Chapter 84: Spiritual Training
Hours later, the atmosphere in the small cabin had shifted.
Selene sat in front of Vergil and Zuri, observing them with a more serious expression, leaving behind the confusing emotions that Sapphire had stirred within her.
The moment now was one of instruction, after all, Vergil had come here for that purpose. Vergil, eyes sharp and attentive, felt the importance of what he was about to learn. Zuri, on the other hand, though she appeared disinterested, remained restless, alternating between grumbling and shooting irritated glances, never losing the irreverence that defined her.
"Let's begin," Selene said, interlacing her fingers as she leaned forward. "Now that you two are officially bonded, it's time to understand what it means to have a Familiar and how this will affect you moving forward. This bond between you is not just a magical connection; it's something much deeper, almost spiritual."
Vergil frowned, still getting used to Zuri's presence, who insulted him at random intervals. "You mean we're stuck with each other forever?" he asked, trying to mask the irritation in his voice.
Selene gave a small smile and nodded. "Exactly. The bond between a demon and their Familiar is eternal. No matter where you are or what happens, Zuri will always be able to sense you. And you, Vergil, will be able to access her power when necessary."
"Great," Zuri muttered, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes. "Like I wanted to be stuck with this idiot."
Vergil shot an irritated glance at the small creature. "The feeling is mutual, Zuri."
Selene let out a soft sigh. "You two will have to get used to each other. What you have is a symbiotic relationship, whether you like it or not. Zuri's power is at your disposal, Vergil, but she will also be your advisor... in a way."
"Advisor?" Vergil raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical.
If this lunatic is supposed to be my advisor, I'm going to die faster than I thought...
Vergil thought.
"Of course!" Zuri responded, sarcasm dripping from every word. "The best advisor you've ever had. Get ready to be insulted while I teach you not to die, you idiot."
Selene continued, ignoring the dynamic between the two. "What you need to understand is that a Familiar can lend you their power. And that power, when used correctly, can turn the tide of battle. Of course, that depends on your Familiar, too. But there is a trade. You need to feed this bond with spiritual energy, emotions, and most importantly, mutual connections. Yes, Zuri, that applies to you too," she said, glancing at the Familiar, who shrugged.
"Yeah, yeah. Got it. Born today, don't pressure me," Zuri grumbled, before looking at Vergil with a mischievous grin. "But to be honest, I prefer when he's scared. Feeds the connection better."
Vergil ignored the comment, trying to stay focused. "And how do I access her power?"
"That's more complicated," Selene answered. "You'll need to train. A Familiar's power isn't something you just 'activate.' It's an exchange. Think of it as a channel of energy between the two of you. You need to learn how to open that channel consciously, and more importantly, know when to close it. If you leave it open for too long or without control, you can end up drained. Your body and soul could suffer."
Vergil nodded, processing the information. "So, how do I start?"
"First, you must learn to feel Zuri's presence in your spirit," Selene said, closing her eyes for a moment. "Close your eyes, try to focus on the sensation she creates. She is part of you now, an extension of your own being, even though she has her own mind."
Vergil closed his eyes, trying to calm his thoughts as he concentrated. At first, everything seemed quiet, but then he felt it — a presence, strong, irreverent, but undeniably connected to him. It was like an echo of sarcasm and arrogance, but also of latent power.
"This isn't right..." Selene murmured, halting the training. She approached Zuri, trying to make sense of the situation. The energy radiating from the Familiar wasn't just powerful—it was excessive. It was far beyond what any ordinary spiritual being should be able to produce.
Vergil opened his eyes, sensing the shift in Selene's tone. "What's going on?"
Selene hesitated for a moment, her brow furrowing in concentration. "The spiritual energy Zuri is producing... it's too much. Familiars have limits, and she's exceeding those limits by a considerable margin."
Zuri, ever the smirking troublemaker, shrugged nonchalantly. "What can I say? I'm just exceptional."
Ignoring her, Selene focused on the energy pulsating around Zuri. "No, it's more than that. There's something else here… something unnatural. Zuri, have you absorbed something? Or maybe been altered in some way?"
For a split second, Zuri's smirk faltered, but she quickly regained her composure. "I wouldn't tell you even if I did. But no, I haven't absorbed anything—at least, not that I'm aware of."
Vergil glanced at Zuri, concern growing. "Is this going to be a problem?"
Selene shook her head slowly. "I don't know yet. But it could be. If this power isn't natural, it could become dangerous—for both of you."
Zuri rolled her eyes, clearly uninterested in the warning. "Dangerous? Please. I can handle it, and so can this idiot."
Vergil wasn't as dismissive. "So, what should we do?" he asked, turning to Selene.
Selene paused before responding. "For now, continue training, but carefully. I'll look into this and see if there's any explanation for why Zuri's power is spiking like this. But be cautious. There are forces at play that we might not fully understand yet."
Vergil glanced between Selene and Zuri, then nodded. "Got it. We'll be careful."
Zuri leaned back with a cocky grin. "Don't worry, I've got this. And maybe you'll learn something from me, if you're lucky."
