Chapter 91 - Flame
Cillian's blocking arm slowly, reluctantly, formed a fist and dropped to his side. His gaze averted, unease evident in every line of his body.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡb3MOLwVjjX
I placed my hand in Kyle's, seeing him as nothing more than an uncle figure. He kissed it gently, and from the corner of my eye, I noted Cillian's expression—neutral, completely unbothered.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQ8ix3TyvS
What a two-faced man, I thought bitterly. Just like a two-faced penny. Worthy? No.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCqyh03VlkT
Suddenly, a green light emanated from where Kyle's lips had touched my hand. It enveloped me, causing my black hair to float upward before settling back down as the light faded.
That's when an extraordinary transformation began to unfold. My hair, once a deep midnight black, shifted to a vibrant orange, the color seeming to ripple through each strand like liquid fire. Simultaneously, my eyes metamorphosed, the irises melting from their ruby red hue into a striking Topaz Yellow, mirroring Kyle's own gaze with uncanny precision.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWvAqlyXjV
"Now," Father's voice cut through the air, sharp and expectant. "Ignite your flames." As he spoke, Kyle smoothly stepped aside, clearing the space before me.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcyn9eoxLP2
With a practiced flick of my wrist, I summoned my power, but what emerged was far from what I expected. Instead of the familiar red and orange, emerald green flames burst forth, their otherworldly glow immediately transforming the room. The sunlight streaming through the windows seemed to retreat, plunging the chamber into darkness save for the eerie, beautiful radiance of the green fire. Its light danced across the walls, casting long, fluid shadows that seemed almost alive. Though less intense than my usual flames, there was an undeniable allure to their ethereal glow.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDHlvtK9sJg
Kyle's lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk, while Cillian's expression darkened, his brow furrowing with grave concern.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1IBE5KmSvo
"Higher," Father commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKFj713OvVx
Responding to his order, I raised my arm. The flames surged upward, their beauty intensifying with their growth, filling the room with an otherworldly spectacle.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88pdoY8aOE
"Extinguish," came the next directive.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡW2qmYv1INq
As I lowered my arm, the fire obediently winked out of existence. Sunlight flooded back into the room, the sudden shift in illumination almost jarring after the mesmerizing display of supernatural fire.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ330JACBQEb
Father closed the distance between us with purposeful strides. Before I could react, his hand swiftly brushed my bangs aside, and he placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. The unexpected tenderness of the gesture sent my heart fluttering, a complex mix of emotions surging through me.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡETCdFvv6gh
In that moment of contact, another change swept over me. Light yellow flames sprang into existence, enveloping my form in a warm, golden glow. My eyes shifted once more, this time to a deep ruby red, while my hair retained its vibrant orange hue.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkOlpCAjxQ
Father stepped back, moving to stand beside Kyle. "Try now," he instructed, his voice carrying a hint of anticipation.
I flicked my hand, butterflies dancing in my stomach from the kiss.
Suddenly, yellow flames erupted from my fingertips, their brilliance intensifying the sunlight streaming through the windows. The room was bathed in a golden glow, the flames more vibrant than Kyle's but not quite matching the intensity of my original fire. Strangely, I noticed, neither Kyle's nor Father's flames had produced heat - a stark contrast to the warmth I usually felt from my own power.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeopJ6zLg0s
"Higher," Father commanded, his voice cutting through my observations.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHJ1tQetYd
As I raised my arm, the flames underwent a startling transformation. The yellow hue deepened, shifting to a pure, dark red. The change was so abrupt and intense that the room plunged into darkness, as if the flames had devoured the very sunlight.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNOPD8itTD1
"Extinguish," came the next order.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxZNgV8D1LC
I dropped my arm, the crimson inferno vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhB4TFgy5dM
Father's voice was clinical as he explained, "That's your feeding power. Your flames work according to your igniter's mana ability." He paused, letting the information sink in. "When Kyle ignited you, your flames fed on your brain's energy. When I ignited you, they fed on your body energy."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCRVhKIquHn
A moment of silence followed as I processed this revelation. Then Father's gaze shifted, his eyes moving past me to where Cillian stood. "Next," he announced, a note of challenge in his voice, "Your turn, Valentine."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9k4tTeYidE
My mind reeled. Wait. Is he going to kiss me too? The thought barely had time to form before I felt Cillian's presence behind me.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmHSXuCkgcn
His left hand gently cupped my cheek, turning my face slightly towards him. My heart raced as I felt the warmth of his breath, then the soft press of his lips against my cheek.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa8ay4kO7FK
In that instant, the world exploded.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOxTL2qZSj5
Enormous black flames engulfed me, erupting from every pore. They were unlike anything I had ever experienced or imagined - a void given form, darkness made tangible. The sheer power emanating from these flames was overwhelming, filling the room with an oppressive energy that seemed to bend reality itself.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6Vn3rBHFk
The contrast between this and the previous demonstrations was staggering. Where the others had been beautiful or intense, this was primal, almost terrifying in its raw power.
