BXBX NOVEL Chapter 274 The Princess’ Trial II
"A-Auntie, I...I think I remember now."
I had done everything as my aunt had asked me, I had thought very very hard about that super scary night when I thought Angel was going to die. It wasn't very hard because I remembered something very special that my body had felt even though I couldn't explain it. It was as if all of a sudden I felt my heart stop before a warmth went through my whole body like a big boom in my chest.
Now I felt the same, it was weird but not unpleasant, I was hot and again I was shaking but not from fear. Was this mana ? At school I had learned that it was in our bodies since birth and that everyone could use it but I was the only one who couldn't. Because of this I felt weak but Auntie Kalaa was there and as I looked up with a smile she finally answered with the same.
"That's good, you passed the first step Shiro, I am proud of you~. Now look."
Without waiting I saw her form a small mirror with the same ice that Mommy used before turning it towards me to show me. In the blurred reflection of the magic object I saw a little girl who looked very much like me but had golden eyes like the sun. They were bright, very beautiful but I didn't know if what I was seeing was real or not, I knew that my eyes were purple like Mommy's, Auntie Kira's and Auntie Kalaa's.
*This is...this is me ?*
"You have inherited my power, the original power of a Goddess, which means that you are undergoing the same transformation as I once did. If your mother Lu-...Freya was the red-eyed Archdemon Goddess of Blood and Death, I was the golden-eyed Archangel of Time and Wisdom.
"Archangel ?"
"It's a bit complicated to explain but tell you that the transformation we undergo when we use our divine powers. As a totally natural reaction to the mana that flows through our bodies you are now the closest thing we have to a Goddess"
I didn't understand it all but apparently it was normal so I didn't have to worry about it. But, did that mean it was going to stay like this all the time ? At first, before I met Mommy, I hated my white hair and my purple eyes, but now I loved them with all my heart. I was proud of it because my family thought I was cute and loved me like that but now was it still the case ?
*No no, Mommy and Mom love me no matter what color my eyes are !*
Shaking my head to get this stupid and spineless idea out of my mind, I couldn't help but feel sad at the thought of losing a physical characteristic that tied me to who I was. I didn't have time to think about it more than that when Auntie Kalaa's soft voice echoed above me saying words I wanted to hear as if she was a mind reader. Could she do that ?
"Haha~ don't worry, it's not permanent, the purple color of your pupils characterizing the Nightshade family doesn't disappear, it's only temporary. It only means that your divine mana is somehow...active, but that doesn't mean that using it is safe either. To be sure we have to keep going, do you trust me ?"
"Y-Yes."
"Good. Now we're getting into the most complicated and dangerous part. You are now able to feel the mana flowing through you to the point of voluntarily making that golden color appear in your eyes, this is the very first step of the manipulation. Yet what you feel at this moment is only a tiny part of your power, so you must then grasp its intensity as accurately as possible."
I knew it was dangerous, not exactly how dangerous, but even though I was scared I trusted my aunt. I definitely wanted to be able to get strong to help, to be worthy of my family and show them all that I wasn't just cute even though I was still little. Mommy and the others said I was more powerful than I thought, I didn't know why either but I was ready to listen like a big girl.
Everyone was busy with super complicated big person stuff but everyone was brave and serious, I wanted to be too. I had my courage headband around my forehead and as I felt that warmth spread through my body, I listened. Auntie Kalaa was kind and even though I didn't understand everything right away, she explained much better than Auntie Kira who wasn't good at it.
"Time is not a physical element like the ice I control, Freya's Blood, Gaya's Fire or Kira's Lightning. Time is abstract, powerful but equally complicated, it represents our past, present, future and even beyond. To tell you the truth, even as a Goddess I had so much left to discover about it..."
I listened but Auntie suddenly stopped talking, looking blankly with sad eyes. Was she going to cry ? What a pity, I didn't have a tissue and I didn't know what to do to help her get better but her light had become a little bit different. Ever since I saved Angel, I could see a faint light shining on the chest of every person, creature or animal I passed, it was very strange.
Most of the time the light is white and with time I understood that it changed according to the emotions of the people but I was not sure. Red for anger, green for disgust, yellow for joy, grey for fear and...blue for sadness. There were plenty I didn't know yet but at that moment the little light on Mommy's big sister's heart was the same color as the ocean next to my house.
"A-Auntie...are you okay ?"
"Ah uuh yes yes, I'm fine haha~ where was I again ? Ah yes !"
She had started smiling again with bright eyes but the light color remained exactly the same, maybe I was wrong then ? Why was she smiling if she was sad ? Again something I didn't understand and had to ask Mommy or Mom Gaya. I didn't want to cut her off in this important moment so I opened my ears wide while my aunt continued as if she had never stopped.
"Unlike the others, the Time you can use doesn't have a specific skill, at least for now because it's an abstract element that can take different forms. I know it's complicated but time is not immutable, it evolves and it's up to you to discover all the possibilities it grants you"
*I don't understand everything but I will do my best, yes yes~*
"Let's evaluate the power you can control today. Keep your concentration, I'm going to make a ball of my own mana appear, concentrating absolutely all my power. It's not very orthodox but if you can pour yours out by touching it then it will be easier for me to evaluate its intensity."
Finishing speaking, Auntie Kalaa made an ice ball appear in her hand filled with black smoke inside. It was a bit scary, especially since I didn't know why but I felt chills in my body just looking at it. Maybe because it was a concentration of her strength ? I too wanted to do this, I too wanted to be powerful so that I would never have another nightmare like I did that night.
