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.
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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.
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What a two-faced man, I thought bitterly. Just like a two-faced penny. Worthy? No.
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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.
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"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.
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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.
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Kyle's lips curled into a self-satisfied smirk, while Cillian's expression darkened, his brow furrowing with grave concern.
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"Higher," Father commanded, his tone brooking no argument.
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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.
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"Extinguish," came the next directive.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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"Higher," Father commanded, his voice cutting through my observations.
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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.
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"Extinguish," came the next order.
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I dropped my arm, the crimson inferno vanishing as quickly as it had appeared.
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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."
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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."
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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.
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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.
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In that instant, the world exploded.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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As I processed this information, Helios's cold voice sliced through the air like a blade:
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"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."
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Before I could muster a response to this callous dismissal, Cillian's voice, low and dangerous, interjected:
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"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:
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"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."
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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.
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"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."
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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?"
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"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."
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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?"
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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?"
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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.
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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.
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As we reached the threshold, I turned back, my voice ringing clear and resolute through the room:
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"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."
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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.
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"My, my, Luxana. How chivalrous of you to come to my defense. I'm touched," Cillian teased, his eyes twinkling with mischief.
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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:
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"Hey, white dude! You're the Valentine's son, right? The one who offed someone at His Majesty's birthday bash?"
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Myla's elbow connected sharply with Mylo's ribs, her eyes wide with horror at his informal tone. "Mylo! You can't just-"
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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.'"
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Myla's eyes lit up, a mix of awe and intrigue dancing in their depths. "Oh my, oh my! It's REALLY HIMMMM!"
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Seeing Myla's excitement, I couldn't help but smile. "Oh, you know what else, Myla? We're married."
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The corridor fell silent. Then, like a dam bursting, Myla's excitement exploded:
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"KYAAA!" she squealed, jumping up and down with unbridled joy. "ARE YOU SERIOUS??? OH MY GOODDDD!"
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Mylo's jaw dropped, his expression a comical mix of shock and delight. "WAIT WHAT? Seriously?"
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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.
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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.
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"Indeed we are," he confirmed, his voice smooth as silk.
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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.
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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.
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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...
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