I opened my eyes in an unfamiliar place, it looked like a desolate wasteland covered with ice.
The ice didn't bother me rather it made me wonder if I was finally dead, but the last time it seemed as if I was in the middle of the cosmos but this place was different.
I stood in one place looking everywhere around me wondering where I was.
The sky was a deep shade of grey with the snowflakes fluttering around, looking at the place I could make out that it was a quiet and abandoned land.
But why was I here?
"You went ahead and did what you wanted." I turned around and my eyes went wide.
There stood amid this icy wasteland a girl who seemed like she was the Queen of this place with her long silver-white hair blowing with the wind and her freezing blue eyes fixed on me.
"You-You are..." I gasped.
"Why are you here?" She asked and I couldn't help but feel the shock making my head spin.
This girl was Reina, I was sure of it. It was definitely Reina.
But unlike the ten-year-old girl, this one was older, she almost felt like an adult.
"You... are the real..."
"I asked, what you are doing here?" She demanded coldly and I shook my head.
"Wait, I should be the one asking you that." I spoke up.
"You were supposed to stay with your family, what the hell are you doing in this place?"
"I didn't imagine you to be so dumb." She said making my eye twitch.
"What?"
"I wonder if your intelligence is only present for making plans."
"Hey-"
"The rest of the time it seems like you have no tact whatsoever."
This woman wasn't holding back in roasting me.
"I'm sorry for being so untactful, Miss Oh-So-Great. If you were so inconvenienced because of me then why am I in your place?" I asked crossing my arms at my chest, she fell silent for a moment.
Her face held no other expression except for the one that made it look like her face was made of ice.
"Because you are the one who is capable of carrying out the task." She answered.
"You seem smart enough so, what's the problem? Besides, you're the real Reina anyways."
"I'm not Reina anymore."
"Huh?"
"Souls have no name or obligations of the mortal world. The one currently possessing the body of Reina Aurelius is you," she said pointing her forefinger at me.
"So, you are Reina Aurelius till you live and die."
"But if we are the same then why do you think I'll succeed, have you ever tried to face this? Or have you just dumped your work on me?"
"I have."
She touched her chest, "But, I'm not strong enough to house the kind of strength that is required to save the world."
"Have you at least tried to do it?"
Her eyes grew sharper along with the winds around me.
"I have!" She shouted, "Not once or twice! The attempts have been made several times but each time the selected soul failed."
"Wait... I'm not the first?"
She was quiet, it seemed like she was hurt or maybe she recalled something disturbing with the way her face scrunched up in distress.
"You are the hundredth soul to be chosen for this task." She answered making my jaw drop.
Hundredth... One hundredth?
There were ninety-nine attempts and all failed?!
"You're... kidding me, right?" I asked and she looked at me.
"I'm not. We chose the souls of the greatest minds and strongest people yet, none of them succeeded."
My head was spinning, "None of them?"
"None." She affirmed.
"Then, why do you think I can succeed?"
"Because you've made it till here so far."
"What?"
"Around twenty of them failed to get past the first quest, most of them died at this point."
"Aren't I also dead?" I asked and she fell quiet again.
"You really are dumb."
"Hey, stop calling me dumb!"
"You gained the Supreme Aqua Dragon's blessing, didn't you? That means you also have acquired its Supreme Healing ability. How can you die when you have that?"
It clicked at that time and I couldn't help but feel the need to call myself dumb. She was right.
"Right..."
"Then, there is no need for you to be here, return immediately." She ordered.
"Hey, don't order me around." I snapped.
She sighed and I asked, "Besides, was there anyone who had gone as far as close to the completion?"
She gave a faint nod, "... I did."
"Oh,"
"But that wasn't enough. Unlike you, I didn't get the blessing of the Aqua Dragon. I was too scared so I ran away."
"He was pretty scary." I agreed.
"But, you guys have not only been selecting the souls but also turning the time, right? How are you able to do that?"
"At first, it was only that we were turning the flow of time but then when I realised that I wasn't able to do it, I asked my Patrons to help me select souls who could fulfil this duty properly."
"How many times did you try?" I asked and she avoided my eyes.
"Fifty times by myself." My jaw found its place on the ground again as she said that.
"Fi-Fifty?!"
"These are separate from the other souls that were chosen for this task."
"So... your 50 attempts and the previous 99, you guys..."
They had already done this 149 times and I was not the hundredth but the 150th.
"How are you able to turn back the time?" I asked genuinely concerned about them now.
"I cannot tell you about that."
I sighed, "I know you have had problems with your previous family."
I looked at her my eyebrows furrowing together.
"But, I trust that your new family is nothing like the old one. You will find happiness if you give them a chance and I know you won't regret it."
I ran my hand through my hair as it slightly irritated me, she and even the Patrons were saying the same thing. I knew I shouldn't be prejudiced and dwell on my past but...
The unhealed trauma and the feeling of abandonment had had its effect on me. I couldn't let go of it so easily.
