Chapter 97: Shoot Towards Dawn (10)
Chapter 97: Shoot Towards Dawn (10)
“It’s not a very nice place to live in, is it?”
Ronan chuckled, wiping the saltwater from his hair. His once-darkened eyes were returning to their original color. Vijra’s agonizing screams still echoed in his mind.
[Khaaagh! Ugghhhh!]
“Let’s be friends. And, my friend, how did you think I found you at the altar?”
Ronan chuckled. He had sensed Vijra’s futile attempts at using illusions from the start. He had noticed it right away, as Vijra showed no signs of any visible mana when allowing Ronan to attack.
However, it was truly fortunate that the gamble of surrendering his own body paid off. It was a hastily designed plan inspired by an incident in the past when Jhordin almost died while trying to cure his mana deficiency.
‘Just what on earth is this curse?’
The fledgling curse caster, a mere novice, came perilously close to killing a former top mage. Since the original curse was seething inside his body, it would be arduously difficult to deal with.
He had contemplated trying during their first encounter, but Vijra’s power was overwhelming, and he hadn’t dared. Ronan sighed in relief as he recalled that earlier situation.
‘I nearly got myself killed.’
Multiple strokes of luck had combined to secure his victory. If he hadn’t been able to deal a fatal blow to Vijra’s main body hidden at the altar, he would have lost for sure.
The eastern sky was starting to brighten. The red glow beyond the low-hanging clouds on the horizon signaled the approaching dawn.
Ronan sheathed his sword, Lamancha, and turned his head. In the distance, the Dawn Tower rising from the mainland looked like a massive lighthouse.
‘Did they put out the fire?’
The raging flames that had swept through the garden were now gone. The flickering embers, carried by the wind, had faded. The moment Ronan stretched and relaxed, he heard Vijra’s voice in his mind.
[…Khaaagh! Do you think this is the end?!]
“Ugh!”
Suddenly, Ronan felt extreme nausea and instinctively blocked his mouth. Something black, like mist, escaped through his fingers and disappeared. Vijra’s consciousness was attempting to escape from his body.
“You persistent bastard…!”
Ronan bit his lip hard, and hot blood welled up. He swallowed Vijra’s essence along with the blood, who had been trying to force his way out.
[Huh…!]
The choking sensation disappeared as the nausea subsided. Vijra, who had been screaming moments ago, was now desperately silent.
[Hey, listen to me! Do you want to become a renowned swordsman, making a name for yourself in the world?]
“Not really.”
[Foolish…! Do you not want to see the Emperor grovel at your feet? Join forces with me, and it’s all possible. Even the sky itself can be torn apart under your potential!]
Vijra’s presence was becoming increasingly faint. Judging from his incoherent babbling and his flickering mana, it seemed like the situation inside was deteriorating. Anyway, he has the potential to even tear apart the sky? Ronan, who was briefly reminiscing about his past life, laughed.
“I already know. I’ll do it anyway.”
[What…!]
“So, you see, I don’t need your help.”
[Wait… just wait! Then, this… Kraaaak!]
His voice cut off abruptly, and no response followed. Soon, Vijra’s presence completely vanished. Ronan instinctively realized that his consciousness had been extinguished.
“Hmm?”
Ronan suddenly felt an eerie sensation. He felt something pulsating with a different rhythm from his heart in the left side of his chest.
Could it be that a remnant of Vijra’s consciousness still lingered? He focused on it but couldn’t detect anything suspicious. Puzzled, Ronan furrowed his brow.
“What the heck is this?”
Placing his hand on his chest, he found that his heart was beating slightly faster than usual. The strange sensation had disappeared without a trace. Ronan shrugged, thinking it must not be a big deal.
‘Nothing will happen, I guess.’
Urghhhh!
He spat out the blood that had remained in his mouth. The crimson glob soared on the sea breeze and landed on a nearby rock. It was Vijra’s original form, the forbidden book that had filled the continent with terror.
“…Is it just a regular book now?”
