Sovereign Beyond Creation

Chapter 9

The heat from High Inquisitor Malphas’s hand felt like a branding iron against Adam’s skin. The golden light coming from the Inquisitor’s shield was so bright that even with his eyes closed, Adam saw nothing but a searing, painful red.

Inside his body, a war was raging.

The black smoke he had sucked out of Catherine’s chest was not sitting still. It felt like a thousand angry wasps were trapped in his stomach, trying to sting their way out. His veins felt like they were filled with crushed ice and battery acid. Every second he kept his eyes closed was a second he spent fighting the urge to scream.

"I will not ask you again, boy," Malphas growled. His voice was deep and heavy, like the sound of large stones being ground together. "Open your eyes. If your soul is pure, the light of the Sun will not harm you. If you are hiding the rot of the Void, you will be blinded. It is a simple choice."

[Warning! Warning!]

[Void Capacity: 99.9%]

[Internal Pressure: Critical.]

[System Note: You cannot hold this energy alone. If you do not find a way to ground this power, you will explode. The explosion will destroy this tower and everyone in it.]

I can't Adam thought, his mind racing. If I open my eyes, they’ll see the purple fire. If I don’t, he’ll kill me.

[Proposed Solution: Temporary Soul-Binding.]

[Description: Use the target, Catherine Cook, as a lightning rod. Transfer 50% of the corrupted mana back to her, but filtered through your 'Null' body. This will stabilize both of you.]

[Condition: Physical contact is required. Heart-to-heart or Hand-to-hand.]

Adam didn't have time to think about the "Physical contact" part. He just knew he was about to die.

With a sudden burst of strength, Adam jerked his chin out of Malphas’s grip. He didn't run for the door. Instead, he lunged toward the desk where Catherine was sitting.

"What are you doing?!" Malphas shouted, reaching for the hilt of a glowing silver sword at his waist. "Guards! Subdue him!"

The white-armored guards moved fast, their spears leveling toward Adam’s back.

But Catherine was faster. Whether it was instinct or the System’s influence, she stood up just as Adam reached her. She didn't move away. She saw the desperation in his eyes—eyes that were still squeezed shut—and she saw the way his skin was beginning to crack with violet light.

Adam didn't care about the guards or the Inquisition anymore. He reached out and grabbed Catherine’s hand.

His fingers locked with hers. Her hand was ice-cold, and his was burning hot.

[Binding Initialized.]

[The First Sovereign Link: Established.]

A shockwave of energy rippled through the room. It wasn't a loud explosion, but a silent pulse of power that made the floating crystals in the room shatter at once. The guards were thrown back a few inches, their boots skidding on the frost.

"Stay back!" Catherine commanded. Her voice was no longer trembling. It was the voice of the Ice Witch again, but it had a new edge to it—a resonance she hadn't felt in years.

Malphas stopped. He looked at their joined hands. His eyes narrowed with deep suspicion. "Professor Cook what is the meaning of this? Why are you touching this Null?"

Before Catherine could answer, the door to the sanctum—which was already broken—was pushed open even further.

A young man stepped through the wreckage. He was wearing an expensive, tailored uniform with the lion crest of the Martinez family. His hair was perfectly combed, but his face was twisted into a look of smug excitement.

It was Julian Martinez.

"Ah, Inquisitor Malphas!" Julian said, his voice dripping with fake concern. "I see you found him. I told you, didn't I? I saw Adam Cook sneaking toward this tower with a very strange look in his eyes. For a Null to be here, he must be up to something illegal. Perhaps he’s trying to steal the Professor’s research?"

Julian’s eyes landed on Adam and Catherine. He saw their hands locked together. His smug smile vanished instantly, replaced by a look of pure, unrefined shock.

"Adam?" Julian stammered. "Why why are you holding the Professor’s hand?"

He looked at Catherine, waiting for her to blast Adam into dust. He expected her to be disgusted. He expected her to scream. But she wasn't doing any of those things. She was standing perfectly still, her eyes fixed on Adam.

"Julian," Adam said. He finally opened his eyes.

Julian flinched, expecting to see something horrific. But he didn't see the Void. He didn't see the black smoke.

Because of the "Binding," the System was doing something incredible. It was taking the black, corrupted mana from Adam’s body and "filtering" it through the Void Path. Then, it was pumping it back into Catherine. But it wasn't coming back as poison. It was coming back as pure, refined frost-energy.

And the leftover energy? It was filling Adam.

Adam wasn't just standing there. He was glowing.

A soft, ethereal blue light began to radiate from his skin. It wasn't the harsh, burning light of the Inquisition. It was a calm, moonlight glow. His hair seemed to float slightly in an invisible breeze. His navy-blue rags didn't look like trash anymore; in this light, they looked like the robes of a young prince.

"What what is this?" Malphas whispered. He raised his crystal orb.

The orb, which had been pulsing red with "Danger," suddenly turned a clear, brilliant blue.

"The resonance" Malphas muttered, his voice filled with confusion. "It’s pure. It’s it’s the purest frost-mana I’ve ever seen. But he’s a Null! He shouldn't be able to hold even a drop of mana!"

Catherine took a deep breath. She felt the change immediately. The heavy, crushing weight in her chest—the black smoke that had been killing her for a decade—was being pulled away. In its place, she felt a cool, refreshing flow of energy. For the first time in years, she didn't feel like she was dying. She felt powerful.

She looked at Adam. She saw the sweat on his brow. She saw how hard he was working to stay standing. He was acting as a filter, taking her filth and giving her back life.

She turned her gaze toward Malphas and Julian. Her eyes were cold, but they were no longer desperate.

"Inquisitor," she said, her voice like a winter wind. "You asked what this was. This is my private business. Adam Cook is not a spy. He is my chosen catalyst."

"A Catalyst?" Julian shouted, his face turning red with jealousy. "That’s impossible! Only the highest-tier mages can act as catalysts for a Tier 7 Professor! This boy is a Null! He’s a scholarship brat! He washes the floors!"