade was astonishing, although not comparable to what the Dark Essence was capable of. That sight had revealed a few paths and ideas the Dark Essence could attempt in the future.

The Dark Essence didn’t ponder much about the shadow and left its location.

Looking at the starlight, the Dark Essence thought about the sky of The Crystal Tree. If the era hadn’t yet ended after finding its way out of this region, it wanted to take a look at the final events of the elves ascension.

The Dark Essence hastily moved straight in the same direction as when it entered the barrier of this land.

It passed through hundreds of miles of land transformed by the divine light.

After a while of travel, it found the perimeter of the two lands. Compared to the other side, the land on the side of the Dark Essence appeared like a paradise while the rest of the world seemed incomparable.

The Dark Essence passed through the barrier separating the lands, meeting no obstruction. As it looked at the barrier separating the two lands and their drastic differences, the Dark Essence slowed to a stop.

“I wonder why there’s a barrier separating these two lands. What would happen if I destroy the barrier?” Thinking of that, Dark Essence returned to the barrier.

After some speculation, the Dark Essence began using Immaterial Absorption, absorbing the dark matter and dark energy within the barrier.

The power of Sundering Rifts might have been a better choice when it came to destroying the barrier, but wanting to see the effects of Immaterial Absorption, the Dark Essence chose the latter.

With the activation of Immaterial Absorption, dark matter and dark energy rushed towards the Dark Essence. Like a flowing river, the dark matter/energy not only in the barrier but also the surroundings converged towards its body.

A strange sensation engulfed the Dark Essence. A newfound comfort and satiation permeated every stream of dark essence within its body.

As the dark matter/energy in the barrier was consumed, its energy was dispersed, and with it, its functionality in that region.

Within the enormous barrier with no ends in sight, a relatively small hole, more than 30 meters wide appeared. The opening was as stable as the rest of the shield. However, it seemed like the barrier was at risk of demolition.

With the vulnerability in the barrier, the force of The Crystal Tree’s world pressed through the hole made by the Dark Essence, further widening it. As the force went through, the divine atmosphere within the barrier merged with the air of the world.

Off to the side, the Dark Essence perceived something unusual. In the surrounding atmosphere, the air was dissolving with the absorption of the dark matter and dark energy. The atmospheric air was becoming unstable, but just as quickly, the energy within the world rushed to occupy the spaces left by the absent dark matter.

This energy was in the atmosphere, mainly coexisting with but separate from it.

It was the same energy released by The Crystal Tree and the various trees in the world. A simple and pure energy source.

Now it was suddenly consolidating with the atmosphere which was definitely intriguing.

The first time the Dark Essence entered the world, it had perceived small amounts of the same energy within the atmosphere. At that time, the energy was sparse. Only nearing The Crystal Tree’s crown was it thicker in quality and quantity.

It appeared like the energy had grown bountiful compared to before.

With the consolidation between the atmospheric air and the energy, in that location, the new atmospheric air acquired a vigorous force affecting the structure of plant-life.

…

The Dark Essence observed the few significant changes in astonishment and curiosity. The world was constantly evolving around it. As it used one ability to the next, the forces twisted and morphed allowing for new understandings to arise.

The Dark Essence wasn’t in dire need of much of the information it was receiving at the moment. At least not until it understood more about the way the world affected itself or the way it could influence the world.

As the gaping hole in the barrier was further widened and the atmosphere stabilized, the Dark Essence carried on, in search of The Crystal Tree.