Ronan picked up Vijra, whose cover and pages were soaked in blood. He looked inside, but there were no ominous voices or tentacles lurking. However, the incomprehensible contents and the shimmering mana seeping from the white text still bothered him.
‘A book written by a *demon.’
The author of the Vijra of Destruction was known to be a demon. And yet, the presence of Nebula Clazier’s influence was strongly emanating from Vijra.
‘There must be somewhere to put this.’
It felt like he was approaching a grand secret. Ronan rolled Vijra, who was slowly becoming inanimate, and tucked it into the back pocket of his pants. It was a fitting place for such a trashy book.
“Ugh… uhh… ”
Then, a groan of pain came from somewhere. Ronan looked in the direction of the sound. Tower Master Lorehon, who had collapsed at his feet, was writhing in agony.
“That’s right, come to your senses, old man.”
“Am, am I speaking on my own now…?”
“Yes, you are. It’s fortunate that you didn’t die. After all, you went through all that trouble to survive.”
Lorehon opened his eyes. Freed from Vijra’s influence, his eyes were now a clear blue. Unable to control his body, he eventually got Ronan’s support to sit up.
“…Thank you.”
“Where should I start? You’ve made quite the spectacle of yourself.”
“No need to explain. I’ve seen it all.”
“You have?”
“Indeed. Every last bit of it.”
Lorehon’s gaze was fixed on the waves crashing against the rocks. He remembered everything Vijra had done in his body.
Lorehon had endured nearly a year of vivid consciousness, from when he was taken over last winter to today.
“That demon made me witness all the atrocities he committed using my body. Each day was a living hell. If it were up to me, I’d throw myself into the sea right now.”
“You won’t be doing any such thing, I hope.”
Ronan warned. Just thinking about the trouble he had gone through to capture Lorehon made his temples throb. And he still had unfinished business.
“Of course, I understand that I bear responsibility. Although it won’t be easy for the Tower Master.”
“What is that…?”
Ronan stopped in the middle of his sentence. Come to think of it, he couldn’t sense any mana from Lorehon, who had regained control of his body.
It wasn’t merely weakened; there was no trace of the rings that should surround his heart. Puzzled, Ronan pressed his lips together.
“Shit.”
“Don’t worry about it. Just being alive is enough. In fact, it feels quite refreshing to see the world so vividly.”
Lorehon chuckled as he stroked his beard. Vijra had taken more than just his body from him. Ronan asked.
“Aren’t you angry? It’s your life’s worth of mana he took.”
“Let me tell you again, I’m satisfied that my life was saved. Do you know how many vengeful spirits I heard while I was possessed by that demon? Just for helping me escape a similar fate, I’m willing to clean your shoes with my tongue.”
“I don’t think I’d like that.”
Ronan laughed wryly. For someone who had lost almost everything, Lorehon had an attitude that was overly cheerful and nonchalant. Ronan was puzzled by one question. Where had Vijra’s power, accumulated over countless years, gone? While pondering this, Lorehon, who had been gazing at the Dawn Tower, spoke up.
“…What’s that over there? Can you see it by any chance?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Coming from the direction of the tower. Look.”
Ronan followed Lorehon’s pointing finger. In the distance, something shiny was rapidly approaching. He squinted his eyes and furrowed his brow.
“…A wolf?”
A massive wolf was running across the water, its furry paws splashing and creating small geysers with each step. Even in the darkness, its reddish-brown fur was clearly visible.
“What the heck is that?”
Ronan laid his hand on the hilt of his sword. The wolf stood still, raising a watery veil as it screeched to a halt before him. Through its torn and elongated jaws, a familiar voice emerged.
“Ronan, you’re safe!”
“…Eyrie?”
“Yes, I’ve come to fetch you!”
Surprisingly, the wolf spoke in Eyrie’s voice. Ronan realized that this was her true form, something she hadn’t shown in the library.
Eyrie explained that the fire had been subdued, and that there were some injuries but no fatalities, and Aun Philara was also unharmed. Hearing these tidings, Ronan breathed a sigh of relief.
