A white blinding light shot into the sky, surrounded by the rumbling clouds holding serenity in its beam of stars.
The petals of roses that fell into the sea sank to the bottom glowing with a faint rossy light instantly drawing magic that shot silver veins from underwater that wrapped around her body, absorbing all the light that came out.
All while her classmates and brothers were watching everything unfold as they rushed near the broken windows,
-crack, crack, crack-
"Have any idea what's going on here?" Bella asked, looking at Aries, searching for an answer, but he couldn't care less.
Aries clenched onto his fists, trying to calm himself down. 'She just awakened her physique this morning, and I absolutely have no idea what could possibly be happening here...'
"Just where the hell is that old man when we need him?" He said
Astrun noticed his little brother's frustration and patted his shoulders.
"Calm down; remember what she said when we talked."
"What she said?!...She said she's fine, and look where she is" (pointing at the tied girl).
Not a second passed, and lightning struck her with full force, shocking them into absolute silence as the sky kept hitting her again and again.
Aries almost fell onto the ground, but luckily Astrum held him in time; by lifting him onto his shoulder, he took him away from the edges, saying in a stern voice,
"Step back, all of you."
"We're way more than happy to do so," Bella said and pulled both Sylvia and Dan by their ears.
"Why did you take me away?" Aries looked at him all reluctant, eyes full of fear.
'What if what happened in the past happened again?...What if I lost my sister again?...I simply cannot live with that feeling eating me alive every single day, not anymore...I can't.' Aries lowered his body close to the ground, holding his head between his hands, his skin turned pale like snow.
Astrum brushed his hair with the gentlest smile he'd ever shown.
"She's fine; don't worry."
"Where did the confidence come from?" Aries asked.
"Her body is still unscratched even when lightning hits" Astrum said then stepped away to see a clear view of serenity but frowned at the sight in front of his eyes,
'... those planets seemed to have grown thorns that absorbed all the damage.'
"Unscratched..?...how could it be?!" Aries suddenly jumped from his place, shouting,
"Wait, just like this morning she is absorbing the damage "
"Umm."
Aries kept shaking his brother, demanding an answer.
"Does that mean she anticipated something like this to happen?"
Daniel suddenly interfered in their conversation.
"It's highly likely the only reasonable explanation." He crossed squated on the ground near the broken glass, looking at the raging storm outside, eyes focused like an eagle. "Although I didn't have that much of an interaction with the princess, but based on what i know I can say with absolute confidence she has a way to get out of trouble if she ever finds herself in one."
Both Aries and Sylvia stared at him with shocked eyes.
"What?"
Bella added to his words pointing at the sky, "Notice the commotion outside, yet nobody has come our way despite the island being full of warriors on full guard after the incidence this morning..... What do you think the reason is?"
Aries caught on to her hint immediately, "Serenity...she took precautions beforehand...but when did she even do that?"
"Who knows?...The point is she did, which means everything is within her plan." Astrum said
"Thank god then." Aries finally felt relieved after hearing everything. 'I got so emotional that I forgot to analyze the situation around me first...can't believe I fell into such a beginner's mistake; this is kind of embarrassing....we witnessed how terrifying the power of her chanting truly was so logically speaking we didn't need to worry but still..... '
heheld onto his chest tightly ,'i can'tshake that worried feeling off my shoulders i don't want to lose my sister again'
Daniel, with his third eye, managed to see what the others couldn't ,'there is a barrier true,but...it only covered the school island with nothingbeyond that'
He was dazed into the sky, talking to himself,
"I hope this move doesn't attract unnecessary trouble for you, princess."
Standing beside him was Astrum, who is calm on the surface, but inside he has his own worries.
'The more she is hit, the sharper the thorns grow, and some of them already pentrated her skin.'
Sylvia suddenly asked, "Does any of you know how many times she got hit by now?"
"About six times," Dan said.
Bella looked at him stunned. "You were actually counting?"
"We have no idea what's happening here, so just in case, keep your guard up," he said.
When the seventh strike hit, Serenity grew twin icy silver crystalized horns that sucked the strike into her body. the vein wrapped over her head like a crown of thorns,sucking the power from them alongside the next strike making them vanish.
"Did you just catch what happened?" Sylvia said with eyes glowing at Serenity.
"No one is going to think you're dead if you stay shut." Daniel's harsh voice shut her up instantly; she didn't know what she did wrong not until she turned her gaze toward the others.
Astrum and Aries were stunned, with only Bella understanding the meaning of those horns showing up.
