Lightning Is the Only Way

"There is no one that elicits these kinds of feelings from me," Mortis answered. "I see so many different Cultivators, but they all look the same to me. They are either strangers, friends, enemies, or whatever. There is no difference."

"So, do humans need some kind of connection with a stranger for love to exist in the future?" Azure asked. She was genuinely curious about all of this.

Mortis' brows furrowed. "No, not really."

"Then why does that have to exist for you to try?" Azure asked.

For the first time, Mortis didn't answer immediately.

Why didn't he just get to know more people?

Was it really necessary that his spark had to exist for a relationship to blossom?

Obviously not.

There were plenty of mortals and Cultivators that got together with people after just being friends for years on end.

There had been no romantic attraction between them in the beginning, but they had eventually ended together.

For some reason, a kind of pressure appeared in Mortis' insides.

'Is it because of my past?' he thought. 'I've felt how Gravis have felt for so long. I've felt these intense bursts of warmth and love inside myself so many times.'

Mortis looked into the distance. 'Is it because I fear disappointment? Do I fear that my eventual love won't be as vibrant as the love Gravis feels for Stella?'

A moment of silence passed.

'And then, this entire thing with Joyce happened, which confirmed my fear. I was attracted to Joyce, but I never felt anything remotely as intense as what Gravis felt for Stella back then.'

'And then, Joyce died, and I felt like my ability to love died with her.'

Mortis glanced over at Azure, who only looked into the distance with a thoughtful expression.

'I think I fear disappointment,' Mortis thought. 'It might be possible that I'm afraid of losing my hope. I can dream about how great love is and how it makes me feel, but I'm afraid that my imagination is off.'

Another moment of silence.

'If even love turns out to be a disappointment, what else is there left but greyness in my life?'

'If love doesn't live up to my expectations, what reason do I even have left to live?'

"Azure, why do you cultivate?" Mortis asked.

Azure was surprised by the question. How did Mortis even come up with that question?

"Why do I cultivate?" Azure asked.

Mortis nodded.

Azure remained silent.

"I don't know," she said after several seconds. "Honestly, I haven't really thought about it. Living just feels natural to me, and it's like something I just have to do."

"Is there something in your life that you don't want to lose, no matter what?" Mortis asked.

Azure remained silent for a bit longer as her expression became uncomfortable.

"Not really," Azure answered with an unsure voice.

do you keep fighting? Why do you keep comprehending Laws? Why do you go through

all do it out of necessity since we want to become more powerful. And

in our life that we don't want to lose. We don't want to feel the pain

Mortis asked, looking at Azure. "From what you've said, you sound like you don't have anything you want to live for. So, why

Azure remained silent.

remained silent for several

that time, Mortis regretted his

about, but he realized that his

Mortis. He was thinking these thoughts every

Azure had never

this topic," Mortis added. "You obviously have something to live for. Otherwise, you wouldn't

showing an internal struggle. "What do I actually live for?

not a human, and you don't need to have the feelings we humans have. For you, power might have a vastly stronger appeal than

reasons for living by comparing them to humans. You're not a human, and you already accepted that, right? Why search for

had regretted asking his earlier question. Azure seemed to genuinely struggle right

and nervousness. "I know what you're trying to do right now, but your worry is

Mortis raised an eyebrow.

Azure said. "That's why it was so difficult for me

you feel?" Mortis

sucks out all the drive in my being, and it feels

and

he was very familiar

"Hey, listen-"

I've gone through worse. You don't need to fix

all, he knew

didn't try to convince Mortis immediately. Instead, she wanted to tell him what

I felt satisfied with simply becoming more powerful. However, as soon as you brought

have felt anything like this in the past. I haven't felt anything even remotely like

when we get a Spirit, does it also mean that our emotional

also fell into thought

Could she be right?

now, Mortis couldn't be

Azure

managed to become Heaven's Magnates?" Azure asked. "You said you know a Heaven's

about it?"

know all the four main Laws, and one main Law always stumped me. I always tried to think

about the Law of Empathy," Azure

Mortis' eyes widened.

Right!

beast even go about comprehending the

took to comprehend the Law of Empathy since he knew it, and he was sure

impossible for a

Black Magnate become a Heaven's Magnate if it's impossible for a beast to feel like

can now feel love like humans?"

Azure said. "I think so, but I can't

she looked at

try?"

Mortis froze.

That…

only looked at Azure. "Could you be a bit more specific?" Mortis

see if we could love each other," Azure added. "If it doesn't work, we can just stop. After all, even if I can't feel it, I know a bit about how it works, and I know that it would hurt you if I couldn't reciprocate. So, we can just try, right? If it works, we can both experience love, and if it doesn't, we can

the back

know," he

Azure asked, genuinely confused. "I see no downside, only upsides. We will

Then, Azure remembered something.

it because I'm not attractive to you?" Azure asked, genuinely