章 89: Chapter 89

William trudged through the dense forest, the ground crunching softly under his feet. The sun had dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows that seemed to move with him. He pulled his hood tighter against the cool evening breeze, his mind a whirl of thoughts as he made his way back to the dormitory.

He had spent hours weighing the pros and cons of his situation since the loss of his soul crystal. To his surprise, the conclusion he had come to wasn't entirely grim. Losing the soul crystal had seemed catastrophic at first, but the gains he'd received in return balanced the scales.

For one, he no longer had access to wind essence or soul essence. That much was undeniable. But in its place, he had gained shadow essence, a resource just as potent, if not more so. The new energy coursed through his body with a dark vitality that was strange yet thrilling.