"Focus, dear, okay ? You can feel the mana flowing through you now, so just try to pour as much as you can to make it clash with mine. If you feel that it's too much or that you're getting tired quickly, don't push, we're only at the beginning so don't rush it. Don't let it get to you, safety first..."
"A-All right."
"It's not an orthodox method but I'm the only one who shares a mana similar to yours, so I would know how to evaluate your strength with my experience. Don't be afraid, I'm here, just do the best you can and let it flow by simply directing its flow gently through your finger. Are you ready, Shiro ?"
Auntie was using a lot of complicated words but it didn't matter, nodding my head I closed my eyes first to stay serious and focused. I could feel the warmth of the mana inside me so I just had to direct it to my finger, right ? She had also mentioned that my element was connected to my emotions and feelings. I wanted to help, I wanted to be useful so I was going to use all these thoughts to make everyone proud of me.
My little heart was beating so hard, like when I was stressed at school but this time I felt it was different. The harder I thought, the hotter my body felt as if I could conjure up flames like Mom Gaya. Was this strength ? Auntie Kalaa had said not to push but I wasn't doing anything, it felt good, it felt different and as long as I wasn't pushing it was okay, no ?
I didn't realize it but little by little the words my aunt had said were getting lost in my mind. It was as if time had really stopped, I couldn't see or feel anything, but I didn't know why...I wasn't afraid at all. An explosion of joy burned in my chest because for the very first time I could feel that I was not as weak as I thought.
And before I knew it, I was gone.
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- POV General -
"What's going on !?!?"
The Empress of Elysium followed by her wife and little sister had rushed back into the trial room, breaking down the door as usual. Her calm voice had risen to a tone that hinted a great concern hanging on every word she had just spoken. Freya had spoken for all as both Gaya and Kira wore the same confused but mostly anxious face as the former Goddess of Time answered.
"I-...I don't know. We've started the second stage of testing, she's not in danger right now but it doesn't stop ! Freya..."
Kalaa stared at the center of the room from which a powerful gust was gushing out, forcefully blowing the hair of those nearby. The source of this ? The little white-haired Princess lost in an unexpected trance, causing her mana to surge, which at that moment was close to being uncontrollable. Yet, the most incredible thing was the phenomenon that was happening around the little girl, preventing anyone from getting any closer.
"...It seems that her power is beyond anything we could have imagined."
Around Shiro, the space seemed to twist, an illusion caused by the aura that escaped from her and physically acted over several meters. The floor, the lamp, the ceiling, everything in the vicinity had cracked as their surface gradually peeled off like wallpaper before flying away and vanishing. It was as if they were disappearing every second, reduced to nothingness as if they had never existed.
The sight was incredible to see but as intriguing as it was, no one could forget the source of this scene sitting in the middle of everything. Freya, not knowing what to do, turned to her older sister with her eyes fixed on her niece while trying to hide her right arm behind her. However, the she-wolf had seen it long before it disappeared behind her older sister's dress, thus raising a lot of questions and especially concern.
Kalaa was holding her trembling right arm, where wrinkles had appeared on it, replacing her immaculate and soft skin of always. As if it had been the work of a curse, her arm and hand seemed to have aged in one fell swoop, leaving only the skin of an old woman, thin and dry. Shaking her head to keep a cool head and deciding to ignore this detail for the moment, Freya formulated out loud what everyone else was wondering.
"Kalaa ! How do we stop this ?!"
"I don't know, I-I've tried but nothing helps. In a way, this is part of the tesr. Shiro is the only one who can stop and control her power, only she...has the answer..."
At that moment, the Empress and the Queen understood that nothing could stop what was happening and that they were...powerless. Their little daughter was the cause of this phenomenon and not knowing or understanding anything about the situation was unbearable. Yet, nothing could be done. The little Princess was alone and patience was the only solution, they had to believe in her so that's what Freya was going to do.
Despite the uncertainty, the worry, the beating hearts and trembling bodies, everyone was going to wait and believe in the one who had a pure heart. Her mind was gone, invaded and overwhelmed by the power she had so longed to be able to control to help those she loved. The trial had not stopped, in fact it was just beginning and for the first time Shiro was alone. No one could stop...or help her.
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FULL STATUS
Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade
Age : 0 year 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 (former - until all powers are recovered) - 35%.
- Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)
- Dragon tamer
- Ruthless slayer
Level : 47/70
Exp needed for next level: 7 000 / 48 000
HP : 170 000 / 170 000 MP : 85 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100
Strength: 660
Defense : 660
Agility : 666
Endurance: 663
Speed : 662
Intelligence: 660
Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)
Attribute points to allocate : 1 600
Married to : Gaya Nightshade
Daughter : Shiro Nightshade
Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Altaïs Nightshade
Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)
Big sister : Kalaa Nightshade
Empire (menu)
Subordinates: 10 801(keep growing)
Humans killed: 153
Souls: 0/3
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 7)
Défense :
- Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)
- Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)
- Pain Resistance (lvl 6)
Attack/Defense :
- Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)
- Death Gaze (lvl 1)
Others :
- Humanoid form
- Demonic form (linked to the title so incomplete) - 20%.
- Ice creation (Lvl 6)
- Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)
- Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)
- Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)
- Master of Souls (lvl 3)
- Lucifer's Threads of Blood (lvl 3)
- Healing Blood (lvl 3)
- Reminiscence (lvl 2)
- Analysis
- Telepathy
Passives :
- Commander (lvl max)
- Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]