That Gideon though! I would really like to bust his head before I leave! I genuinely don't care about getting expelled. I would have smashed his head the first day I saw him! If Lucy weren't to scold me for making things hard for her, he's dead meat!
Come to think of it! It was Lucy who told me about this place. How did she know that such a place existed? A place where irregulars are not monitored, and you can easily make money!
Is her knowledge boundless? Lucy is as mysterious as ever! I can never guess what she is thinking about! I don't even know a lot about her.
I don't know her origins, or what her level is. But after interacting with her for all of these years, I can confidently say that she is an S-rank mana beast at least! Her control over magic is flawless, even her element affinity is vague!
It's certainly fire, but not like any fire! Her fire attribute is cold! She rarely uses any magic, but nothing that fire touches remains alive, even rocks dissolve! I've never seen such magic. It's elegant and terrifying! Will anything survive if it gets hit by that fire? I doubt even S-rank beasts can withstand such power!
She said that I may die from the pressure around that fire only! Since I'm not even a mage yet. She only showed me the shadow of that fire and I fainted from the pressure after mere seconds! I also can't feel the depth of her power since I am not a mage. If I had a mana core I'd probably feel it but alas!
Approaching the east forest, I climbed on some branches, found a good spot and scouted the environment around!
Something is off!
Lucy confirmed that no mana beast was going to step into her territory! For the past few years, I haven't even seen birds! So why do I feel like something is here? For anything to land a step here, it's either a powerful being or a completely clueless kid who can't sense any mana fluctuations!
This eerie aura makes me extremely uncomfortable. I gotta hurry up to see what's going on! Jumping from one branch to another, I closed the distance to the cave real quick. My physical abilities have improved quickly in these past few weeks! Getting close, I could see a bit of the place where our cave is located between the dense trees!
DOOM!!!
I felt blood freezing in my knees! I couldn't move! Why? Pressure built up on my shoulders forcing me to fall! I felt as if I was being crushed by a mountain!
W-What's happening? The next thing I saw was the ground hitting my face at tremendous speed! What is this terrifying aura? I can't even lift a finger!
Gritting my teeth, I gathered every strength I could muster just to lift my chin! Looking through the trees, the whole place was buried in ruins! Dust covered the whole place. I couldn't see anything!
BOOM! BAM! BOOM! Someone is fighting!
"LUCY!!!" I screamed in terror! Where? Where is she? Who is she fighting? Some of the dust has dissipated. I can see someone floating in the air!
A humanoid form, with a dark crimson skin, and two black curved horns aimed forward. Wearing a warrior's battle robe made from a luxurious blend of lightweight silk and durable, yet supple, leather. A deep, rich ebony black color adorns the robe. Fine gold threads are intricately woven into the fabric, catching the light and giving the robe an ethereal glow. The sleeves are wide and billowy, allowing for unrestricted movement. A gold thin belt cinches his waist, completing the ensemble with matching embellishments!
Holding a sword made of obsidian-black metal, the edge gives an eerie and dangerous aura. Blood drips from the blade!
THROB!!
THROB! THROB! THROB! I can't hear anything! Shivers run down my spine, my limbs quivering. My eyes are wide open in stark fear! Feeling immobilized by the overwhelming dread. Involuntary screams had escaped my lips! The world became distorted, as I glanced at the beast lying half dead on the ground.
It was Lucy...
My gaze, unfocused and blurry. Lost in the internal storm of emotions! No... No... Please, Lucy... NO!!!
My body moved on its own! I had completely forgotten about the demon. Everything in my sight is solely focused on the injured beast in front of me!
"L-- Lucy!!! Wake up Lucy... Hey, Lucy! I am here, it's me! Lilium! I came back." My hands trembled uncontrollably as I held onto her. My mind struggles to comprehend the reality unfolding before my eyes! A massive hole in her chest, blood seeps through her fur! As she barely opened her eyes, she croaked, "L..Lilium!"
ARGHH! I feel dizzy. What's happening? The environment is changing rapidly. I can see the space's fabric getting ripped apart! It took mere seconds until I found myself in an isolated space! Unyielding brightness! There is nothing but white here. I can see my hands and everything, but my shadows are nowhere to be found! Checking my surroundings, I only came to the conclusion that this is a boundless space!
"Lilium!" As she called my name, a bird-like creature manifested in front of my eyes! This is... No, I only read about them in myths! Lucy is not a wolf mana beast... She's a ...
"L-Lucy?? Y.. You are a Phoenix?" I said gasping.
I know what I'm seeing, how can I not? Flames of divine fire glowing with ethereal purifying white hues, a fire that takes on forms defying the whole natural order. Celestial flames dancing on her outstretched wings, shimmering with hues of pure white plumage that reflect light itself.
