[Liz's POV]
After consuming the memories Master had shared with me, I found myself utterly overwhelmed. The sheer weight of what I had regained—fragments of a life I thought I had lost forever—brought me to tears. Though he hadn't given me everything, the memories he chose to return were enough to shake me to my core. For so long, I had wandered in darkness, mindless and consumed by primal instincts, only to find myself awakened to a new reality filled with both joy and pain.
As I sifted through the fragments, I couldn't help but cry inwardly, a mixture of happiness and sorrow flooding my being. The memories of my past lives, once filled with unimaginable pain, were also tempered by moments of pure bliss shared with my family and friends. It was almost too much to bear. To think I had been reduced to nothing more than a void beast, trapped in a cycle of mindless survival, only to wake up to this—a second chance.
I will never tire of thanking my Master for what he has done. Through countless turns of regression, he has brought me back time and time again. His actions speak volumes of the trust and value he places in me. It is an honor I do not take lightly, and I vow to remain worthy of that trust.
As I stretched out my massive dragon form, I turned my attention to Master, who sat motionless in the cavern. His breathing was steady, his aura subdued, and it didn't take me long to realize he was in a state of self-induced hibernation. A pang of worry struck me, but I reminded myself that this was how he progressed. Still, there was something I needed to know, something only Prima could answer.
I sifted through my newly reacquired memories, searching for one of the basic techniques Master had once taught me. A simple soul thread would suffice for communication. Focusing on the technique, I sent out the thread, aiming to connect with Prima.
"Liz! Liz!!!"
A voice burst into my mind, jubilant and overflowing with emotion. I could feel Prima's excitement radiating through the thread, along with a deep sense of relief.
"Hello, Prima. It's been a while," I replied, envisioning a smile despite my massive draconic form.
"Thank the heavens you remember! I was so worried you wouldn't!" Prima's voice wavered, and I could almost hear the tears hidden behind her words.
"It's alright," I reassured her, settling my massive frame down onto the cavern floor. My scales, shimmering with the faint glow of stars, moved gently as I shifted. They mesmerized me for a moment, a reminder of the transformation I had undergone. "Master was here, wasn't he? He took care of everything, as always."
Prima sighed, her relief evident. "He did, though you scared me for a bit. I wasn't sure how much of your memory would come back."
"Speaking of which…" I trailed off, glancing at my scales again. "Why am I an Astrae Dragon? I thought I specifically chose a Prime shadow-ice form in the past? Also, isn't that the bloodline species I've always had? What happened here?"
"Ah, well…" Prima began hesitantly, "it's because of your dragon bloodline. You always had it within you, but it's actually a derived bloodline. In the past, you would begin evolving it naturally, and Master would give you that final push into becoming a dragon of your choice. This time, though, he directly manipulated the bloodline using primal mana."
"That sounds… exactly like him," I said with a wry laugh, the realization settling in.
"Exactly. The bloodline he worked with is from a lesser Astrae Dragon, which would typically make you a wyrmling. But knowing Master…"
"He wouldn't settle for anything ordinary," I finished for her, now fully understanding. "So, this is his handiwork again. Of course."
To think I had been carrying such a rare treasure within me all along—a bloodline tied to one of the most revered draconic species across the multiverse. Fate, it seemed, had played its part, though I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry about it.
"Well, given that we're inside the domain of [Existence Embrace], all normal methods went out the window," Prima added with a resigned sigh.
Her words caught my attention. "Wait… what?" I asked, my voice rising slightly in alarm. "Did you just say [Existence Embrace]? That one and only barrier spell?"
"You bet," Prima replied nonchalantly.
Panic surged through me as I stretched out my senses, scanning the cavern with my soul sense. At first glance, it seemed unremarkable—a simple underground space. But the moment my senses extended beyond the immediate area, I was struck by the realization. The flow of time was distorted, the creatures outside moving faster than they should. This was no ordinary space.
"The hell?! Why? Why did he use such a dangerous spell?!" I exclaimed, both shocked and furious.
Prima sighed again, clearly sharing my frustration. "You'll have to ask him when he wakes up. And please, do me a favor—give him a good slap or two while you're at it."
I grumbled, the weight of the situation sinking in. Of course, Master would do something reckless. Using a spell like [Existence Embrace], designed to evade even the most powerful entities in existence, just for training? It was absurd, even by his standards.
"Where's Lorna? Have you all met?" I asked, shifting gears as I thought about Master's first wife and one of my closest friends. With her around, such a dangerous spell would never have been cast unless it had been a do or die situation.
"Get this—he's playing the shadow husband card again," Prima groaned, exasperation clear in her tone.
That explained everything. Reece wouldn't place his life at such extreme risk unless it involved keeping those three women safe. And knowing them, once they found out, his gambles would be the least of his worries.
"What's he even doing in his hibernation?" I asked, settling my chin on my foreclaws.
"No clue. My job is to stabilize his cores, ensure his stats reach demigod levels, and place removable seals on his aura to hide his progress. Anything beyond that? You'll have to ask him."
"I see," I muttered, deep in thought.
If Master was taking such drastic measures, then I couldn't afford to waste this time. I had been granted a second chance—a stronger body, a rare bloodline, and an extraordinary domain where time was ours to command. Staying stagnant as a demigod would be a waste of his effort.
"Well," I began, "for starters, I need to organize the memories he gave me. There's some fascinating information about Astrae Dragons in there that I need to revisit. Plus, my skills and stats are pathetic at SSS+. That won't cut it."
Prima chuckled softly. "Just make sure to wake up occasionally. We've got 900+ more years in here, and it'll get lonely if you're silent the whole time."
"Don't worry," I replied with a faint smile. "I'll check on Master's progress too. The faster we complete our promotions, the sooner we can reach Camila and fix his shadow husband nonsense."
With that, I curled up, my massive form folding neatly as I prepared to dive into my mindscape. Prima's giggle echoed faintly in the background as I closed my eyes, letting myself drift into the endless starry expanse of my inner world.
This time, there would be no darkness, no pain—only progress and the unwavering resolve to make the most of the time we'd been given.