Omniphage is Vastarael's primary and most potent ability. The way Omniphage operates is unique, drawing from an almost sentient force that exists in the very fabric of Spheraphase's atmosphere.
Energy is everywhere in Spheraphase—mana, essence, natural energy, spiritual power, and even the subtle vibrational forces that permeate the world.
Omniphage can absorb these forms of energy at an astonishing rate, converting them into essence that replenishes Vastarael's pseudo-core that governs his strength and vitality. This process is not instantaneous, but it is far faster than most other methods of essence regeneration.
Everyone at Ascender level develops a pseudo-core.
The act of absorption starts when he is out of essence and his passive Omniphage Tether activates, extending his senses to the surrounding world. It doesn't require direct contact with the energy source but rather a subtle, almost instinctive command to the atmosphere itself. The energy flows toward him, invisibly drawn into his body, as if the world itself were surrendering its power to him.
For every breath he takes, energy is absorbed from the environment. It begins with small amounts at first, like gentle currents running through his body. As his energy depletes, this intake becomes more aggressive, the process intensifying to keep his pseudo-core from being empty.
The more energy he needs, the faster it arrives, converting into pure essence almost immediately. The entire process typically takes mere moments but can stretch out depending on the level of energy required.
Once absorbed, the energy undergoes a process of conversion in Vastarael's pseudo-core. Energy flow into his body as raw power, but they must be refined before being usable.
This conversion process involves a kind of filtration, turning chaotic, unrefined energy into something usable for Vastarael. The refined essence then circulates through his system, replenishing his internal reserves.
The core itself acts as a reservoir, but its capacity is not infinite. The ability to absorb and convert energy doesn't just stop at replenishing essence; it adapts, expanding to match the growing needs of Vastarael's body. Essentially, the more he uses Omniphage, the more energy he can store and process over time, like a muscle growing stronger with repeated use.
Omniphage also possesses a degree of sentience, allowing it to respond to Vastarael's needs autonomously. When energy is low, Omniphage recognizes this and increases the rate of absorption. This process isn't completely controlled by Vastarael. The Tether knows when he's in danger or when his energy reserves are critically low. In these moments, it expands its reach, drawing energy from more distant sources to ensure Vastarael's survival.
However, Omniphage doesn't choose how to obtain energy. Its sentient nature merely allows it to respond with increased urgency when necessary. The sense of urgency from Omniphage is felt like an involuntary push in Vastarael's mind, an instinct to replenish.
One of the most unique aspects of Omniphage is that, during moments of desperation, it can draw Soul Energy from himself or others. This was the Ascended form he got from being an Ascender.
In such cases, Omniphage will instinctively latch onto any Soul Energy nearby and begin to absorb it, converting it into essence at a high rate. It risks destabilizing Vastarael's body, leading to extreme pain.
Despite the inherent danger, this emergency backup allows Vastarael to survive in otherwise lethal situations. Omniphage's sentience has evolved to the point where it can determine when this backup is absolutely necessary, often overriding Vastarael's natural resistance to it.
In situations where Vastarael's body is on the brink of collapse, Omniphage can kick into a secondary mode, one that draws directly from the energy of the environment.
If his physical form is critically injured, the sentience of Omniphage will not only speed up energy absorption, it will search for energy from souls as a last resort. This is when Omniphage truly becomes a lifeline. While the process takes slightly longer to trigger, once it activates, it provides a significant boost to his essence reserves, far more than a normal regeneration process could.
It takes exactly 2 hours for Vastarael's reserves to be fully restored. This may seem like a long time but Vastarael has an extremely large energy reserves from constant use of Onmiphage and being an Aeterium.
And this period is when he is in normal state without serious injuries.
The relationship between Vastarael and Omniphage is symbiotic, even though it remains complex. Omniphage continually feeds on the environment to replenish Vastarael's essence, but it is also capable of extending itself to save its host from death when necessary. This makes it both a vital lifeline and a potential danger, depending on how and when it is used.
And now, Phaenora's very own Omniscient Soul Energy was being forcefully sucked by Vastarael as she cradled him in the woods dozens of kilometers away from the Lake of Miracles.
Apparently, Soul Energy from other beings is more potent than his own infinite Soul Energy.
The quiet stillness of the woods was disturbed only by the faint crackling of distant leaves in the wind, as Phaenora sat with Vastarael cradled in her arms. Vastarael, unconscious and battered from the earlier battle, rested against her chest, his body limp and broken.
The glowing blue aura of Omniphage hummed faintly around them, a constant presence that Phaenora felt as though it were directly tethered to her own energy. She could feel the way Vastarael's Pinnacle Tether was drawing from her soul energy, pulling it in slow, steady streams, using her soul to fuel its regeneration process.
It wasn't just the ambient energy of the environment that Omniphage fed on anymore. It had become a lifeline to Vastarael's survival, and that lifeline was her.
She was literally the only reason Vastarael's heart was beating.
Her body had begun to feel the strain of it. Her limbs were heavy and her Soul Energy were being depleted faster than it could replenish. She could feel the subtle tugging at the edges of her consciousness, as though her very being was being stretched thinner and thinner, but she didn't fight it. She couldn't.
His Soul Energy couldn't be fully absorbed by Omniphage because his own physical body was in the brink of death. Doing so would kill him instantly.
Vastarael's breath was shallow, his once-radiant skin now pallid and ashen from the poison coursing through his veins. His limbs were slack, his arm missing, his body marred with deep, uneven cuts that reflected how much he had given in his final stand. His pulse was weak and with each passing moment, it seemed like there was less of him to hold onto.
Phaenora's grip tightened around him. Her own body protested but she refused to let go. She couldn't. She knew that this wasn't enough. His reserves were too depleted, and even Omniphage wasn't strong enough to counteract the damage.
Her chest felt tight, but she forced herself to keep breathing steadily, focusing on the here and now. Her mind swirled with thoughts of what would happen next.
As the night dragged on, Phaenora stayed where she was, clutching him to her chest. The minutes bled into hours, and the hours stretched into the empty void of night.
She couldn't afford to look anywhere but at him. Her mind was clouded, each breath she took more labored than the last. Yet she couldn't bring herself to leave him.
Omniphage worked relentlessly, feeding off of her Soul Energy, but the progress was slow... too slow for her comfort. Every second seemed like an eternity. It wasn't enough to reverse the damage Vastarael had sustained. His body remained limp in her arms, his skin still pale. She could feel the poison in his system fighting against Body Reconstruction. She could feel the weight of death clinging to him, pressing down on him with all its might. The odds were stacked against them and she knew it. Her heart sank as the thought loomed.
He would die before Omniphage could fully replenish him.
The weight of that possibility hung over Phaenora like a suffocating fog. She pressed her forehead to his, her hands trembling as she held him.
"I can't lose you. Not like this..."
She let the tears fall but they didn't reach her lips. They fell to his skin, mixing with the dirt and grime of the forest floor, but her resolve was clear. She wouldn't stop. She couldn't stop. Even though her Soul Energy was being drained, she clung to him, giving him everything she had left, offering her soul as the last tether to life.
Her eye widened when she remembered his fate.
A Death In The Embrace Of Love.That was what awaited him.
And yet, here she was, holding him, desperately clinging to him, trying to keep him alive, trying to fight against that fate.
But how could she?
She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the weight of that terror, but the pressure only intensified.
What if this was it? What if this was the moment she couldn't save him?
'What if... I lose him?'