BXBX NOVEL Chapter 177 The Ones Who Ran On The Sea
- POV Freya -
We had started our crazy race to Elysium and had left absolutely everyone behind so as not to exhaust them. The sun was going to set in less than two hours and I wanted to get home before then. So Kira and I changed into our beast form and headed East. We had just left and two large beasts could be seen running like the wind.
I was faster than Kira for obvious reasons, but strangely enough, even though she was behind, she was able to keep up. As I was in front, I destroyed every obstacle on the way to give her a clear path. I didn\'t have time to use my elements, so I ran into the trees and smashed them against me. I was not in control of my strength either and tremors echoed through the forest.
My powerful paws were hitting the ground and as usual, I was making bigger and bigger craters every minute. The more I ran, the more I destroyed the forest in my path, uprooting trees, tearing up roots and splitting the earth violently. My thoughts and my heart were in Elysium and my only desire was to join my wife and daughter who had been waiting for me for far too long.
Fast, fast, always faster. I could think of nothing else as I felt myself being carried along by the wind and these emotions that I had repressed. When Kira had collapsed, I had once again locked all my fears and anxieties in my heart. Now that I was running, I felt as if I was freeing myself from a huge weight as the landscape passed by at an impressive speed.
While I was focused on my run, I turned my head slightly to look behind me. My little sister was in her fox form and was following me from a little further away, looking happy to let off steam after all that. If I looked like a wild beast straight from Hell, Kira looked like a beautiful, mysterious vixen. So, in spite of our crazy race, I took a few seconds to observe her more.
Her three tails behind seemed to float and her silver fur was dotted with red symbols. Her silver hair rustled softly and the light of the setting sun reflected off her beautiful fur. My steps were full of raw power but Kira\'s seemed light and airy. After only a few minutes of walking through the forest, I finally decided to speak.
*Kira ! I\'ll try to contact Gaya now that we have time. In the crypt, I thought it was still dark and since we came out we haven\'t had a minute\'s peace*
[Yes Onee-san ! Since it\'s important I won\'t talk, but please link me to her too. Since I\'m not in your mind anymore, it\'s not automatic, so don\'t forget me]
*Of course, little sister !*
It was now time to contact my wife and as my heart was beating faster and faster, I opened my Empire menu. Before contacting her, I wanted to check her condition first to have maybe a clue on what was going on. So, it was with great stress that I selected the name of my beloved, hoping not to find anything too serious. I was stressed but I was not alone.
-- PING --
[Individual : Gaya (wife)
Mental Health: Average (exhausted)
Physical health : Very low (important mana loss)
Particularity(ies) : Pregnant : accelerated process (can give birth at any moment ]
I scanned the information in front of me and the further down I went, the more I felt my hair stand on end. That Gaya was exhausted was one thing, but that she was very weak and could give birth at any time was inconceivable. We had been gone a month, but even with this unforeseen event, my wife should have only been at the beginning of her third month of pregnancy. What could have happened to speed up the process ?
I felt my teeth clench and a rage rise in me again, but this time directed directly at myself for not being present at her side. However, remembering my little sister\'s words and distress earlier, I kept my calm. There was no point in panicking and before I drew any hasty conclusions, I had to check with the main person concerned.
-- PING --
[ Contact Gaya telepathically ]
[ YES/NO ]
___
*Yes !*
While I was thinking about my answer, I did not forget to link my little sister who was no longer in my mind, preventing the automatic connection. The golden wire that I saw as usual, split in two, one going straight to me and the other to Kira. In a few seconds the connection was established but things were not as before. Instead of the usual silence, I heard a weak voice that seemed to be talking to itself.
"Breathe...breathe...everything is fine..."
The voice I heard was of course my wife\'s, and though weak and tired, I could recognize her between a thousand and one. We were still running through the Syn forest and even though I wasn\'t looking in front of me, it didn\'t matter. I was finally in contact with the dragoness of my heart and the first sounds of her voice did not please me. So it was with concern and fear that I spoke up.
*My love ?*
"Ho-honey !! You...you\'re finally back ?? Finally...I...I...thank God you\'re okay !! I-it\'s been a month...you...you...you\'ve been gone so long...s-...so much has happened ! I...I have..."
