During the encounter of Iliana and the dark entity within Alina's dark core. Orpheus and the others are doing their all in order to give Alina enough divine magic within her, to have Asher destroy the core that's spreading dark magic within Alina.
As Iliana battles her opponent. Orpheus and his sons are also fighting their exhaustion from using allure vision and Abel is doing his very best to relieve them from tiredness.
"Alina's hair...why is it changing to black?" Aelius asked. Her hair is turning black rapidly, and it's already reaching almost her shoulders. She stopped groaning, but her complexion is still weak. She's still paler than usual, and her lips are drying.
"It means that the dark magic within her have already caught up with her mana core, slowly eating it away," Asher spoke. None of the four family members respond, and Asher noticed how the atmosphere changes.
"I thought it's just a little bit more?" Orpheus asked.
"That's right, Your Majesty. So, there's no need to worry. Once we've got enough, the Princess will be fine right away. I'll make sure to do so," Asher explained.
As they continue with their tasks, Iliana and the black lady fights within Alina's consciousness. Asher can feel the collision of dark magic and light magic, and realizes what's happening inside the dark core where Alina is trapped.
'You've really come, huh. Iliana,' Asher smirked and snickers. Causing everyone to turn their heads to the Astra who's been making eerie expression since earlier as if he's torturing someone inside his mind and is enjoying it.
"Brother?" Abel asked.
Asher faced Orpheus, like a proud person.
"Is there something you want to say, Astra?" Orpheus asked. Asher tilt his head, not taking off the smirk on his face.
"Looks like your Empress is doing her best in there," Asher said. Causing surprised emotion within the Emperor and his sons.
"What...what are you saying?!" Diellzain asked. Glaring at the magician.
"Why are you mad, Third Prince? I'm simply saying that your mother is helping your sister. Look at the necklace that the Princess is wearing," Asher secretly snap his fingers, to let everyone see the necklace he's been keeping other people from seeing.
"It's glowing...blinking? The light is?" Diellzain asked confusedly.
"What do you mean by that?" Helios asked. Their mother being mentioned increased their hopes even more. Now knowing that the late Empress is with Alina, they felt a huge relief.
"Once this necklace glows even more, that means they've successfully defeated the enemy within the dark core that's been keeping the Princess within its grasp," Abel explained. Aelius creased his forehead.
"Enemy?" He asked.
"That's right, Your Highness. I sensed something besides the Princess within that dark core, so we're sure that she wasn't alone. However, there is no need to worry, as the Empress is taking care of it," Abel smiled at them. His smile was enough for the people within the room to feel more courage within them. Now that Iliana is part of the picture, Orpheus felt even more encouraged.
"Abel, can you check what's happening within her consciousness right now?" Asher asked. Abel nod his head once and activated his stella vision. Abel's face lit up when he saw huge amount of divine mana, with the dark particles slowly getting taken over.
"Brother, it's time!" And right after Abel said those words, a light appeared from the necklace that Alina is wearing. It produced a small ball of light and then exploded, covering the whole area within the barrier. After a few seconds, it turns back to a ball of light and steadily float towards the Princess' forehead.
It touched Alina and her body glowed, and the black part of her hair slowly fades away like its being dissolved into thin air.
"Her hair's turning back...!" Diellzain said with a smile on his face.
"Thank you for your hard work, you can stop releasing magic now. I'll take over," Asher walk towards where Orpheus is standing. The four of them turned off their allure vision and stopped releasing magic, following Asher's order, as the Astra stands on Orpheus' location a while ago.
"Abel, come here. You make sure the Princess is in a good condition while I control the mana within her. Tell me if my power is affecting the Princess," Abel nods his head and walk to the area where Aelius was standing just a while ago, which is on Alina's right side.
Asher pressed his index and middle fingers to Alina's forehead, and when he did that he immediately located where the dark core is. Once he located it, he used his telekenisis skill to control the divine mana within the princess. It doesn't repel his hand away, because he is not distributing divine mana to Alina, but is only using a skill. The divine mana within the princess formed a round shape, and when it is being compared to the dark core above Alina's mana core, it's size is massive.
Asher used this divine mana and slowly move it towards the dark core, and right after the dark core touched the divine mana. It slowly dissolves.
Causing Alina's body to produce dark smokes.
"What is it now?" Helios asked when he saw the black smoke that's being released by the body of their princess. Abel quickly entered his hand to the barrier and gathers the dark smokes to the direction of his palm.
Every smokes that leaves Alina's body is gathering towards Abel's direction, creating a ball as they touch each other.
