Chapter 57: Chapter 46 - Won't Hurt
"Papa, how do I look?"
With a twirl of her body, the little girl clasped onto the frilly fabric of her dainty skirt, then beamed a radiant smile at me.
Her luxuriant tresses, resembling the precious hue of golden wheat, cascaded down her slender figure, extending well below her waist with a mesmerizing flair. Elegantly styled into twin tails, they were most likely inspired by Arisu--- it exuded a playful and whimsical vibe that perfectly complemented her sharp yet juvenile features. As I gazed upon her, I couldn't help but marvel at the intricate patterns her hair weaved, the glistening strands reflecting the light with a mesmerizing brilliance that could leave anyone spellbound.
The color of her eyes was akin to molten gold, a distinct shade that bore a semblance to her locks but with a unique character. Unlike her hair, which exuded a serene and gentle demeanor, her eyes sparkled with a vibrant intensity akin to tiny spheres of boundless vigor. As I looked into them, I felt as though I was being stared at by miniature suns, their radiance and piercing energy enveloping me in a powerful gaze that left me transfixed. Her eyes were truly like the sun---radiant but carried a certain ferocity to it.
Just like Sylvia.
Sylvia's countenance was truly otherworldly, endowed with a striking beauty that never waned. Her eyes, however, belied a ferocity akin to that of a wild animal. They glinted with a fierce intensity that bespoke an untamed spirit, one that refused to be constrained or tamed. Though her gaze exuded a gentleness that was difficult to resist, one could not help but sense the raw power that simmered beneath the surface like a time bomb. Truly, Sylvia was a paradoxical creature, one whose captivating aura and unyielding spirit left a profound impression.
However, what stood out the most in Sylvie's features were the presence of onyx horns that extended from the lateral aspects of her cranium, twisting inward before elegantly arcing outwards, resembling a regal crown atop her head that nested like the piece of perfection, making her complete.
"You look good," wiping the sweat from my forehead with the sleeves of my tattered shirt, I continued, "and a little different."
"Hehe," she giggled before talking, "I unlocked my human form quite some time before. But I wanted to fully master it before showing it to you."
"I figured. Your core was nearing THAT stage after all."
With a nervous chuckle, she fidgeted with her arms and averted her gaze to the ground, twirling circles with her right foot.
"Sylvie... we need to talk." I said and I could feel all her muscles tense up. This was her first time; thus, her nerves were sure to be frayed. The complexities of first times are often bewildering, with a plethora of emotions vying for dominance. Nevertheless, in the final analysis, it remains an indispensable experience that one must inevitably undergo. An experience one has to tick off from their to do list.
"Mhmm." She mumbled and I turned back, walking away from that spot. There was no one in the vicinity. And in the past few months during my training with Wren, I had acquired a few spots where I could do the "Task" with Sylvie and be done with it.
If Kezzes knows about what I am about to do, he will surely kill me, given he has enough power to do that any time. However, as much as he try to appear all knowing, it doesn't take rocket science to know that he was lying. If he was an all-knowing being, the whole feud with Agrona Vritra would've never started. Unless, of course, it was a collaborative effort to amuse one another, but such a proposition appears unlikely, given Kezzes' propensity for fortifying his position of authority.
After a few silent minutes of thinkful walking side-by-side and avoiding any contact with trace mana, we finally arrived at the designated place.
(***)
"Careful." I warned as I ascended a steep step and proffered my hand to Sylvie. With graceful ease, she clasped my hand and bounded over the slight impediment, granting us entry into the concealed abode. Though not overtly obscured, oftentimes the optimal sanctuary is one that is camouflaged in plain view. The diminutive cavern was distinguished by its sinuous walls and a lack of luminosity, which rendered Sylvie's scintillating topaz orbs the sole perceptible feature within
"Papa... I am scared." she uttered with a tremulous timbre; the subtle undertones of fear palpable in her words.
"Don't worry. It won't hurt." Despite my attempt to offer reassurance with my words, my efforts fell short as I discerned a perceptible tightening of her grasp on my hand, indicating that my attempt to comfort her had been ineffective.
Placing my hand on her shoulders, I pushed it slightly as she let out a barely audible sigh and sat down on the ground. Placing a hand on her head, I got closer to her and closed my own eyes. Letting Realmheart flare to life and using the atmospheric mana to conceal the disturbance in mana due to the Realmheart, I slowly caressed her head and made my way towards her horns.