“Thank goodness. So, what happened at the Forbidden Library?”
“Ah, that!”
Eyrie’s voice became brighter. Eyrie said that the moment they separated from Ronan, she and Aun Philara were transported to a completely different place. After clearing her throat, she continued.
“I can hardly believe it myself. Suddenly, the entire Forbidden Library was trembling, and when I opened my eyes, I was standing on a hill far from the Dawn Tower. But it’s strange, isn’t it? I couldn’t have left the Dawn Tower… but to my astonishment, the seal was broken!”
“Congratulations. So, take your time and explain slowly.”
“After hundreds of years, I can’t believe I’ve regained my freedom! Oh, this fresh air! This seawater!”
Eyrie’s voice was extremely cheerful, as if she were extremely happy. Eyrie couldn’t believe it herself, and she was joyfully dancing around the rock.
It seemed that Vijra had forcibly torn the seal. Suddenly, Lorehon and Eyrie, who were looking at each other, rose to their feet.
“Tower… Tower Master?!”
“It’s been a while. Don’t look at me with such respect, I no longer deserve it.”
“Oh, are you sure you’re okay? I thought for sure you were under Vijra’s influence…”
“I’m fine. This boy saved me. Vijra has disappeared.”
Lorehon nodded and gestured to Ronan. Eyrie was delighted by the news of Vijra’s disappearance.
“Vijra is gone? Could it be Sir Ronan…?”
“Exactly.”
“That’s just unbelievable…! First, get on, If you stay in a place like this for too long, you’ll catch a cold.”
Eyrie bowed her head, and Ronan, along with Lorehon, climbed onto her back. Ronan gripped her furry neck tightly. Eyrie spurred her legs and began their journey.
‘It’s finally over.’
The sea breeze ruffling his bangs was refreshing. The ride wasn’t exactly comfortable, but Ronan’s heart was at ease.
As Ronan looked at the Dawn Tower bathed in golden light, he turned his head. The clouds that had lined the horizon had vanished, leaving only the clear dawn to illuminate the world.
‘It’s been a long journey.’
Ronan quietly closed his eyes. Many things had happened, but in the end, the sun had risen, signaling the end of a four-day-long adventure.
****
“Over there, make sure there are no embers still left underground!”
“Ah, Rockbur Bloodbloom, I’m glad you’re alive!”
Ronan soon arrived at the Dawn Magic Tower. The mages who had endured the longest night since the tower’s creation were busy dealing with the fire’s aftermath. Some were digging through the ashes with hooks, searching for embers, while others were extracting surviving plants.
‘So, that’s the Forbidden Library over there. No wonder it didn’t seem like it was inside the tower.’
There was a huge hole in the northwest corner of the garden, with a diameter of about 15 meters. It was evidence of the consecutive high-level fire magic explosions, including the Hell Prominence.
“Nancy, come here!”
The smoke was still rising from the hole. Salamander Nancy, who had been raised in the Dawn Tower, was busy cleaning up the remains.
Looking down into the hole, Ronan raised an eyebrow. He couldn’t find any remnants of books that Vijra had destroyed.
‘She must have really picked them up. What an amazing librarian.’
According to Eyrie, as soon as the seal was released, she returned to the Dawn Tower and rescued the burning books. About one-third of the books that were in the same space as Vijra had been destroyed, but the ones in the maze were mostly saved thanks to her quick actions.
It was a fortunate outcome. They were evil books, but they had the potential to contribute to the advancement of magic.
Eyrie left with the intention of returning soon after finding Aun Philara, but she still hadn’t returned. Well, that was understandable. With Ronan and Lorehon off her back, the garden was filled with quiet solitude as he wandered around, carrying the weight of everything.
Just then, a familiar voice echoed from behind.
“Ronan!”
“Elizabeth?”
Ronan turned his head. Elizabeth was there, dressed in her uniform. Ronan chuckled when he saw Sion de Gracial was tightly holding onto her hand.