'Those horns...don't tell me she's also…' turning her head at Astrum.
Astrum quickly regained his calm; he took a deep breath before saying, "This mess has come to an end already."
Dan asked, "On what grounds?!"
"Her face" Aries said
He started biting on his nails ,'Her expression...her expression becomes calmer and more relaxed with every strike; it's like lightning isn't actually hurting her...instead it's helping.'
Lightning falls, striking the silver vein over her head, passing all the way like an electric snake that empties up at the surface of the raging sea, turning it into a carpet of electricity with only the silver glow shining above everything.
Not until a full ten strikes had been completed did lightning actually stop . The silver vein was pounding with life as it started shrinking forming a ring of silver thorny vein wrapping around her neck.
The entire phenomenon in the sky disappeared, replaced with a wave of gentle rain falling from the sky.
When the rain touched her face, she released a pair of dusty silver fairy wings; by waving them, she flew into her villa, landing on the shades of glass in her loose white sleeping gown before the wings finally disappeared into her back.
-crack-
Aries saw the mess; afraid his sister might get hurt, he used his magic on the ground.
[SANO]
A wave of gentle breath spread from his hand, covering the entire villa and repairing all the damage caused by the storm, but the ice on the walls didn't budge, all while Serenity never opened her eyes.
Aries stared at Serenity walking calmly towards her chair, and the ice was slowly dissolving from the walls.
She bent her knees and fetched the pair of rounded glasses fromm the freezing ice, and for the first time, she wore her artificial eyes in front of her brothers.
The shock of the sight in front of them stunned them with obviously a lot to say but with words frozen in thekr throats.
Aries clenched his chest feeling as if being stabbed ,'So that's how her eyes looks like ...it's suffocating...'
As for the girls who never even knew she hides something like that kept staring in autmost disbelief,
Sylvia turned at baial,"did you know about this?"
"I heard about it but it's my first time witnessing it....." bella said swallowing her saliva ,'although Astrum already told me about her situation but who would've guessed that the artifact could actually fall off...!?'
Serenity walked towards Aries and patted his head gently.
"Next time you see me in such a state, stay as far as you can. Got it?"
Aries's previously tensed face relaxed after seeing her moving before his eyes with perfect health
"Listen to you"
"Good boy"
After that, she placed her hands behind her back as she walked towards the door.
"I am hungry."
Aries stared at her dumbfounded but quickly ran behind her. "Hey, wait for me. I am also starving."
Astrum shook his head, smiling, and followed behind them with his hands in his pockets.
"Walk slowly and be careful on the stairs kids."
Aries turned at him, shouting,
"Nobody asked for your opinion, second old man.....shit!"
When he turned around, he didn't notice the stares and misplaced his legs, almost falling on his face if not for Astrum grabbing his shirt from behind.
"Told you to be careful, but you simply refused to listen."
"Thanks for saving me, man."
"You're welcome."
Serenity called out to them loudly,
"Hurry up, I am starving."
"Coming," both said in one voice and ran down the stairs.
Serenity sat on the right side, and Aries sat beside her while Astrum was heating the dishes in the kitchen.
Aries held his fork and knife, banging on the table like a little spoiled child.
"Second old man, hurry up."
Serenity leaned closer to Aries, asking,
"Why do you call him like that?"
He answered bluntly, "Because he is acting like an old man."
"Makes sense...but if he's the second old man, then who is the first?" she asked
Aries replied without any hesitation.
"My dad"
Serenity landed a painful strike on his head the moment she heard him say it.
"Watch your words that's my daddy."
Aries let go of the things in his hand and covered his head with both of them.
"You know that old man is also my dad, right?"
Serenity crossed her hands, scolding him.
"What old man? Aren't you embarrassed?...Even though he is already a parent, he still gets confessions from ladies without a care for the ages gab.....he is still on the young side"
Aries looked so dejected. "I hate to admit .... but that old man still has the charm of his youth."
"True," she nodded.
"Stop talking, lunch is ready."
Astrum came with the food and started placing it on the table, and they started eating, and for him the first thing he did was make sure Serenity was okay.
"Is there a problem with the food or anything?...See if there is anything that needs to change."
Serenity took a bite from her steak and gave him an okay.
"Not bad but also not good."
"Then it's edible; continue to eat," he said and also started eating his meal but was so confused inside.
'Same as His Majesty?... for real! ... my cooking skills are considered one of the best, yet those two dared to say it's just fine.'