"I know you are in there... Agrona." A bare whisper escaped from my mouth as I felt an eerie chill creep up my spine. A feeling so familiar yet so different.
There was something wrong about Sylvie. All the dragons with human forms that I had met until this point had no horns. Albeit they were present in their true forms, each and every dragon had no horns. It wasn't a matter of skill or age that one could conceal or reveal it. It was a matter of simple "Why?"
While arriving in Euphotus, Windsom had told me about the heirarchy and the races of Euphotus. There were 8 races that made up the "Great Eight" with the Indrath Dragons as the absolute rulers of all of them.
When I had asked Windsom about Agrona's appearance he had described him as a man who in human ages could be described as in his early twenties---with long black hair, scarlet eyes but most importantly... Elk like horns.
Dragons don't have horns in human form. Basilisks do. Sylvie looked like a reptile when she was born. Not like an average dragon that seemed to get on all four at birth. With Sylvia being the royal princess, Agrona being the leader of Vritra clan of Basilisks, Sylvia being injured and hunted by a horned demon... and now Sylvie having horns.
All of them pointed towards one possible outcome.
Sylvia had a child with a basilisk. And not just any basilisk. The ruler of Alacrya---Agrona Vritra.
That was what Windsom meant all those months ago. The speciality about Sylvie's lineage. It wasn't as simple as her being the granddaughter of Kezzes Indrath but it was her being the daughter of Princess Sylvia Indrath and Rogue Clan Leader Agrona Vritra.
Suddenly, the molten gold shade of her eyes brightened up and a streak of red ran through it. Then the colour of her eyes totally changed replace by a burning crimson, an otherworldly sense of pride washing over Sylvie's innocent features.
"Who would've known... you'll even predict this. You're as impressive as they say." He exclaimed as he clicked his fingers, casting a somber glow of ashen flames over the concealed hideout. "How did you know I would hide a spell like this in... Sylvie? Ah, a good name. So how did you know I would do this to Sylvie?" He paused and licked his lip, like savoring the taste of her name.
"You managed to survive this long. Can't be just power." I replied and took a seat in front of him on the makeshift chairs I had made before Agrona possessed her body. Years ago, before my adventuring days when I and Sylvie started to gather beast cores clandestinely, I found out about a seal placed on Sylvie. It wasn't just one seal that Sylvia told me about. When she entrusted me the egg, she whispered to me about a potential limiting seal on Sylvie. That was why I always pushed Sylvie to train harder. However, after getting sufficient control over aether, I was able to detect the other seal. Apparently, Sylvia wasn't aware of it. I could've gotten rid of it since it was a simple spell but I needed it.
Needed Sylvie to reach her form-altering potential and then finally revealing who was it that reincarnated me.
"You're really smart." He said with a smirk and I could feel amusement bubble out of him like a tactile veil.
I simply shrugged my shoulders, "I am average," looking up at him I talked again, "We don't have much time. Don't you have something to say."
"I do. But the question is... are you willing to listen?"
(***)
Arching her back forward, Sylvie placed her hands on her hips and let out a prolonged grumble, "Never doing that againg. Are you sure you got rid of it?"
"I did." I replied, looking forward.
The sun rays descended on a young figure, her being like a silhouette. "Grandma!" Sylvie spoke excitedly and hopped off towards the figure.
"Pa-Arthur meet my grandma!" As Sylvie made spoke, she simultaneously hauled forth the form that had been concealed beneath the intense rays of the sun, revealing a youthful female who appeared to possess only a slight numerical advantage over Sylvie in terms of age---barely a decade older. What was particularly notable was the marked contrast in appearance between the two women, except for the striking disparity in their eye color, whereby this woman's eyes bore a paler hue of grey.
"We finally meet child." Her voice possessed a velvety texture, evocative of warm honey, that seemed to envelope me in a comforting embrace, dispelling any apprehension or distress---just like Sylvia.
"Its an honor to meet you, Lady Myre." I greeted, bowing as much as I could.
She placed a hand behind Sylvie's back and I could feel her eyes fixing on me, "Raise child. No need to be so stiff. You seem out of your element." She remarked, letting out a barely perceptible giggle at the end.
Looks like I blew up another introduction.
"Can we have a talk for a while, child, alone?" She asked and I looked at Sylvie who turned her neck towards Myre. With a small pout on her face, she walked away, leaving me and Lady Myre alone.
(***)
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone