Soul Marking

The next day after the Awakening.

Lucas and Luna stood in one of the villa's training halls, with Amden facing the twins. Amden's expression was serious and grave.

Finally, Amden broke the tense silence. "Both of you are very special and will work for me in the future. But there is one thing I need you both to know."

His voice was grim and heavy.

Hearing this, Lucas asked anxiously, "What is it, young master?"

After a brief pause, Amden replied, "I will mark your souls."

The twins exchanged confused glances, unsure of what he meant.

"I will leave my own mark on your souls as a precaution against betrayal," Amden explained in clear words. "In essence, this means I will maintain a degree of control over you."

Before the twins could respond, he continued, "I trust both of you personally, but I have my reasons for doing this. Also, if you wish to leave, you are free to do so."

He added with a confident tone, "I promise I will make no attempts harm any of you. With your talents, many families and organizations would be willing to fight wars to have you on their side."

After Amden finished speaking, an intense silence filled the room. He could very well realize the weight of his words.

It was Luna who stepped forward first. "You're right, young master. There are plenty of places that would welcome us."

Her determined voice continued, "But all our talent and genius are because of you. I may have only lived a few months. It was you who gave me a new lease of life.

She continued, "We have not seen much of you but we know that following you is our greatest goal."

Lucas, though silent, nodded in agreement. The expression of resolve on his face needed no words.

He was prepared to pay any price to keep his sister safe. Pledging everything to the man who had saved her life and given them a chance to become stronger and regain their dignity was actually a small price.

"Very well," Amden replied with a small smile. Though he had expected this response, the twins' determination genuinely pleased him.

With a gesture, Amden signalled for the twins to sit cross-legged in a meditative position. He then began drawing symbols in mid-air with his spiritual energy.

Although they resembled runes, they were unique. After drawing numerous symbols, he made a small cut on his thumb and let two drops of blood fall onto them.

The symbols split into two parts, each entering the forehead of one twin. Lucas and Luna felt a marking appear on their souls and an instantaneous connection with Amden.

Immediately afterward, Amden's face turned pale; his breathing turned heavy and he was on the verge of losing consciousness.

Lucas and Luna sprinted to his side and helped him settle into a meditative position.

While in meditation, Amden recalled everything that had transpired the previous night. He contemplated the events and considered his future course of action.

[Flashback]

Despite the gratitude he had seen in the twins' eyes, a faint trace of doubt had lingered in his mind—much like the doubts Cilia had harbored.

He was not certain what the future might have held, and he was worried that the twins' hearts might change over time.

At that moment, as if sensing his inner turmoil, the cube in his mindscape let out a pulse of glow and a sudden, intense pain assaulted his mind.

The pain lasted only a few moments, but when it subsided, new information filled his mind—not from ancient gods' memories, but from the cube itself.

He had received a soul cultivation method called the "Universal Soul Scripture."

This scripture had two parts: the first contained a method to raise his own soul strength, and the second was about this soul mark- the very same method he had just used on Lucas and Luna.

After receiving the scripture, Amden had been bewildered. Was the cube sentient enough to read his thoughts?

He also recalled that, in the past, whenever he had absorbed memories—whether his own spiritual energy cultivation method or the ancient gods' memories—he had never felt pain. He wondered if this pain was a sign that he wasn't strong enough to absorb the memory automatically, forcing the cube to implant it into his mind by force.

[Flashback End]

Using his newly acquired Universal Soul Scripture, Amden worked to recover his soul power. The process of marking the twins had taken a toll on his soul power, leaving him weakened.

It took few minutes to regain his lost soul strength. He then checked the soul marks.

He immediately felt the connection and his control over them.

Through this connection, he communicated directly into their minds: "With this link, I can speak to you even if you are far away—though its range is limited for now. I can also transfer scriptures and skills to you through this connection."

Lucas and Luna were startled to hear the voice directly in their heads and it took for them few moments to understood this new mechanism.

Amden then transferred the scriptures they would practice. Lucas received "The Darkness Dominance Scripture," reflecting his strong affinity for darkness, while Luna received "The Extreme Frigid Yin Scripture," the same one his mother had used.

Luna would continue practicing the Chaotic Spiritual Energy Circulating Scripture until she absorbed all her excessive spiritual energy, after which she would transition to the new scripture.

Along with these, he also provided several battle techniques related to their respective elements.

Next, Amden called Cilia and requested that she begin training the twins. Since they had never had proper training, they needed to start with the basics. And so, Lucas and Luna's rigorous training began.