Exhaustion. That was what they felt, their energy forces were almost depleted. They had made up a choice, the child get to stay, but they needed to bring the child out of the ice first. The process was exhausting, somehow the ice was repelling their magic and swallowed their energy forces that was being released. Muqing suggested they crack opened the ice using magic and try to reached out to the child using their forces. The sucking of the energy forces was unexpected but nevertheless, the child did responded.
They could feel the child's energy and emotions running within.
The child thought was overwhelming the women, as their emotions was somehow connected. It was a torture for them but they could only endured. They could feel the emotions in the child mind as clear as the day. The child was trying to reached out to the outside world, and they tried to welcomed the child with their own voices. The magic being repelled was because it was the mechanism defense. The child wanted to come out but was afraid to do so.
"Don't force your magic in, let it naturally flow. Your compulsion intimidate the child." Muqing stated as he glanced at Kobaru. He also took part in unshackling the child from the binding, when he first linked with the child's mind, he was caught unprepared by the tides of emotions swirling within the child, he could see clearly much more than some other did, it was overwhelming him. It was so calm, that left him felt somewhat agitated, he could feel the child's longing–on what it was, he could guessed. He felt what the child had felt, and saw everything the child had saw. It was freezing cold, desolated and so detached.
"The child is hesitating," Asuna sighed. She caress the edge of the ice sculpture, feeling the coldness on the tip of her fingers her sigh deepened. "The child won't let us in. What should we do?"
At this moment, Muqing brows furrowed. His expression that had always been serious, had a trace of anxiety. He waves his hand hand a glow of white light flashed–circling the sleeping child. He then turned to crowds, returning their ferocious gazes of his own.
"Gather together! This child is giving in! If this keep up the child will succumb to eternal slumber!" The urgency was evident in his action, he scrambled to the side of the the child, placing both his hand on top of it. The others behind placed their hands on top of the person in front of them while the foremost front gripped their hands together and put it on the ice sculpture.
"Servants! Bring the children here, quick!!"
"Muqing?"
"Right now, this child is slowly giving in, we need to show this child that–the world outside is colorful. Show the child our memories especially the children's, with this the child perhaps would be willing to leave the confinement and then would the child let us unseal the binding."
With this statement from Muqing, they condensed their energy and magic directing it towards the crystal blue oval shaped sculpture. Their memories flashes inside their mind, scenes after scenes, and voices after voices were concentrated towards the child. They spoke up their mind, they showed how their lives had been, their emotion were jumbled.
'Child, why don't you come with us?'
'Child, you will never be alone again. Why don't you come out?'
'Little child, what do you think? Life here is definitely better.'
'We can play if you come out.'
When all the children came in, they group together and did the same, they had been informed about what they should do while the why's would be answered later. Their magic were still too weak even if they helped using magic, it would be of no help, so they focused more on their energy forces. They shared their childhood days and warm of having a family. They also expressed their feeling of wanting the child to come and play with them.
'Little baby, come out and play with us!'
'I'll share my sweets with you!'
'Let's play!'
'Mama said sleeping for too long are not good! Hurry up and wake up!'
'Little child, I don't who you are, but do know that my entire family are wishing for you to come out.'
'Why don't you come out? It's so lonely inside, we can play how much we want if you agree to come out.'
'Daddy said to come out.'
Kousei, Asuna, Kanneki, Kei, Hinata, Kobaru, Muqing and some other on the front most, there are visible frost on the tips of their fingers, slowly freezing the other part of their hands. But they stayed their ground and firmly placed their hands together, as if wanting to pushed the ice away.
With a last pushed of magic, a resounding of something breaking was heard, but surprisingly the sculpture was still intact. Not even a scratch visible. They opened their eyes and were glancing at each other in confusion with the exception of Muqing. He revealed a small smile as he let out a small breath of relief.
"That's expected. It was the sound of the seal being broken. Now, we can directly op— oh?"