Her eyes! Emerald green, a breathtaking symphony of lush green hues that speaks to the grandeur of nature, striking contrasts and harmonies. Eyes that could see beyond and between everything, gleaming with wisdom and otherworldly intelligence! Resplendent, mighty, sleek, and regal body, around ten meters in height, emanating a divine presence.
Sublime beauty! And nothing more!
Yet, I can't believe what I'm seeing right now. My eyes see it clearly, but my mind can't comprehend it! I was lost for words. Her elegance, her presence, her eyes, her wings, I can't describe any of these awe-inspiring traits. It is simply astonishing!
"Now, let's talk, little Lilium!" Her celestial voice left me in awe and reverence!
"We don't have much time, so I'll cut it short for you. First, let me apologize to you! One is for being selfish and making you stay with me in this isolated, deathly place for this long! Seraphim Lucy is my full name. As you can see, I am a Phoenix. A being that shouldn't make contact with humans or any other creature in this realm! That figure you saw back then was one of the Sovereign Eclipse castle's divine guards! As you may have concluded already, I am not from this realm. I fled from the Celestial domain for my own personal reasons. I can't get into much detail as you are weak now."
"Two, I want to apologize again for being selfish one more time. I want you to carry out my wish. I'm willing to entrust you with a task! We Phoenixes are known for our ability to self-reborn. Immortality is one of our abilities, but there is more to it than just that! You'll know at the right time." She said in a hurry.
"I will Lucy! I will carry out any mission, any wish and anything you want me to do! I promise! Just stay with me! I don't know what you did, but we are not in that cursed forest anymore! Let's leave together! Plea-!!" Lucy had pushed on my sternum with her beak, I felt my insides getting torn apart, my whole upper body was aching in severe pain!
Her emerald irises slowly dimming, losing their mighty light! The once sublime, and furious Phoenix seemed to have grown visibly pained and feeble.
I was so confused and surprised, I wanted to ask her about what she did, but I didn't have the chance as she interrupted me!
"Lilium, please! That was my only and last gift to you. In moments, this space is going to dissipate. I am going to teleport you a few kilometers away from this place. That guardian couldn't see you as I used a powerful illusion on him when I noticed your presence. My residue power will only hold him for a few seconds. Head to the cave and pick up the egg that is thrown there. I'll take care of the rest." She said solemnly.
"NO! I-I... I WON'T LET YOU DIE HERE. PLEASE JUST COME WITH ME! I'm begging you..." I begged.
Lucy's face blossomed into such a beautiful smile, "Little Lilium, in the three centuries that I had lived, I never had the chance to be happy, the last four years I spent with you seemed like mere minutes, you were and you will be the happiest thing that happened in my life! I couldn't ask for more as a death wish! I am dying with no regrets, so don't be sad for me! This will only hurt me more. I would never have known how it felt to be a mother if it wasn't for you. You were the first and only person I considered family! Can you be my son and call me mother just this once?"
"I-I... I don't care about all that. I will say it as much as you want! Mother! Mother! Please just come with me!" I held on to Lucy's mystical feathers as I desperately tried to hold her to not leave me.
"Thank you, my son."
As she finished her talk, the space rapidly dissipated, and I didn't feel the dizziness like before. I was sitting on my butt, looking at the demon-like entity in front of me! He was flying in the air. Lucy's shape was still in her wolf body. She was barely moving, throwing white cold fireballs at him non-stop. The entity dodging them smoothly. I looked at him as he unsheathed his sword and made his way toward her.
"NOW!" Lucy roared. The entity panicked. He probably thought that she was trying to unleash a full-blast attack, so he took a defensive stance! I forced myself to stand up. I was sprinting to my fullest, getting into the cave. I saw two white feathers, one wrapped around an obsidian black egg, a few fiery orange and red lines encircled the eggshell. The other feather was casually placed next to it.
I picked them up carefully, trying to examine them. I felt my body getting loose as I held the egg as if I wasn't worthy of holding such a creature. The moment I touched the eggshell, I felt space bending and the fabric of the world getting ripped again. I could see a thousand rainbows, and colors shifting and blending seamlessly while I was traveling at a tremendous speed!
It only took a flinch of an eye, the space was collapsing again, and the usual environment was manifesting. I was falling from a high distance. I bumped into some branches and trunks on my way. But I couldn't have cared more. I felt no pain. I was sure that even if I landed on spikes and jagged rocks, I probably wouldn't have noticed.
I was lying down with my face stuck to the ground. I remained in the same position, with no more tears left to shed.
She was gone.