And just like that, the meal has ended, and Serenity went to her room, leaving the dishes for them.
Astrum held her plate, looking all concerned.
"She said she's starving, but look at her—she didn't even finish her plate."
"With all that had happened today, be glad she entered something in her mouth." Aries said
"True." Astrum went into the kitchen and placed the remaining food into the fridge. "I will be leaving with the sunrise, so at the very least she should find something to eat when she wakes up."
"The portals shoul be fixed by now ,so It's also time for me to head back" Aries said
As for Bella and her friends they made way for her to pass; nondared make a sound, not when they headed down nor when they were eating, but Sylvia couldn't hold it in anymore.
"I can't take it anymore." She slammed the table and stood up clearly pissed. "Are you guys for real...?"
Bella jolted from her seat. "What the fuck is wrong with you all of a sudden?"
Sylvia got confused by their attitude. "No!...For real, isn't there anyone who is going to ask about what just happened? For God's sake, she just received divine punishment."
Bella exhausted her breath on sylvia trying to knock some sence into her
"So what?... If you're curious, then drag yourself up there and ask whatever... See if you will receive an answer or a beating for asking about something that is none of our business...huff,huff,huff"
Daniel tried to calm her dowm,
"Easy there, keep your voice down we're not at our turf better mind our manners or we might get kicked out"
"Hmph" She leaned on her chair coldly, 'Who cares...I already know she is magically gifted...I don't plan on being a joint enemy for half the universe just to satisfy your vain curiosity..huh,dream on'
Sylvia fell onto her chair in a daze and turned her gaze at Daniel, but he didn't budge.
"I am on the same page with her; Serenity's use of magic is way beyond our understanding, so it would be better if we don't try."
"Even you?!"
"Sorry about that," he said, smiling at her.
He thought ,'Come on, young lady. I saw her evaporating the vast sea with my own eyes. The stronger I see her, the happier I actually get since it also proves I made the right choice.'
Astrum was searching through his stuff and talked without even looking back,
-rattle-
"Belladonna, take that nosey woman with you and sleep in your room, and let the boy sleep in the room next door. This is Serenity's home from now on, so get her permission before coming here in the future, okay?"
"Noted"
Astrum walked to the second floor, and Aries hurried behind him.
"Wait for me a second, old man; I still don't know where to sleep."
"The room next to Serenity, happy?"
"Very happy"
As they disappeared from the first floor's sight, Bella had a sweet, twittery smile all over her face, making Daniel feel a bit worried.
"Are you okay?" he asked attentively.
She glanced at him, then back at the stares.
"I am fine ...just a bit jealous of the siblings' bond between them," she replied.
Daniel patted her head, seeing how sad she appeared.
"Do you wish you were in her place?"
"No!"
Seeing how quickly and firmly she replied, he got confused.
"Does that mean you think being her is a bad thing?"
Bella closed her eyes, shaking her head.
"To be honest, I don't know...I don't want my next words to turn into something else by saying this, but one thing is for sure: that woman has an unspoken secret, and I don't think I can bear her suffering."
She got up from her chair and put it in place, then she placed one hand over his shoulder, saying,
"I tried putting myself in her shoes but failed miserably, so I dare to say she's strong and somehow i know..... she earned it."
Daniel raised his voice asking ,"Does that mean i can stop caring for that sister of yours...i have been wanting to do so for a while now"
She waved her hands and walked away,
"Do as you please"
And just like that she walked away to her room, but shortly after, everyone followed behind with all the doors closed. The people inside each entered into their resting zone except for Serenity.
She opened the windows of her room, allowing an entry for the cool breeze from outside, while she was standing in her white dress looking at the outside world with emotionless eyes, rubbing her index finger against her lower lips.
'That disgusting suffocating aura I felt just now...seems like my vision might come true sooner than i expected... I need to hurry and break the seals, or else the victory they couldn't nail in the past might be achieved in this present.'
Serenity crossed her legs on the floor. After taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes, pulling her consciousness from the outside world, sinking into the deepest part of her existence...to her sea of life.
There, the place was covered with dead silence; it was a magnificent scene where threads of white energy were circulating like a tornado around a sea of stars where her glowing body was soaked.
The stars started gathering, forming a shape of blinding light that she couldn't help but be drawn to touch, but the moment they touched a flood of painful memories took over her mind, where the waves of the past drifted her away like a raging hurricane.
