"Not merely any creature,” Lucian murmured, eyes narrowing as he read. “One of pure lineage, a creature untainted by the mortal world's corruption.” He glanced at Tsukishima, his expression cautious. “An essence such as this is as rare as it is perilous to acquire. The extraction of an essence is... volatile. The slightest misstep in extracting it could unravel the ritual entirely.” Tsukishima’s gaze darkened, the weight of the ritual’s demands pressing upon him. The heart of a High Vampire, the blood of an ancient lineage, and now the essence of a magical creature, these were the final keys to the freedom he so desperately craved. To obtain them would mean crossing into the most treacherous realms of the magical world, defying powers that even he did not take lightly. Such a pursuit would draw ire from many forces, and could risk all he had achieved over centuries. Yet the reward, the chance to reclaim it, was worth every peril.
He weighed the risk one final time, his resolve hardening. Such sacrifices were necessary, if it brought him even one step closer to freedom, no price was too high. He glanced toward Lucian, who watched him with an inquisitive, steady gaze. Tsukishima sighed, his voice a low, determined murmur. Rising from his place, he moved toward the exit, his skeletal form casting a long shadow across the chamber floor before shifting to his original human disguise. “Are you coming?” he asked, a grim smile tugging at the edge of his lips. “It is time to claim what is mine.”
Word Count: 259