*Shhhh breathe my love, it\'s okay, I\'m here. Listen to the sound of my voice and try to calm down, it\'s okay sweetheart. I\'m actually running towards home. You can tell me everything in detail once I get there but tell me first, are you okay ? What about Shiro ? What\'s going on ?"
I couldn\'t help but ask questions and even though hearing her voice reassured me, I wasn\'t serene. I wanted to know what was going on as soon as possible but I didn\'t want to tire her out either. Stopping us for too long could exhaust her more than Gaya already was, so I had to be quick. In a few minutes we would already be in the Dark Forest so I listened carefully.
"I...I\'ll...I\'ll try to be quick. I...I found out that I have a little brother and he\'s been in the hospital ever since because his condition is serious. Shiro is fine but more and more weird things are happening and it seems like she has developed her element. For...for the Empire, the regular patrols of the Guardians of Persea and Ynir discovered an army starting to make camp at the edge of the woods and...and...I...I\'m about to give birth..."
Despite her exhausted tone, Gaya had spoken very quickly and almost without taking a breath. As for me, her words had been so striking that I stopped instantly in my tracks, nearly knocking Kira over. I had heard very well but a part of me could not believe all this. A little brother ? An army ready to attack ? The element of my little moon ? and most of all...the pregnancy.
*How is that...possible ? Did we miss that much ? I...my love, how long have you been ? Are you well taken care of ? I...did your water break ? How long ago ? Are you having contractions ? And most importantly, are you okay ?*
It was my turn to panic and not know how to handle the current situation. After all, I had never been married before, let alone experienced such a moment, making me discover the worries of a wife and mother. As I spoke these words, I resumed my run, always followed by Kira who remained silent. The trees of the Dark Forest were already in sight as Gaya answered.
"I...I\'m fine...but I\'m just so exhausted. Freya...I think I\'m going into labor in a few hours. I...I\'m having some contractions but they\'re very mild, I\'m doing the best I can to relax and I\'m not alone. I\'m...I\'m just so scared that you\'re not going to make it in time I..."
My wife\'s words echoed in my mind, while an even more incredible force took hold of my body and soul. Not being there for my wife\'s delivery, the birth of my child ? I couldn\'t. Gaya needed me and I had to be there for her. I had to be by her side for this moment and I knew that I would never forgive myself if I couldn\'t.
*I...Gaya...it\'s okay, I\'m coming...I love you and I promise you that before the sun sets, I\'ll be by your side*
"I love you too honey...I trust you. I...I\'m going to rest now...make...make it quick please.."
It is thus on these few words that the communication ended, leaving me in all my states. Many things had happened but at this moment only Gaya was the priority and an unknown power was invading me. I forgot everything else, the army, Titania, my soldiers who stayed behind and only my instincts as a mother and a wife remained.
[Freya ! I...I heard everything and we don\'t have any time to lose ! This may sound crazy but...why don\'t we go by sea ? We\'re fast, but if we had to go by land, it would slow us down. Besides, Gaya said that an army was starting to settle at the edge of the forest, if we go that way you can be sure that we will be seen !]
*The sea ?*
[Yes, to our left, if I remember correctly and I\'m pretty sure I do, if we cut through there we would come directly to the cliff where the imperial mansion stands. The sun will set in a little over an hour and you promised your wife to be there. This is not the time to hesitate, let\'s go by the sea because I know that you are capable of taking us across it. Aren\'t you the Ice Empress ?]
As Kira spoke, I realized that she was absolutely right. It was not impossible and even quite interesting considering the current urgent situation. Besides, this was not the time to be spotted by an army of humans most likely coming for Alayna. It did seem crazy to go by sea but we were going to do it...at that moment I was ready to do anything for my wife.
*Well Kira, let\'s do as you suggested ! Let\'s go by the sea on our left, you\'re right if we manage to cross it, this path will lead us directly to the beach below the manor !*
[Mmmh Onee-san ! How do you plan to do it ?]
*I\'m going to consciously use my Frozen Wrath skill for the first time...I think I can do it...no...actually I\'m sure I can !*
If I wanted to be able to get there in time, I had to give it everything I had even if it meant crawling back. The sun was setting and our race against it was only getting more intense and of all my available skills, the only one I could think of was the one that allowed me to freeze everything around me with my aura. Thanks to my recent moment of madness, I had managed to grasp its use a little better.
