The intense spiritual energy from the Celestial Milk had left Faye buzzing with vitality long after Martha's departure. To keep her entertained, the Fairy Queen wove intricate currents of Wind Magic, crafting them into tiny, solid blocks of air.
"Gaga!" Faye giggled, eagerly stacking the cubes to create a tower of pure nothingness.
Her innocent joy was a striking contrast to the divine creatures watching over her.
"We'll definitely need to visit the Dwarven Kingdom to get proper toys," Ezmelral remarked thoughtfully.
"Innoculus," Raiking commanded.
He spoke into the void, and the void responded. His shadow detached itself, transforming into a kneeling figure of impenetrable darkness.
"My Lord?"
"Head to the Dwarven Kingdom. Inform their King and Queen of our upcoming visit."
"If they ask why?"
"Tell them they are to personally craft toys for my daughter."
"I will not fail you." With that, Innoculus dissolved into a flat, shadowy streak, slithering swiftly out of the hall and disappearing towards the southern region.
However, the shadow was not the only presence reaching beyond The Sect. Libinea sat still on the armrest of the throne, her gaze fixed not on the playful child but on the fiery hues of the setting sun through the western windows. Her eyes were drawn to the distant Skyward Region.
With a quiet, trembling sigh, she slid off the chair. Her steps toward the rear exit were heavy and deliberate, a stark contrast to her usual graceful movement. Without a backward glance or a word of farewell, she slipped out of the room, leaving behind a resonating silence.
"Will she be alright?" Ezmelral asked, her attention shifting from the child at play to the now-empty doorway.
"Do you know why she decided to join me a thousand years ago?" Raiking inquired, his voice a low rumble.
Ezmelral had a notion. Although she had been in her blade form when Raiking first met Libinea in the Void Realm, she had spoken with the Phoenix Queen numerous times over the centuries. She knew the story: The Divine Realm had hunted them. She sought justice. She had failed.
"For power," Ezmelral replied with certainty.
Her response wasn't exactly wrong. The evidence was etched into Libinea's very essence. For the past millennium, she had chased power more fiercely than anyone else. Even the relentless, bone-crushing training of the Void Realm hadn't made her waver for a moment.
"That's what she tells herself," Raiking corrected. "But I've lived long enough to know one simple truth: When someone relentlessly looks forward, it's often because they're terrified of looking back."
"You mean her people? I thought she had made peace with her past. At least she seems like it."
"You're still too young to understand the heart's complexities."
"No I'm not!" Ezmelral protested, puffing her cheeks in indignation. "I'm one of the oldest here! And didn't you just compliment me on my wisdom?"
Raiking glanced at her, then back at the door. "Perhaps I was mistaken."
"YOU!—"
"Me what?"
Raiking shifted his gaze, his eyes narrowing with a hint of the lethal intent that could intimidate even immortals.
Ezmelral froze, her outrage instantly morphing into a frantic, placating grin.
"N-nothing, Master! You're the best!"
She quickly floated behind him and began massaging his shoulders with swift, gentle taps of her fists. Although her expression clearly showed she had much harsher words to say, she chose survival instead.
Raiking's lips curled into a rare, mischievous grin. "Stock up on milk bottles," he commanded with a hint of humor. "We're heading to the Skyward Region soon."
With a sudden distortion in the air, he disappeared from the hall, leaving Ezmelral stunned and speechless.
---
[Location - Star Gazing Platform]
Raiking reappeared at the zenith of the Sect, where the air was so thin it seemed to slice through his lungs, and the piercing cold swept relentlessly over the ancient stones.
Though it was a solitary spot, it offered a quiet sanctuary. It was here that guild members, overwhelmed by inner turmoil, would inevitably find themselves, braving the icy gusts to clear their minds. Raiking didn't know if Libinea would brave the climb right away, but he stood resolute against the wind, patient. In time, those burdened by troubles always made their way to this peak.
Eventually, the soft, rhythmic sound of footsteps echoed on the stone steps behind him.
Emerging from the shadows, Libinea sensed his presence before she even finished her stride. With a playful smirk, she teased, "Are you stalking me now?"
"I'm just here to ensure you're not planning an escape," Raiking replied, his tone steady yet mysterious.
"Escape?" she chuckled softly. "Who would dare make this queen flee?"
Raiking chose not to respond with words; instead, his piercing gaze seemed to strip away her regal facade, revealing the vulnerable person beneath.
Feeling the intensity of his scrutiny, she stepped closer, leaning against the balcony to gaze at the stars above.
"To confront the past," Raiking eventually broke the silence, "one must first secure the future."
Libinea clenched the stone railing so tightly her knuckles turned white. "Do you think they will hate me?" she whispered, her voice tinged with uncertainty.
She knew the answer deep down. Part of her longed for him to lie, to say they'd welcome her with open arms and garlands of flowers. But Raiking was not one to offer comforting falsehoods.
"Those who lack foresight will," he replied calmly. "They will see the abandonment. They will see the Queen who left them to languish in the mountains for a millennium."
Libinea winced at his words.
"But," Raiking continued, turning to meet her gaze, "in time... they will understand the truth. They will realize that a thousand years of suffering is a small price for eternal salvation."
Libinea looked up at him, her eyes shimmering with sadness. "Salvation..."
"You are granting them freedom, Libinea. Not just from their pursuers but from the curse embedded in their very being. Let them rage if they must. You didn't do this for their gratitude; you did it to ensure their survival."
His words resonated with Libinea more profoundly than he could ever realize. She raised her eyes, her golden gaze meeting his deep, void-like stare.
The atmosphere shifted, becoming electric and captivating. The intensity was such that she didn't even realize her subconscious had acted faster than her heart, as her trembling hand reached toward his face.
Raiking remained still, neither flinching nor retreating, but before her hand could make contact, she hesitated, the weight of what the future held dawning on her.
"The Phoenix Tribe holds their Queens in high regard," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "Are you not concerned that I might not return with you?"
"I would still choose to go with you."
His voice carried no hesitation, and his eyes were filled with resolve.
That very sincerity was a double-edged sword. It was the light that dispelled the darkness in her mind, yet at the same time, it pierced deeper than any blade.
He was indeed devoted to her, but not in the way she longed for.
Having been his companion for a millennium, she had observed his intimacy with Maryal and heard tales of his union with the Goddess of Creation, and yet even these two extraordinary women couldn't keep him by their side.
What chance do I have? she pondered, her thoughts tinged with bitterness.
"Now that you have a little faye to cling to your arm, I suppose this mighty Queen no longer has a shoulder to lean on," she remarked, her voice a delicate mix of humor and sorrow.
Raiking did not laugh. He looked at her, seeing the invisible chains that still bound her soul.
"Can you ever truly find happiness... until the knots in your heart are untied?" he asked.
He wasn't being cruel. He understood that fleeing from the past would only taint the future.
Libinea closed her eyes. She was not unaware of this truth.
She knew that until she confronted her people, she would always see herself as the "Fallen Queen." Despite her brave facade, this haunting image lingered in her shadows.
If I want to truly embrace the future, she reflected, I must first confront my past.
She opened her eyes, the fatigue replaced by the resolute determination of a Queen who had made her decision.
"Then, let's face it," she declared, a smile touching her lips. "Together."
As the words left her mouth, the space around them shifted.
Raiking appeared at her side.
They stood together at the edge of the tower, their gaze set on the western horizon, ready to embrace the future.