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.

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

it out of necessity since we want to become more powerful. And why do we want to become more powerful? Because we

to lose. We don't want to feel the pain of a loved one dying. We want

Mortis asked, looking at Azure.

Azure remained silent.

silent for several

time, Mortis regretted

things he was curious about, but he

He was thinking these thoughts every single

Azure had never even

obviously have something to live for. Otherwise, you wouldn't

were right," Azure said, her expression showing an internal struggle. "What do I actually

not a human, and you don't need to have the feelings we humans have. For

invalidate your reasons for living by comparing them to humans. You're not a human, and

earlier question. Azure seemed

and nervousness. "I know what you're trying to

Mortis raised an eyebrow.

overwhelmed by something I have never felt before," Azure said. "That's why it was so difficult for

you feel?"

kind of emptiness," Azure said. "It's like a black hole that sucks out all the drive in my being, and it

became uncomfortable, and he

feeling he was

"Hey, listen-"

second," Azure interrupted Mortis. "Keep in mind that I'm not some mortal. I'm a Star God, and I've gone through worse. You don't need to fix me or anything. I

all, he knew how

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

an issue with life, and I felt satisfied with simply becoming more powerful. However, as soon as you brought my attention to the purpose of life, I

haven't felt anything even remotely like this,

Azure asked. "So, when we

thought

Could she be right?

now, Mortis couldn't

then, Azure

that managed to become Heaven's Magnates?" Azure asked.

it?" Mortis

to become a Heaven's Magnate, you need to know all the four main Laws, and one main Law always stumped me. I always tried to think of a way to comprehend it,

talking about the Law of Empathy," Azure

Mortis' eyes widened.

Right!

even go about comprehending the

what it took to comprehend the Law of Empathy since he knew it, and he was sure that a beast couldn't feel the amount of empathy required to comprehend that

be impossible

the Black Magnate become a Heaven's Magnate if it's impossible

you can now feel love like humans?" Mortis

think so, but

she looked at

to try?" she

Mortis froze.

That…

"Could you be a

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

the back of

know," he

see no downside, only upsides. We will come out with more knowledge, no matter how it

Then, Azure remembered something.

not attractive to you?" Azure asked,