The frozen ice had been cut clean horizontally unknowingly. Now that it was already cut opened, they don't need to give out extra effort. They rejoiced as they give each other a pat and smiles joyously. They pulled their hands off the cold surfaces of the crystal ice and wrapped their hands in their energy forces, warming it up. Hinata, Kei's wife, took hold of her husband arm and pulled him as she moved a bit closer towards the still frozen child. Hinata shook her husband arm as she gazed at him then back at the frozen ice. Her meaning was obvious.
She couldn't hide her anticipation, as her eyes continued to stare at the translucent glassy ice straight towards the still closed eyes child. Her husband, could no longer stand seeing her like this, immediately wave his hand and a glow lifted up the upper part of ice before settling it down gently on the floor. Hinata stretched out her hands towards the bum naked little child, and hold the child close to her bosom in while discretely checking the child sex system.
"Dear," she called out for her husband. "It's baby girl ~!" She squealed and pulled her husband as she gently shove the baby into his embraced with a hopeful expression etched on her beautiful faces.
"What are you thinking, honey?" He break out into cold sweat. That expression, he knew it well, that was the expression she will expressed when she wanted something, that was sometimes close tp impossible.
'What does she wants now!?'
"Dear, how about, we keep the child?"
"But she's already staying?" He smiles in relief. That's it? That's fine! It was already decided that the child would stay anyway.
"No, let's adopt her."
"...Honey?"
"But, didn't we already have Neo, Himari, Tomoe and Tousuke?" If she wanted more babies, they could always make more... Right? He stared at the bare bum little baby in his arms, she looked so peacefully sleeping.
"Daddy! I want little sister!" A little boy enthusiastically yelled as he circled his father's legs.
"Daddy, I also want." A little girl spoke. She stood next to her mother as she gazed at the baby.
"Oy, first can't you wrap the baby in warm clothes?" Kanneki interjected. He scrunched his handsome face, clearly displeased.
"Oh oh, servant, come bring some clothes."
"So, will you adopt her?" Kobaru asked.
"Let's talk about the adoption later, Kei bring the child to me." Muqing said. He received the little child with gentleness, the others crowded near him.h
"Something the matter, Muqing?"
"The child is still asleep. We need to wake her up. She had been unbind but her soul is still asleep. Close your eyes, feel it and reach out to her." He guided a fragment of their soul to gently called out to her, guiding her towards the light amids the darkness.
'Wake up child. Follow the light.'
Slowly but steady, the child followed, it was a short yet seemed long journey. Amidst the silent, the heard a soft whimpered. It was soft but it seemed loud to them. They turned towards the little child expectantly, there in the arms of Muqing, the baby was stirring. Hinata quickly lay her arms out towards Muqing, asking to hold the child. It was amusing sight to see. They laughed along seeing how eager Hinata was.
"Child, wake up~" She cooed, eyes looking excitedly. "Wake up, don't you want to play with big brothers and sisters?"
The little child stirred again as she cuddled closely towards Hinata bosoms. Her soft little hands clutched Hinata's shirt.
"Maaaama?" The soft voice called out to her and she froze. She turned to look at her husband, eyes widened.
"D–dear? Did you heard it?"
"En, she's calling you."
"Dear! She called me maaaama!"
"Yes yes she did." He couldn't help but laughed. He hold his eldest son and second child hand as they strode towarda Hinata.
"Come, let's see your little sister." He said in between his chuckles. "Himari, let's greet you little sister."
"Mn, daddy."
"Come dear, let's us see her too."
"Mn, hurry hurry, I think she's going to open her eyes soon."
Hinata lowered her body so that her little ones could see their little sister too, but it was simply too tiring that in the end she chose to directly sat on the floor while Kei crouch beside her.
"There, dear, the child is—" Her words stuck in her throat, as she stared at the opened eyes of the little child. Those eyes were still in a dazed, looking around it before stopping at Hinata.
"Silver.. Silver eyes?"