'Memories of times I failed to count...a body that wasn't mine, a strange soul hosting a fragile vessel in a strange world. I remember how I felt as my veins were being ripped apart from the overwhelming energy, the grinding pain that took over my body...a silent blast that sent my soul astray between the cracks of time.'
Serenity opened her eyes at the sight of some gathered icy mountains shaping a crescent moon island under the starry sky centered by an ancient door half-soaked in water and half is restrained by silver thorny vines.
From the door's cracks came a faint creepy silver light that rushed to wrap around her.
She appeared like an entity made of silver star energy. Inside the vast sea under the starry sky, she kept moving forward on the road of ice and snow that kept forming under every step along the way.
"To think I only managed to come home when she died." She touched the silver vein on her neck, and it resonated with the ones on the door. "A body like an empty shell had no choice but to pull the threads of my soul back to its original throne... what a joke..."
Serenity had a moment of silence, brushing her fingers over the vein on her neck, but suddenly she released a wave of energy, turning the entire sea upside down.
Right now the sky had the door and the island while she was taking the starry road walking toward nothing.
"Belladonna, that kid thinks I suffered, yet she still doesn't know... the real suffering will fall upon those who separated me from my home for ten years."
With a wave of her hand, three black plates appeared from nothing; the stars gathered, forming golden veins that penetrated them using their black thorns, and with a snap of her fingers, dozens of wooden boxes appeared, floating into the sky alomg with two large stones.
With a wave of her fingers, she emptied the boxes into the black plates.
She placed one of the stones on the plate after she wrapped it in a thick layer of ice, then with a wave of her hand she crushed the second stone.
Although the stone appeared black from the outside, after it was crushed, it turned into white sand, and she placed one third of it in each of the remaining plates.
With a snap of her finger, the boxes were opened, showing many strange things like pieces of raw metals and different types and shapes of magical planets. Some even had mana stones.
In the one with the huge stone, she crushed half of the mana stones and melted all the raw metals and placed only one flower that had a burning aura like blue flames, then wrapped the entire thing, including the plate, in a cocoon made of ice.
"This will do for now; as for the second one..."
Seeing as the white sand turned into liquid, she snapped her fingers, showing three small glass bottles full of blood; she poured every drop into the liquid.
"Iam giving back what's rightfully yours...."
Then she added in a dragon fruit after cutting it in half and added some deformed bones after crushing them, added a single mana stone as a stimulant to the fusion and finally threw a rounded dark red pearl that exploded with dark and white flames the moment it touched the mix.
-flare-
"The heat is good; hope it helps relieve some of his burden." The moment she touched the golden starry vein, it disconnected from the ground and wrapped around the plate in a golden cocoon. "This will take two days at the very least."
After the two were done, she headed to the last one, pouring everything left into it, leaving nothing behind
Silver crystal nails grew from her left hand ;she used them to cut her wrist her pure energy body bled silver sand into the plate, growing a phantom of a crystal ball inside.
Using her magic, she wrapped the whole thing into a crystal lotus grewing silver platinum veins that went all the way till it reached the ancient door.
"Reaching the moon seems to be the only way out."
Trying to reach out to the sky above to catch the flicker of the moonlight, but the power pushed her away
she gave up resisting and let it take over,
"A repeated cycle of infinity that refuses to end....i should wait a little longer....just a little..."
The push caused a buzz in her ears, making her carefully and slowly open her eyes. With a face as cold as the mountains she saw in her mind, she touched the silver vein on her neck, feeling It's resonance with the blood flowing in her veins.
She grabbed the thorny vein on her neck with her bare hand, causing it to bleed, but instead of the usual blood, what came out was a silver liquid that disappeared before it even touched the ground.
'I clearly remember how enraged I felt a week ago when I came back faced by the horrifying fact that a whole decade had passed where my body was left under the mercy of an alternative entity born from the womb of what was left behind by my demonic chaos but worst died a humiliating death.'
The moment she let go, smoke came out of her hand, healing her wounds like they never existed, while she kept staring blankly at her hand.
'A Week made the trick, allowing me to change into my original elf form, it makes me feel more relaxed ... however...' she turned her head outside squating on the ground ,'my magical powers have already exceeded the limits of this body, good point the heavenly thunder helps me reform my body strength but if everytime it made such a huge scene a disaster might strike faster than i anticipated '
allowing the fresh, cold breeze coming from outside to brush her silver platinum hair Serenity stood looking ahead with empty eyes.
"Ash already started his training, and my seal has also started to crack... I need to hurry up ..... this time around I have absolutely no place for losing; what I've lost was already more than enough."