"You can..." She started speaking again, "Start by taking small steps. You already trust Rune so, just a little bit more and I'm sure Duke Aurelius would be able to open your heart as well."
I stayed quiet after that, I didn't want to talk about it, I knew of my flaws but it was my bad habit that I never worked on them.
I suppose, this time, I needed to work on those things.
"Fine, I'll see what I can do."
And since the first time we met for the first time, her lips curled up and she smiled.
"I'm glad."
I blinked for a moment mesmerized by her beauty and then sighed, there were still other pressing matters and since she was answering so, I guess I should ask the most important question.
"Well, then... What is that 'it' that will destroy the world?"
She flinched at my question and her smile disappeared. I felt as if I had stepped on a landmine.
"Don't ever make the mistake of mentioning 'it' out loud." She snapped and I licked my lips.
"All right..."
I still couldn't understand, my brain would just start making things up from all the novels, mangas and anime that I had consumed.
"I cannot tell you more, it's time you return."
"Hey, wait, I still have a lot of things to ask." I said but the world around me suddenly started fading.
"I cannot answer any more of your questions."
"At least tell me some things about the future!" I shouted as I felt myself floating away, I flailed my arms trying to get a hold of her.
"Your future is in your hands, it will become as you shape it." She said as she reached out to me.
"I could only wish you for the best."
My fingertips barely brushed against her skin and before I could make sense of everything I felt my senses and the sounds of the sniffling and the scent of burning wood and medicine filled my nostrils.
I grumbled lightly as I felt the stiffness in my body and I heard a familiar voice calling the name which was associated with my present existence.
"Reina?"
I opened my eyes and slowly pushed myself up feeling his large hands hold my shoulders and back.
"Take it easy." He mumbled and I waved my hand dismissively.
My body was already starting to feel refreshed as if I had awoken from a good night's sleep.
"I'm fine." I spoke feeling no pain or anything in my body.
I looked up to see the pink haired man looking down at me with pinched lips and cold eyes.
There was no one else in the room besides me and Silas, it seemed as if it was late at night and the room was warmed up because of the fire that was burning in the hearth.
"Where's everyone?" I asked.
He sighed as he reached out and touched my forehead.
"Your temperature is back to normal."
"Hm?"
I was slightly confused, the Archmage seemed really concerned but I didn't feel anything.
"You used up almost all of your mana, Reina." He said, "Why did you do that?"
"Why?... There was no other choice."
He sighed deeply again as he sat down on the edge of the bed looking down at me before he shoved his hand in his trousers's pocket and pulled out the brooch showing it to me.
"I found it on one of the goons that were hit by your Frost Explosion." He answered as he placed the brooch in my hands.
"We were looking for you as soon as you were lost, the Duke contacted me and as soon as I felt your mana I teleported to you... But I guess I was late."
I looked down at the brooch and then sighed.
"Are those people safe?" I asked and he nodded.
"They are at a safe place for now and your father is looking after the aftermath of it all."
"Can you tell me what happened?" I asked.
Silas explained me of the time after I got kidnapped; Rune, Duke Arthur and everyone were busy looking for me when they got to know that someone who worked under Count Stanson was seen carrying a child in the alley.
They didn't waste time after that and called the other knights to look for me. Silas managed to track me down till the place of the auction but after that he couldn't do anything until he felt my mana again.
The Duke's knights had seized the place and the human trafficking racket was exposed
Count Stanson was under custody and this time maybe he wouldn't only be spared by losing a little of his fortune.
I, on the other hand after the explosion, was asleep for the whole day with my body as cold as ice. The room was warmed in attempt to bring up the temperature of my body.
"It's a miracle that you survived." Silas said and I nodded.
Indeed, if I wasn't the Dragon's Scion then I might have died.
"I want to see the people who were with me." I said and Silas looked a bit hesitant.
"Can you take me?" I asked and he sighed.
"Fine, but not now, it's quite late. Rest some more, I'll take you there in the morning."
"All right."
Silas left the room after that to inform everyone that I had awoken and I opened the notification that was flashing before me for a while.
[Quest Completed.]
[Rescue the victims from being sold as slaves.
Rewards received: Unlocking of Supreme Aqua Dragon's Magic.]
[Description: Supreme Aqua Dragon's Magic enables the chosen one to use the Dragon's supreme abilities of Water Manipulation and Healing to the full extent. Based on the capability of the user the Dragon's Mana will also enhance the physical attributes and provide strength and passive healing skill in times of crisis.
Since Dragons are the beings who can control and rule mana, the user will also be allowed to have a smooth control over the mana not only inside the body of the user but also the mana in the surroundings. But that would only be unlocked when the user has achieved a higher level compatibility with the Dragon's Mana and the better understanding of the Mana in itself.
The Dragon's Scion is also capable of unlocking the Dragon transformation when they reach at the ultimate level. If the transformation is rushed it could lead to life-threatening results.]
With this, I could say I had unlocked all of the Magic that I had, now I just had to hone my skills and grow stronger.