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.

keep fighting? Why do you keep comprehending Laws? Why do you go through the fear and pain of tempering yourself?"

rather do anything else. No Cultivator goes out and tempers themselves just for fun. We all do it out of necessity since we want to become more powerful. And why do we

why don't we want to die? Because we have something in our life that we don't want to lose. We don't want to feel the pain of a

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

Azure remained silent.

silent for several

that time, Mortis regretted his

had only asked some things he was curious about, but he realized that his words might have had

He was thinking these thoughts every single

comparison, Azure had never even asked

to answer, and you also don't need to question yourself regarding this topic," Mortis added. "You obviously have something to live for. Otherwise, you wouldn't have had the willpower to

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

we humans have. For you, power might have a vastly stronger

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

had regretted asking his earlier question. Azure seemed

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

Mortis raised an eyebrow.

simply overwhelmed by something I have never felt before," Azure said. "That's

you

a black hole that sucks out all the drive in my being, and it

became uncomfortable, and he felt

he was very

"Hey, listen-"

not some mortal. I'm a Star God, and I've gone through worse. You don't need to fix

all,

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

simply becoming more powerful. However, as soon as you brought my attention to the

past. I haven't felt anything

right?" Azure asked. "So, when we get a Spirit, does it also mean that

thought

Could she be right?

Mortis couldn't be

Azure added

become Heaven's Magnates?" Azure asked. "You said you know a Heaven's Magnate that's a

it?" Mortis

me. I always tried to think

Law of Empathy,"

Mortis' eyes widened.

Right!

a beast even go

knew what it took to comprehend the Law of Empathy since he knew it, and he was sure that a beast

impossible

a Heaven's Magnate if it's impossible

can now feel love like humans?" Mortis

think so,

she looked

to try?" she

Mortis froze.

That…

Azure. "Could you be a

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

the back of his

don't know,"

only upsides. We will come out with more knowledge,

Then, Azure remembered something.

I'm not attractive to you?" Azure