He tried to look calm as possible, but Luce can not do it when he sees his suffering. His body trembled in anger and guilt as he closed his eyes, hoping that Luke will get better if he does.
"I tried to send my own gracia to him, but his body will just absorb it endlessly and it will cause him more suffering. His body is like a pot that is being made while constantly being filled with water even though it's not completely molded yet. If you pour him more gracia, his body will collapse and he will be crippled.", he said while gritting his teeth.
Levi was taken aback and remorsefully blamed himself for what he did to Luke, who was like a grandson to him, even made him suffer more pain. "If Luce hadn't arrived here in such a hurry, I could've made the situation direr.", he thought regretfully.
He then kowtowed and slammed his head on the concrete floor, startling Feng and Nora, leaving a huge crack from where his head landed. "This is all because of my incompetence... Please punish me as you please, Your Majesty!", he exclaimed in a hushed voice. Even though his relationship with Luce was like a foster father and son, now that he turned his blood into that of a demon, he had to show his loyalty to the royal family.
"No, it's not your whole fault, old man... Truthfully, it was I who is at fault here. Lily and I felt my son's gracia fluctuating for the first time earlier and we were both so happy. Thinking that his gracia will awaken normally, I let this situation to happen. There's no need to blame yourself.", Luce waved his hands and helped Levi sit up.
Nora could hear Luke's heavy breathing as he suffered from pain in his upper body parts. It calmed her earlier a little when Luke stopped having seizures. She was still supporting Luke's head using her lap and gently caressing his hair to make Luke, or rather, herself calm.
"Father... it hurts. I feel like my heart will explode.", Luke said, barely even making a sound.
"Don't worry, your mom is making her way here, so please injure it a bit more.", Luce told his son in a pleading tone.
Luce looked like he was going to cry in any moment as he stared at his son's condition. Using gracia to heal him will be useless, and Luke's body, for some reason, rejects Luce's gracia. "Hurry up, Lily..." He thought.
"Ku...kuku.. Kuhahaha!! Seeing your hopeless face makes me tremble in joy, you useless father! Your just letting your son suffer in front of you. What a great seen!", echoing inside his mind, the voice of the being who conversed with Luce when he was in the void made him flinch.
Luce's mind was put to a sudden feat of rage, his thoughts worked so fast that he immediately suspected that this being was the reason Luke's gracia was going out of control. "You..!", Luce met with him in his mind.
As he transferred his consciousness in his mind, Luce saw the restriction that he left still in perfect condition. However, the being that he talked to was now in a form of a human.
The white-haired devil snickered evilly, "What? Did you miss me?"
"What did you do to my son, you bastard?!" Luce released all his killing intent and directed it all towards the white-haired devil out of anger. But, as Luce has expected, it was unfazed.
"I told you didn't I? I can always escape here whenever I want. I just found the best time to do it." the devil shrugged.
Luce trembled in angered as he stared at the white-haired devil in front of him. He deactivated the restriction and planned to attack him. "I may be weaker than him, but I can still injure him right. I'll attack him with my full strength and let's see if he can take all of it." Luce thought. He clenched his fists and was about to activate his full star path, but the white-haired devil laughed again at him.
"I better not do that if I were you. Right now, me and your son are connected, body and soul. If you were to attack me foolishly, the one who will suffer will be your son!" The devil grinned at him, confidence never leaving his face.
"What..." The void space in Luce's mind was created as a dark place with nothing to be seen. Yet his vision turned even more dark as when he heard the devil's voice. "That's absurd! How! Why now?! I thought you said to me that I still have five years..." Luce began.
"That, I said. But the ones pulling the strings above have decided to speed up the plans. The gods are getting impatient, oh, yes they all are. And now, your son will be the chosen to go against them." The devil said.
"You're still too weak to change your own fate, Luce. Even more for your son's... give it up. Let him decide what he wants in the future. I'll take care of his body as soon as I finished baptizing it." The white-haired devil's words were like poison in Luce's mind. He was left hopeless on saving his son from the schemes of the strong.
Luce just clenched his fists until it bled, and his knees lost the strength to even stand up. "I'm still weak... In the end, I could not change my fate." Luce thought. Then he looked up to stare at the white-haired devil who was showing a satisfied face, "Will he still be himself? Will he remember us?", Luce asked the devil.
"Of course..."
"Dear!!", Luce heard Lilith's voice from the outside of his mind and left the void. He stared at his wife's face blankly and started to cry.
"Our son... He...", Luce couldn't make a whole sentence as he was stunned by truth of the world; 'The strong eats the weak.' But, he saw MInerva and Gargamel that were both trying their best to ease Luke's pain.
"Don't worry, Dear. Luke's going to be fine. His awakening was just aggressive, I was also like that." Lilith tried to calm Luce down, but she was clearly also very worried about her son. She exaggerated about the fact that her awaken was also like Luke's, but her awakening was still aggressive.