I didn\'t control it perfectly, but just enough to allow me to freeze the sea under my paws to allow us to cross it. However, I didn\'t have time not to believe in my abilities because I had to do everything to reach my destination and keep my promise. As crazy and maybe stupid as this idea might seem, my little sister had confidence in me and I had confidence in her.
[I\'m following you !]
So, without wasting a second, we suddenly turned to our left as we were finally in the Dark Forest. It didn\'t take us long to get to the sea and while the sea air impregnated more and more my nostrils, I concentrated. Despite the urgency of the situation and the stress I was under, I activated my skill "Domain of the Ice Empress - Frozen Wrath" while closing my eyes.
Once again I felt a cold air coming out of my body along with a feeling of anger that I had to control in order not to cause a natural disaster. I had to keep my negative feelings aside and concentrate on this icy aura to make it circulate throughout my body. Gradually, as the sea was only a few meters away, I opened my eyes...I was ready.
*Let\'s go !*
[Yes !]
I concentrated all my mind and intelligence in my paws and as I put a first paw on the sand, it froze instantly. I had no time to wonder, I had to neither doubt nor slow down, so without hesitation I rushed into the water. At this moment, a wave of cold escaped violently from me and the sea all around us started to freeze.
PING -
[ Congratulations ! The skill : Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 2) is now level 3 ]
I ignored the notification and continued my crazy run always followed by my little sister. We were no longer running on land and every step I took hardened the sea, stopped the waves and froze the water in time, creating a huge path straight to our Empire. My mana was running out but I had enough to get me all the way there, although once I got there I knew I would be exhausted.
But none of that mattered, I was ready to do anything to keep my promise, to be there for my wife, my daughter, my child and to allow Kira to be there too. I was determined, an indescribable rage and strength coming out of me, strengthening my ice and icy aura even making my fur quiver.
*Gaya...Shiro...little star about to be born...we are coming !*
____
- POV General -
The setting sun, blazing like the most precious of fires, tinged the world with its crimson color, descending on the restless sea. In the middle of this sea, two majestic and huge creatures could be seen in a scene that was hard to believe. A beautiful black wolf with two horns, fur as dark as night and sharp fangs, was running on the water followed by a silver fox with three tails.
As they passed, the sea did not split in two but froze at an impressive speed, allowing them to never stop. Every second was precious and the sun was getting lower and lower but the two beautiful purple-eyed creatures did not stop. Caught in a mad race, a race against the sunset, the two majestic beasts ran with the strength of their bodies, their determination and their hearts.
At that moment, nothing could stop them, no wave, no strong wind, no creature, no monster. Driven by their love, their fears and the desire to be there for the people they loved, Empress Freya and Princess Kira crossed the red sea, tinged by the sun.
[N/A: Path taken by Freya and Kira represented on the map of the continent available on discord]
___
FULL STATUS
Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade
Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old
Sex : Female
Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult
Race : Imperial Demon
Titles :
- Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (form - until all powers are regained) - 20%.
- Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the unique Sins Demons (to unlock it please collect the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)
- Dragon tamer
- Ruthless slayer
Level : 45/70
Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000
HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 55 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100
Strength: 560
Defense : 560
Agility : 566
Endurance: 563
Speed : 562
Intelligence: 560
Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)
Attribute points to allocate : 600
Married to : Gaya
Daughter : Shiro
Little sister : Kira (Greedy Fox)
Big sister : Kalaa Nightshade
Empire (menu)
Subordinates: 1239
Humans killed: 153
Souls: 2/3
Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)
Skills (all):
Attacks:
- Demon Claws (Lvl 5)
- Bite of hell (Lvl 6)
- Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)
- Fighting techniques (Lvl max)
- Mastery of the katana (lvl max)
- Demonic Empress aura (lvl 6)
Defense:
- Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)
- Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)
- Pain Resistance (lvl 5)
Attack/Defense:
- Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 3) - (under condition)
- Death Gaze (lvl 1)
Others :
- Humanoid form
- Demonic form (linked to the title so incomplete) - 20%.
- Ice creation (Lvl 6)
- Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)
- Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)
- Master of Souls (lvl 2)
- Lucifer\'s Threads of Blood (lvl 2)
- Healing Blood (lvl 2)
- Analysis
- Telepathy