“When did you two become so close?”
“Um… I’ll explain later. Miss Sion, just wait with the adults for a moment. You know where they are, right?”
“Yes, sis.”
Sion turned around with a dignified stride. After walking about ten steps, she turned around and looked at Ronan. Then, she bowed her head and spoke.
“Thank you.”
“Uh? Oh, sure.”
Ronan shook her hand unexpectedly. Sion turned back towards the Dawn Tower. While watching her go, Elizabeth muttered her dissatisfaction.
“I’ll need to teach her some proper manners. What noble bows like that?”
“Thanks for your hard work. You had a tough night.”
“Oh, it was nothing.”
Eyrie told her story of what Elizabeth had done on their way to the Dawn Tower. Before the seal was broken.
She looked haggard enough to believe that she hadn’t slept for three days, her characteristic straight posture remained unchanged. With a mix of confusion and concern in her voice, she asked Ronan what had happened.
“By the way, what exactly happened to you? I saw you last night with that old man…”
“I’ll explain later. It’s a bit of a long story.”
“…Alright. But, what is that wound? Are you okay?”
“What wound?”
“The on the back of your neck. It looks like it hurts a lot.”
Elizabeth couldn’t understand the situation at all. Ronan touched the back of his neck, and he felt a sensation quite different from his previous encounters with her.
He took his hand away and looked at his palm, where blood and fluid had welled up. Ronan’s eyes widened in shock as he saw the gruesome sight.
“Oh, shit…!”
Suddenly, excruciating pain shot through Ronan’s entire body. It felt like a burning sensation from his lower back to his waist.
In his agony, Ronan hastily removed his shirt. Elizabeth, taken aback by his sudden action, covered her face with both hands.
“Ronan, wh-what’s happening?”
“Gaaah… it hurts like hell!”
“It hurts? What… Aaah!”
Elizabet, with her fingers slightly apart, glanced at Ronan, and a scream escaped her lips. His upper body was covered in gruesome burns.
“Th-that wound…!”
“Shit, this is why I should’ve learned how to do Elementalism or whatever it is.”
Ronan had no idea about the severity of his injuries until Elizabeth spoke. These wounds were the result of the battle with Vijra.
Most of the burns occurred when they were following the teleportation that utilized flames. Elizabeth, her face drained of color, shouted frantically.
“Stop talking! I’ll call for help right now!”
“Gah… Wait. Let me use this first.”
Ronan tilted his head and pulled out three vials of potion from his coat pocket, items he had received from Varen before they arrived at Dawn Magic Tower.
“It just so happened that I wanted to test the efficacy of this. It’s a new medicine.”
“You’re going to test it right now?”
Elizabeth was flabbergasted at the idea, especially considering the severity of his injuries. It was hard to believe that he would think of experimenting with a new potion at a time like this.
Ronan unscrewed the caps of two vials and began applying the potion to his injuries. As he did, a soothing sensation washed over him, relieving the burns, and the sensation of his skin rejuvenating.
“It’s killing the pain.”
“Oh my god…! Where did you get this potion? It works so fast!”
“From a talking lion.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. She had never seen a potion with such rapid efficacy, not even at the Acalusia Family medicine center. Then Ronan said, handing her a bottle of the potion.
“Never mind that. Can you pour this on my back?”
“Me?!”
“Yes, I can’t reach it. Friends can do that much.”
Elizabeth hesitated but then nodded her head.
“Okay, I’ll do it. If you can’t reach it, there’s no choice. ”
She took a deep breath and began to apply the potion to his back. Just be warned, this was her first time touching a man’s bare skin, and it felt completely different from a woman’s or Adeshan’s. It made her head dizzy.
“…What’?”
As she reached the area below his left wingbone, she sensed a strange and profound energy emanating from him, pulsating within his body. Puzzled, she raised her head and questioned him with an inquisitive expression.
“Um, Ronan…”
“What is it?”
“…Did you originally have a core?”