My eyes locked on the pillar, searching intently for something. There was something I needed to find before I completed the pillar. While faint, I could sense it, and my memories served as further confirmation.
While catalists have the best initial strength and potential of any of the awakening methods, it had the worst survival and advancement rates. This was due to the fact that the catalysts themselves contained a poison that used the very origin in one's body, making it harder to control and even uses it to kill them. This was easily combatable to anyone who had passive control over their origin, and killing those who didn't within a year.
There was also the issue of compatibility. If one was not sufficiently compatible with the catalyst, their body would break down and become a mindless monster, the power completely consuming them.
'Aha!'
While studying the decreped pillar, I was also drawing out whatever I was sensing. I had drawn it out enough to directly see a red glow in the cracks of the pillar. At the same time, I pushed my hand into one of the cracks on the pillar, ignoring a growing uncomfortable feeling in my chest.
'Come on... Come on'
After moving my hand around, I clasped it shut and drew it out. I felt the corners of my curl up.
'Found it'
I opened my hand to reveal three marbles. The first was crimson in colour and seemed to pulse in my hand. On it was marked the image of a draconic bat that was surrounded by smaller, regular bats. The second was an Inky black that seemed to want to swallow everything around it. On it, the image of a Serpent surrounded by smaller ones was marked. And the last was gray with whisps of white coming off it, the image marked on it was of a moth, and smaller ones around it.
Staring for a moment, I licked my lips and let my memories flow. It came slowly, but fast enough to come as I finished studying the corresponding marble.
Like some other catalysts, the crimson heart had multiple paths or specializations of vampires. These marbles each represented the three pathways of the vapiric constitution.
The base vampires, represented by the red marble, specialize in blood and loose the ability to use shadows. takes the form of a draconic bat.
Serpentine vampires, represented by the black marble, specialize in shadows and loose the ability to use blood and mist. takes the form of a feathered serpent.
And lastly, the Mist meisters, represented by the white marble, specialize is mist and water vapor, loosing the ability to use shadows. takes the form of a large moth.
I thought for a moment.
'Which should choose?'
After a while of contemplation, something strange happened. The other marbles faded away, leaving only the white one.
'What?'
I frowned and tried to look for the other marbles, but I couldn't move. No matter how much I tried and forced, I wouldn't budge.
I turned my gaze back to the one marble in my hand, it gray colour seemed to shimmer, its white wisps moving hypnotically, the moths also seemed to call for me. Unconsciously, my hand moved, bringing the marble to my mouth. Not a moment later, I swallowed it.
Regaining control over myself, I realized what I had done.
'Fuck... Shit... FUCK!'
While panicked, I moved swiftly. I quickly landed on the pillar and dropped into a meditative position.
Hoooo...I breathed out and calmed my nerves. I felt the marble melt and fuse into my being. Without rejecting it, I let it course through my body, slowly changing it once again.
After a moment, the fusion process was complete, but I didn't stop the meditation; I continued. The space within the Origin point shook, causing a jolting sensation in my chest. At first, small sparks of light appeared and drifted to me, but over time, the small sparks increased in number, and the slow drifting sped into a rushing tide.
The red glow that had turned white dimmed as the sparks rushed into the cracks, mending them. It took no more than a second for the cracks to fully mend. The sparks then settled on the top of the pillar and began raising it.
The once broken pillar rose high against the unending thread, continuing to climb higher and higher. It covered more and more of the thread as time passed.
It was a monumental event in the space, one of the pillars that would stand tall, holding the realm together and expanding it, was being completed, as such, it rejoiced. The golden waters became unsettled, its waves reaching high, the thread vibrated, and even the realm itself shook; it shook even harder than before.
The commotion put a lot of strain on me; I was struggling to keep focused, to keep the stream going... To prevent imperfections.
'Ah shit'
The first crack had formed, and along with it came a terrible pain.