"My Queen, Prince Luke's body rejects our gracia. Even if we help each other heal His Highness, it will not matter. We need more gracia to use.." Gargamel told them, not completely saying his intentions to not overstep. Seeing his masters suffer like this, he could not stand to embarrass them more.
"So, what do you suggest, High General?" Lilith asked him.
"We need to go outside the barrier. The barrier blocks most of the gracia outside so that the pressure will not burden our people. We need to get him outside." This time, it was Luce who spoke. His face shows that this was not his idea at all, in fact, it was the white-haired devil's speech; 'Take him outside the barrier that protects your people in harms way. It will speed up the process of Luke's baptism', he said.
Lilith looked at her husband's face with confusion, then turned to irritation. She approached Luce closely until they could hear each other's breath, "I'm not letting my son out the barrier unprotected. What came into your mind that you wanted to take him outside?" Lilith asked seriously.
"Trust me, Lily. It will work..." Luce stared back at her with a serious and determined face. HIs purple eyes reflected on her ruby red eyes.
"Sigh... I believe you. Go. Take the Prince outside the barrier." Lilith ordered, and the two obeyed.
"I will carry him, Lily. Just cool your mind and stay beside us. I promise you, it will work." Luce said, hiding his guilt. Lilith just nodded and exited the room to make way for them.
"Grandpa, will you go with the King, too?" Feng tugged Levi's robe.
"I must go, too, child. I'm the King's aid."
"Then, can I go, too?" Feng pleaded, even though he knew that his request will be rejected.
Levi shook his head and patted Feng's shoulder, "You should stay here and make the girls behave well. Keep the fort for me while I'm gone... Can you do that instead?" Levi smiled.
Feng put his head down and felt dejected, but not quite as he thought he would feel. "Mmm... I'll go watch over them in your place." Feng nodded and put on a smile to look like he was not disappointed.
"That's a good boy." Levi smiled and exited the room behind Luce who was carrying Luke. Nora followed behind him.
The children waiting outside the library saw the adults exit the building with Luke and were strictly told to stay put. They were confused just like the adults who saw Luke suddenly passing out in front of them.
"What happened inside?! What did General Gargamel say?"
"Was Luke okay? I hope he is okay..."
"Where are they taking Luke?"
"What was the feeling being inside a room with the royal family?"
"Were you left out, too, Brother?"
Feng was bombarded with questions from his friends and sister as soon as he got out from the library. He could feel their worries about Luke as they questioned him. Then he waved his hands that made them back away. "Luke's going to be okay. He has Lady Minerva and High General Gargamel healing him with all their might. Grandfather's also with them to help. As for where they're taking him, I heard they are taking him outside the barrier?" Feng wasn't sure about the specific place they were taking Luke so he just guessed where, from what he heard.
"The outside? But, why there?" Mimi tilted her head and asked.
"I'm not sure as well. My knowledge about the outside was not that accurate."
"I heard there were many star beasts lurking there if you go any deeper." Earl added, his father told him that only [Demi-god] and [Saint] ranked warriors can freely roam the inner ring of Desolate Zone.
Everyone other than Jed and Mir had been outside once and had little knowledge about it. They all thought to work harder and get strong fast so that they can finally have their star souls awakened and go venture around the outside world. Except Mizu, everyone had already awakened their gracia and use it, this made the former be more motivated.
"I must work harder so that I will not be a burden to everyone. I must catch up to them!" Mizu clenched her little fists in the air with determined look on her face. She secretly did it so that everyone will not see her doing something silly, but Feng saw her and thought it was cute.
"Don't rush and just do what you do best, Mizu. Mom and I will be with you until you can awaken your gracia and have your own star soul. Grandfather will also fully support you." Feng patted his little sister's head gently. She was a timid child and was always shy about showing her emotion.
Mizu just blushed a little and hid her flushed cheeks behind her silky long black hair. She fondled her finger against her white dress that was slightly below her knees.
Feng felt pleased to see her showing her emotion openly like this outside their house. Their mother is the Shamaness of the Sanctuary, and, just like Mizu, she doesn't like showing her face in public. Only Feng encouraged his mother and sister to socialize more with the people even if it was not necessary for them show their faces like gatherings and events in the Sanctuary.
He was glad when he heard that his Grandfather, who he only remembers from his memories entered the Sanctuary and lives with them now. Having a family was the best feelings that a person could have. Feng hoped that this precious friends and sister of his can have their own families in the future and live happily with their loved one.
"Alright guys... Lord Levi said that I am in-charge until he comes back. Now then, let's go back inside and continue the lessons." Feng said while smiling to his friends who were happily fooling around the library now.
"Ehhh...?!" They all exclaimed in despair. That smile of Feng indicates that his sadistic teachings will definitely burn all their brain cells until the lesson ends and until it's time for them to have their combat training.