As Cillian's touch lingered, an overwhelming surge of energy enveloped my heart, its intensity so profound it felt like a cosmic force had taken residence in my chest. The sensation was beyond mere discomfort; it was as if my very essence was being compressed, squeezed by an invisible vise that threatened to crush my being.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhNfjLnQn5z
My chest constricted with an agonizing pressure, each breath becoming a laborious struggle. My heartbeat, once a steady rhythm, now slowed to an alarming crawl. Each beat resonated through my body with a thunderous, hollow echo, the pauses between growing longer and more terrifying. Every sluggish pulse felt like it might be the final one, my life hanging precariously in the balance with each agonizing thud.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLcNWxNPfr0
The disconnect between my lethargic heart and the rest of my body was profoundly disorienting. While my heart seemed to be winding down like a dying clock, the rest of me buzzed with an electric, frenetic energy. This jarring contrast sent shockwaves through my nervous system, causing my brain to spin and twitch erratically. Thoughts became fragmented, memories and sensations blurring into an incomprehensible whirlwind.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡInetJn3T1H
I teetered on the precipice of consciousness, my awareness flickering like a candle in a storm. The world around me seemed to stretch and distort, time losing all meaning. What might have been seconds felt like eons, each moment expanding into an eternity of sensation and confusion. I was suspended in a liminal space, neither fully present nor completely gone, trapped in a twilight realm between awareness and oblivion.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOWY2yMHvKe
The experience was terrifying yet oddly transcendent, as if I was touching the very fabric of existence itself. Every fiber of my being screamed in protest, yet I was helpless to do anything but endure this cosmic assault on my senses.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJJ9vb7b77u
Then, as suddenly as it began, time snapped back into motion. My gaze dropped, a semblance of calm washing over me. But before I could fully process what had happened, the air crackled with magical energy.
*POOF*
"LUMI!" a familiar voice cried out. I lifted my gaze to see Veles rushing towards me, with Myla and Mylo close behind. All three were covered in blood, their appearance a stark contrast to the pristine training ground.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaxRRpj7d27
Veles reached me first, his hands cupping my face with a gentleness that belied his bloodied state. Without hesitation, he pressed a kiss to my forehead. The effect was immediate - my hair returned to its vibrant orange, my eyes shifting to zircon blue. My body stabilized, feeling like my own again. I let out a deep, balanced sigh, relief flooding through me.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUg1mGbo9K
As Veles stepped back, Myla and Mylo launched themselves at me, enveloping me in a tight embrace. Myla's tears soaked into my shoulder, while Mylo's grip was firm and reassuring.
"A territorial conflict erupted among the animal shapeshifters," Veles explained, his weary eyes meeting mine. His voice carried the weight of recent struggles, hinting at the chaos they had just escaped.
The revelation hit me like another physical blow. So this is where they've been, I thought, a complex cocktail of emotions swirling within me. Relief that Veles hadn't been with Rudbeckia, guilt for my unfounded suspicions, and concern for what they must have endured.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNP4F9hATQ
As I processed this information, Helios's cold voice sliced through the air like a blade:
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXwYaozLDo5
"Once you've concluded your...touching reunion," he drawled, each word dripping with disdain, "I suggest you remove yourselves. The stench of battle clings to you like a second skin. It's most...unpleasant."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycLdc4iddv
Before I could muster a response to this callous dismissal, Cillian's voice, low and dangerous, interjected:
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoTvRV9XPK8
"How curious, Your Majesty," he said, his tone deceptively casual but laced with venom, "that you find the aftermath of their noble efforts so offensive, yet seem blind to your own glaring lack of basic courtesy. Perhaps it's not their scent that's the true affront here."
Helios remarked, "Learn to keep your mouth shut, Valentine."
Cillian's eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in their depths. His voice was deceptively calm, but laced with venom as he responded:
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6yXFqLBwA
"And you should learn when to open yours, Your Majesty. Your words carry weight - perhaps it's time you carried them with more...grace."
Helios's eyes narrowed dangerously, his voice dropping to a menacing growl. "Mind your tongue, Valentine. You'd do well to remember your place."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYP5yk8yg7
The threat in his words was unmistakable, the air in the room growing thick with tension. Cillian, however, seemed unfazed, a sardonic smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4IgnkXY7N6
"My place?" Cillian retorted, his tone deceptively light. "And where exactly might that be? Beside the woman I love, perhaps? Or under your boot, as you so clearly prefer?"
