Within an inescapable abyss, Eleanor levitated. Her body was curled up, while her eyes were tightly shut. Only the faint sound of her rapidly beating heart was audible. The racing heart that condemned itself for the death of Eleanor's mother.
The silver flames that caused the incident. She hated those flames with all her heart, but they didn't seem to reciprocate. Instead, the warmth of the flames–although agonizing to others–was the only thing in which Eleanor found comfort.
'But I can't… they killed my mother.'
Despite being aware of that fact, a seed of doubt remained in Eleanor's heart. Were the silver flames truly evil? Although she hated them, they didn't hate her back. They embraced her… the way her mother never had.
'This is crazy…'
Her expression strained, while dark thoughts continued to plague her mind, attempting to shatter her resistance and allow the shadows… the abyss to embrace her. Flames were temporary… darkness was eternal.
Darkness may be cold, but it was silent. A silent place where not a single entity could disturb her. A life of peace awaited her behind the doors of darkness, and all she needed to do was to embrace it.
However, as she was about to float in the darkness forever, her eyes widened.
Within the darkness, a speck of light in the distance caught her eye. With tears streaming from her eyes, her gaze fell on the King of the Dragons, Bahamut's face. His lush, scarlet red hair, along with his gentle, crimson eyes.
They brought hope.
And power.
An involuntary smile blossomed on her face, providing her with the ability to resist the encroachment of the darkness. She willed to escape the darkness. The silver flames were still a trauma, but at least they didn't feel so distant anymore.
But one question remained.
Was what happened that day for the best?
*
The long-lost luster returned to Eleanor's eyes, while her vision returned. The first face she saw was Arthur's, which was so close to hers. She could feel his warm breath and could view the wariness in his eyes.
Behind the crimson-eyed man was a lime-colored barrier, which seemed to be on the cusp of shattering into a million pieces.
With a strained expression and a body with minor wounds, Arthur stared at the red-haired woman for a split second before immediately rolling to the side, avoiding her fist that swung purely as a reflex.
"What is wrong with you?"
"What the fuck were you trying to do?" Eleanor shouted, her voice laced with overflowing rage. The warmth of Arthur's breath sent chills down her spine, and the suggestive pose made her want to barf.
"To prevent you from dying," replied Arthur, clenching his teeth while maintaining the barrier. However, at that moment, it shattered, increasing the crimson-eyed man's mana consumption severalfold for a split second.
"I don't think that's a way to do it," shouted Eleanor, hurling a sphere of silver flames in his direction. Arthur's eyes widened, and he immediately spammed [Ethereal Glide] in order to escape the attack's trajectory.
The Celestial Flames were too powerful.
Arthur wanted to explain the circumstances, but his annoyance prevented him from trying to act civil. "I should've just let you die…"
Eleanor ignored the crimson-eyed man's response, turning head to face Umbral. His body was covered in shadows. Slithery snakes of darkness rushed toward Arthur and Eleanor, and once the barrier shattered their assault became overwhelmingly powerful.
However, Eleanor simply smiled.
"You have a way of extinguishing those shadows, correct?"
Arthur nodded. Currently, he was in awe at how Eleanor had survived the assault on her mind through the use of the flutes. Moreover, she seemed refreshed after enduring the trial. As if she had encountered enlightenment.
"Well, so do I," said the red-haired woman, smiling before glancing at Arthur, as if yearning for praise.
"Good… job?"
Eleanor snorted at the response, willing the mana within her body to condense near her palms, generating Celestial Flames that swirled around her hands. The flames crept up her arm, eventually encompassing her entire body–aside from her face.
Despite the intense heat the flames radiated, Eleanor's clothes were not harmed in the slightest. She also seemed to be able to control who was harmed by the flames. "Shall we begin, Mr. Solace?"
Arthur raised an eyebrow. He placed his hand on his head, realizing his hood had come off. Still, how was the princess aware of the details of his appearance? Wasn't she a snotty brat during her early years?
"I'm not dumb enough to ignore recent news," said Eleanor, facing Umbral. "Also, Gilgamesh sounded a bit too unrealistic."
"You think?" Arthur replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
The two glanced at each other, annoyance visible on their faces. Then, they both rushed forward, summoning Sun Energy and Celestial Flames.
Umbral narrowed his eyes, his pupils displaying immense regret. He willed many of his shadows and zombies to form a barrier, but the combination of Celestial Flames and Sun Energy pierced it easily.
The low temperature rose exponentially, causing all three combatants to sweat profusely. The three soon began exchanging blows. Umbral augmented his body via the usage of his shadows, Eleanor utilized a layer of mana paired with Celestial Flames, while Arthur trusted the strength of his bones.
And, of course, a layer of mana.
Bam! Bam! Bam!
It wasn't long before all zombies had perished, their flags free to be snatched. However, neither of the three rushed to retrieve them, pouring all their concentration into the intense battle that shook the ground.
After what seemed like an eternity, Umbral stood in front of a massive tree, his body raked in crimson liquid.
Many wounds were visible on his body, while his shadows had begun losing their power.
However, despite his injuries, a smile remained on his face. But his eyes were regretful.
"The song remains unsung, yet its melodies bring pleasure."
Arthur and Eleanor glanced at one another, confused by the child's words. To be honest, they sounded like gibberish.
"The hopes of bringing an end to the symphony before it even began has been unsuccessful."
"But there will be other chances."
'What the fuck…' Arthur muttered internally, releasing a burst of Sun Energy toward the Child Of Shadows to finish him off.
However, before the burst could touch the child, the shadows enveloped his body, cracking space itself. Umbral smiled, mouthing the words 'We'll see each other again sooner than you expect,' before falling backwards.
The crack in space gobbled the Child Of Shadows, disappearing instantly.
[The Second Trial has been completed.]
[Flags remain. Please retrieve the flags before the counting process can begin.]
[You have completed the Challenge Area of the Second Floor.]