"Worry not, Your Highness. These are the particles of the dark core within the Princess that is being dissolved by the divine mana, turning it to smokes to get it out from the body," Abel explained. Everyone stayed quiet, as the smoke continue to leave Alina body.
On the other hand, After Iliana disappeared. Alina started walking to follow the golden string that's attached to her index finger. Despite the darkness, she's not afraid anymore. Because she knows that the enemy is already gone.
As she walks, she heard a familiar voice.
"Tsk! Can't you see I am doing something right now?!" Alina turns her head to the place where the voice came from and she saw herself there standing behind a black-haired young man, sitting on a couch with a girl beside her.
'Doing something...?' The little girl thought as she saw her brother getting all flirty with the girl beside him.
"Clara! I told you to wash all these dishes, right?!" A middle-aged woman throw a porcelain plate towards the little kid, hitting her head, causing her to black out.
Alina sighed after seeing what happened.
'I planned to finish my assignments first before doing the dishes though...and when I woke up that, I was still lying on the floor, with the dried blood on my forehead...' Alina thought shaking her head.
"Are you stupid?! There's still dusts here!" 'Those are your son's doing,'
"F*ck it! I told you! Don't show yourself to the visitors!" 'It was because your child told me that you called for me,'
"Hey! Did you do my assignment yet?!" 'Why would I? I had to finish my projects first. But I still did it despite not knowing what it is about,'
Different scenes from Alina's past can be seen as she continue to walk. She smiled, seeing all those sufferings she had from her past life. She chose not to look at it anymore, but she can still see it from her peripheral vision. She focused on the string in front of her and prevent herself from crying.
"That's not my sister,"
"Can you see how despicable her looks is? That thing is not related to us at all,"
"I think she's dad's daughter from other woman, hahaha!"
Alina sighed, preventing herself from tearing up. Because she knows that crying over the past is something that is not worth her time now.
'I've got new family now. There's no reason for me to get affected by all those people.' Alina thought as she face ahead. Looking at her only goal, which is to reach the end of this long darkness.
Her past memories continue to flash on both her sides, but she chose to ignore all of it. Remembering her mother's words, to not get caught up by the memories of the past. That's her focus right now.
"Clara!"
"Clara! Do this!"
"Clara! You're really stupid!"
"You made my assignment wrong! Ugh!"
"That Clara, won't you just throw her away?"
"CLARA!"
Alina closed her eyes and covered her ears.
'Alina Devi de Ciera. You are not Clara anymore. You are Alina,' Alina thought as she look ahead. She saw a small light far away from her direction, and a shimmer of hope starts to build up from her chest.
She started running towards it.
As she run. She can hear voices from behind her.
"Clara! Come back here!"
"Why did you leave us?!"
"You're with us!"
Alina did not look back and continued running towards the direction of the small light. The string started floating, and Alina felt it trying to pull her with it. She looked at the floating string and did her best to run. Despite the noises that are calling for her behind, as if it was chasing her. She refused to look back, just like what her mother said.
'Ahead...just look ahead,'
Alina thought. Staring at the light.
'I know I'll reach that light if I keep going. Just keep going,'
---
"Brother, just keep going. The Princess is starting to have colors now, unlike earlier when she was so pale," Abel mumbled. Asher did not answer him and just continued with his task.
"Ali..." Diellzain whispered. He looks really worried, and can't help but to walk beside Alina. He can feel the exhaustion due to using allure vision for too long, but his hopes are high that he can ignore those tiredness.
"Come back to us, Ali," Aelius spoke, with a soft tone of voice. Looking at his sister with worried, yet hopeful expression.
"We're waiting for you. Do you best in there, Ali," Helios said, his face full of determination and hope. Orpheus gulped as he watches Alina's body releasing dark smoke.
"Don't lose hope, Ali. We're here with you...and please tell your Mom, I already missed her so much," Orpheus prevents his voice from cracking as he said those.
Alina, on the other hand, can hear their encouraging voices that she ended up tearing up.
'This is my family...they are my family. Those gentle and soft tone of voices...I want to hear it for the rest of my life...'
Alina sniffles as tears run down her cheeks. Her heart felt like it's burning, and her body feels light and strong. The voices of her new family takes over the past memories, and now she can run without any fear from the voices that are chasing her.
'I am Alina Devi de Ciera. The Second Princess of the Ciera Empire. Iliana and Orpheus' daughter. Heli, Aeli, and Zain's youngest sister,'
***