Helios's eyes flashed with barely contained fury. "You tread on dangerous ground, Valentine. Your insolence grows tiresome."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCyGZza0Wnl
Cillian's smile widened, a predatory gleam in his eyes. "Ah, but Your Majesty, isn't that where the most interesting discoveries are made? On dangerous ground?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0zeUOcCQEs
"Enough!" Helios barked, his patience clearly wearing thin. "You forget yourself, boy. Your pretty words won't save you from the consequences of your actions."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0AXK4gC2x
Cillian's response was swift and cutting. "And you forget, Your Majesty, that actions speak louder than words. Perhaps we should let our deeds do the talking?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPHoi34GiId
At this point, Kyle stepped forward, his voice dripping with disdain. "How quaint, a street rat trying to play at nobility. Tell me, Cillian De Valentine Eriko Elmir, do you practice these witty retorts in the mirror, or do they come naturally to one of such...common breeding?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwnueHMlqNn
Cillian's demeanor suddenly shifted. Instead of firing back, he simply smiled brightly, the expression a stark contrast to the heated exchange of moments before. This unexpected reaction seemed to unsettle both Helios and Kyle, their faces betraying a mix of confusion and wariness.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbHiD33lf2Y
Sensing the shift in atmosphere and feeling a surge of protectiveness, I thrust my arm around Cillian's, my decision made in an instant. With a firm tug, I began leading him towards the door, Myla, Mylo, and Veles falling in behind us.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPwihB7fHEk
As we reached the threshold, I turned back, my voice ringing clear and resolute through the room:
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqOgGI7J1MX
"Until you're ready to offer a sincere apology for your treatment of Cillian, I suggest you refrain from seeking my company. Your actions today have spoken volumes about your character, and I find myself...disappointed."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAOdvOaduqt
With those words hanging in the air, we exited, leaving a stunned silence in our wake.
As we exited the training ground, I continued tugging on Cillian's sleeve. He glanced down at me, a playful smirk dancing across his lips.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuT2D0n2ECx
"My, my, Luxana. How chivalrous of you to come to my defense. I'm touched," Cillian teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoMPW7bMUg9
Myla, Mylo, and Veles trailed behind us, their faces a mix of confusion and curiosity. Suddenly, Mylo piped up, his voice cutting through the tension:
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCsYdezjYE7
"Hey, white dude! You're the Valentine's son, right? The one who offed someone at His Majesty's birthday bash?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFKBMkImsDG
Myla's elbow connected sharply with Mylo's ribs, her eyes wide with horror at his informal tone. "Mylo! You can't just-"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtiKI8yBPSd
But Cillian merely chuckled, turning to face them with an easy grin. "Guilty as charged. Though I prefer to think of it as 'adding some excitement to an otherwise dull party.'"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlJxTj9feIU
Myla's eyes lit up, a mix of awe and intrigue dancing in their depths. "Oh my, oh my! It's REALLY HIMMMM!"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy2XTWeiEB9
Seeing Myla's excitement, I couldn't help but smile. "Oh, you know what else, Myla? We're married."
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtdFjp8nlSf
The corridor fell silent. Then, like a dam bursting, Myla's excitement exploded:
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDpngVsjedA
"KYAAA!" she squealed, jumping up and down with unbridled joy. "ARE YOU SERIOUS??? OH MY GOODDDD!"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzRDnBbYQfP
Mylo's jaw dropped, his expression a comical mix of shock and delight. "WAIT WHAT? Seriously?"
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡskwZo5igXl
Meanwhile, Veles stood rooted to the spot, his eyes wide and unblinking. He seemed to be struggling to process this new information, his usual composure completely shattered.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDTMHd7pfob
The contrast between their reactions was almost comical - Myla's exuberance, Mylo's stunned happiness, and Veles's frozen disbelief creating a tableau of emotions that perfectly captured the magnitude of the revelation.
The corridor buzzed with a mix of shock and excitement as my friends processed the news. Cillian, ever the charmer, turned to Myla and Mylo with a warm smile.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtMrkusOnCa
"Indeed we are," he confirmed, his voice smooth as silk.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZ2PIVLOfY
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZQpCmJi2QD
Just as the moment of warmth and camaraderie settled over us, I felt a familiar surge of power coursing through my veins. Without conscious thought, my magic responded to an unspoken desire for teleportation. In a blink, the air around us shimmered and warped, reality bending to my will.
-Helia Palace; Luxana's Study; 10 AM-
The golden rays of the morning sun streamed through the ornate windows of Helia Palace, casting a warm glow upon the opulent study. As the clock struck 10 AM, an unexpected shimmer of magic filled the air, and in an instant, Luxana, Cillian, Myla, Mylo and Veles materialized before the study door.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrHlAXzlhN
The Luxana's delicate hand was still grasping Cillian's sleeve, a gesture that went unnoticed by him. Their sudden appearance startled the diligent staff within the room, who had been engrossed in their daily tasks. Elenor, the head maid, had been meticulously arranging documents on the Luxana's desk, while Haeyln and Charlotte busied themselves with sorting through a mountain of letters and invitations.
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbUQNHas1r
Elenor, ever attentive, was the first to react. She turned swiftly, her eyes widening in surprise and reverence as she beheld the royal pair. With practiced grace, she sank into a deep bow, her voice filled with awe and respect as she addressed them.
To be Continued...
30Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uJkqslEVM
然後按「加至主畫面」