Vergil sighed, already used to her antics. "Let's just hope it doesn't blow up in my face."
Selene remained serious. "The bond between you two is evolving rapidly. If you can harness this surge of power, it could become your greatest strength. But if it spirals out of control…"
Vergil didn't need her to finish the sentence. He knew the stakes were high. He exchanged a glance with Zuri, knowing that their connection, whether they liked it or not, would shape their future.
Vergil, sensing the change in atmosphere, opened his eyes and saw the concern on Selene's face. "What happened?" He asked, without realizing what he was doing.
Selene stared at him for a moment, then looked back at Zuri. "You're generating a lot more energy than you should, Zuri. And, most worryingly, Vergil is controlling that energy as if it were his own. That's not normal."
Zuri, who until then had been relaxed, blinked a few times, trying to process what Selene had said. She looked down at her hands and, for a brief moment, her flippant expression turned into something Vergil had never seen before: doubt.
"I... I don't know what's going on," Zuri said, her voice carrying a note of uncertainty. "I've never had so much power before. It's not mine. I mean, I'm incredible, of course, but... this is beyond what I should be capable of."
Selene narrowed her eyes, beginning to suspect that there was something much bigger at play. "Vergil, when you manipulate Zuri's energy, it feels like you're in absolute control. How are you feeling?"
Vergil looked down at his hands, feeling the familiarity of the energy flowing through his body. "I can't explain it. It's like the thread of spiritual energy is part of me. I'm not just drawing on its strength, I'm... merging it with my own. It doesn't feel forced, it's natural. But I thought it should be harder than that."
Selene shook her head. "Yes, it should. That's worrying. Familiars usually have a limit to how much they can share, and the process of training that bond takes time. But you two are functioning as if you have a much deeper connection."
Zuri snorted, trying to regain her confident posture. "Maybe I'm just special. I'm a much better Familiar than anyone else, right?"
"That's not all, Zuri," said Selene, with a serious tone. "That amount of power... doesn't just come from you. Something else is going on here. Something that goes beyond a standard connection between a demon and its Familiar."
Vergil frowned. "So what does that mean?"
"I'm not sure yet," Selene replied, crossing her arms as she pondered, "but it could mean that you, Vergil, are accessing more than just Zuri's power. Perhaps there is something in you that is amplifying this connection, or perhaps something that is hidden inside Zuri. Either way, we have to find out what it is before it gets out of hand."
Zuri shrugged, but the tension in her voice was evident. "Whatever it is, I don't like the feeling. If it continues, I could burn out too quickly."
Selene nodded. "That's another worry. A Familiar can end up drained if it supplies too much energy for too long. And at this rate, Zuri could be running that risk without even realizing it."
Vergil looked at Zuri with concern, his usual irritation with the Familiar now replaced by something closer to apprehension. "What can we do?"
"For now, we need to stop the training and investigate further what's going on," said Selene. "If you continue without understanding the source of this power, there could be serious consequences for both of you. We'll need outside help, someone who can analyze this connection more deeply."
Zuri, still trying to process everything, sighed. "Good. More mysteries. As if my life wasn't complicated enough already."
Vergil looked at Selene, the tension in the air visible in his gaze, but he trusted her. "Do you have someone in mind?"
Selene sighed, seeming to hesitate for a moment before murmuring, with a slight softness in her voice: "Let me just check something... could you look me in the eye? You know I'm not going to hurt you, don't you?"
Vergil smiled, his countenance relaxing. "Do your magic."
When their gazes met, something subtle but profoundly powerful happened. Selene felt a wave of energy flow between them, as if probing something deeper than just Vergil's surface. She was used to using her abilities to analyze people's souls, but what she saw in Vergil took her by surprise.
Before she could understand, the world around her seemed to tremble. The strength of the bond she felt between Vergil and Zuri was far more intense than any she had ever witnessed. The connection seemed to pulsate, as if it were alive, and for a brief moment, Selene felt as if she were being pulled into this bond.
Suddenly, her body went limp, her legs lost their strength and, before she could react, she staggered to the side, completely vulnerable.
"Selene!" Zuri shouted, her usually irritated tone now filled with panic.
Vergil acted quickly, his reflexes sharp, reaching out to grab her before she fell to the ground. "Selene! What happened?" His voice was deep, a mixture of concern and confusion.
Zuri approached, his eyes wide as he watched the scene. "What's happening to her? She's never been like this before!" The panic in his voice was evident.
Vergil held Selene carefully, observing the subtle change in her expression. He could see her eyes moving, even though they were slightly open, as if she was awakening from a deep trance. And then, he felt something - a small surge of energy, accompanied by a muffled scream that seemed to echo in Selene's mind, but somehow also in his.
Inside Selene's mind, chaos was taking shape. 'THAT CRAZY WOMAN!!!' Selene screamed mentally. 'SHE WANTS TO TRAIN SOMEONE WITH THAT KIND OF POWER?!!' Her mind was a veritable storm of indignation, as insults raged. 'SHE'S SICK! SHE'S RETARDED! IMBECILE! IDIOT!!!'