HBWnovel Chapter 19: Necropolis of the Gods (4)
Chapter 19: Necropolis of the Gods (4)
Chapter 19: Necropolis of the Gods (4)
[Yue's POV]
Amon was going to fall face-first onto the floor!
Shit, after going through an ordeal like that, the last thing he needed was for his face to be injured as well. I rushed to cushion his fall as he did to me a few minutes back, but my reaction was slow. Before I could reach him, a mysterious light wrapped around Amon, preventing him from suffering a concussion.
Since Sister Yval and I were the only ones in the chamber, it wasn't difficult to guess who saved Amon.
[Curious...]
Sister Yval looked down upon Amon's body like a scientist viewing a specimen. Her golden eyes were shimmering with great interest as she pointed her snout at the unconscious boy.
[This one has yet to find such a resilient human! This one expected him to fall once the blessing reached his core, but he endured it till the end! Is it because he's a Child of Solaris?! No, his soul is completely different! Curious...]
Sister Yval thought out loud while twisting and winding her neck to get a closer view of Amon. I could only let out a wry smile, watching her wings flap adorably like a puppy who had just found its new toy.
Since Sister Yval had been tasked with guarding the Necropolis, she'd spent most of her time sleeping here. However, that didn't mean she was a hermit without knowledge of the modern world. On occasion, she would send her senses out to monitor the happenings of the planet, sometimes even sending a fragment of her spiritual form outside to tour the planet.
Spending centuries alone in a cave does get boring, even if she had abandoned her physical flesh and transformed into a spiritual being. Throughout the years, she had witnessed the Fall of the Titans, the Great Dragon War and the First Demon Invasion—the fall of Dragons and the rise of humanity.
I can confidently say that no one on the planet is more knowledgeable and wise than Sister Yval.
"Will Amon be okay?" I asked with trepidation.
Sister Yval tilted her head to the side and asked: "Is he your mate?"
"Mate? Well, yeah, we will mate eventually."
I didn't lie. We will get married and have children once the Calamities have been dealt with. I have planned for three children, but that's negotiable. If Amon wants more, I'm confident my body will handle it!
[Ah, so that's where your concern comes from. Don't worry; this one's blessing doesn't harm the soul but reconstructs it. He will awake within a few hours. And not to worry about his vigour. This one swears that he will be capable of planting his seeds in you once he comes of age.]
"That's good to know... wait, that's not what I meant!!!"
I was distracted by Sister Yval's comments. Even though she was my most knowledgeable friend, I'd forgotten how out of touch this Dragon was with humans in general.
"What I mean is... will there be any repercussions from your blessing?"
[Odd... Weren't you the one who asked for this one's blessing?]
"I know that! It's just... I can't help but be worried about him..."
Laying Amon comfortably on my lap, I brushed my fingers through his jet-black hair. Sleeping like a baby, no one could guess that this young boy would one day bear the world's burden on his shoulders. My heart trembled at the tribulations ahead. Although Sister Yval's blessing today would help tremendously improve Amon's power, there were too many hurdles to cross.
Knowing Amon, he would face those trials alone, ignoring the damage and pain it would cause himself.
That was why if I wished to change the future... I had to become much stronger than I was before.
"Sister Yval, will you look after Amon for a moment?"
[Certainly! But, Child... Are you thinking of transcending to the next stage already?]
I looked up at the wise golden orbs that floated above my head, and I couldn't help but break a smile. As expected of Sister Yval. After reading my memories, she could easily guess my next move.
If I were going to walk the same path as before, this last requirement would easily be accomplished. But, alas, I didn't wish to repeat the mistakes of my past lifetime. To change the future, I had first to change myself.
And therefore, I was going to do something drastic.
First, I condensed my mana into my core. As if expecting the sudden surge of mana, my body automatically condensed the mana supplied into the shape of a ring. Next, I poured my magical insights into the circle, following the standard procedures to ascend to the next realm. Finally, all I needed to do was bring in my will, and the third circle would be complete.
But that wasn't my intention.
"!!!"
A surging pain pierced my conscious mind as the mana within the third circle rushed up my brain. My body felt like it was about to be torn apart by the rampant mana flow. On one side, my head was heating up as if it had been dipped into the depths of a volcano. On the other hand, my inner core was freezing rapidly, making my soul endure a neverending chill that could only be described as being dipped into a frozen lake.
The dichotomy of the sensations was tearing my body to shreds, and my subconscious mind was desperately warning me to stop. But I resisted those warnings.
I willingly downed my mind, body and soul into the depths of suffering. I could feel a stream of warm liquid drip down my nose, and my bones felt like they were breaking. It took all of my mental power to remain conscious, and even then, I could feel my soul crying out for me to stop.
However, my pain wasn't in vain. Mana wasn't just being channelled from my body but the entire surroundings. The imprints on my third circle weren't just based on my magical knowledge but the "Law" of the world itself.
It was a feat that defied nature.
To imprint the "Law" of the world into a magician's circle. It meant that my magic could now draw mana from the planet and rewrite reality at a capacity that no other magician could compare to. No sane magician would have thought of this method as containing "Law" within one's body was tantamount to suicide. Just like a chalice could not contain an ocean within itself, placing the "Law" of the world would break a magician's body if they weren't careful.
Heck, if not for my intricate mana control and the assistance of the Mysterious Grimorie, I wouldn't have dared to attempt such a suicidal thing.
And at long last... it paid off.
"Hah... Hah... Hah... I've succeeded!"
After fifteen brutal minutes of carefully manipulating my mana, the third circle settled within me. Mana was flowing at an astonishing rate, probably ten times more efficiently than before. Also, with my circle enriched by "Law," I could utilise the full potential of my surroundings and cast magic using mana from nature.
After experiencing such a stressful situation, I exhaled three times to relax my body. My mind was gradually recovering, and my soul was calming down.
[Child... Are you alright?]
"I'm okay, Sister Yval... I just need to rest and be in perfect shape."
[Impressive! This one had believed you would take far longer to succeed! But Child... Are you sure you wish to continue on this path? The higher you climb, the riskier it is to imprint "Law" into your soul. It's not too late to turn back.]
"Thank you for the warning, Sister Yval."
Even though Sister Yval was a Dragon, she possessed a heart of gold. She genuinely cared for my well-being and hoped to guide me down a safer path. But...
"I have to go down this route... if I wish to stand by his side."
I glanced down at the young boy, who was blissfully sleeping away. He'd grow exponentially now that he's received Sister Yval's blessing, and it was only a matter of time before he eclipsed me. I had to walk down this path to fight alongside him during the Calamities.
"So Sister Yval..."
[What is it, Child?]
The massive Dragon turned her snout towards me and blinked her gigantic Sun orbs twice. The curiosity within her eyes couldn't be hidden as she watched my every move. And it was for good reason. The thing I was about to ask her, the favour I was about to incur, would change the world's fate forever.
"Would you do me a favour?"