Silver eyes widened. Its pair of fragile moonlight orbs glistened within trembles. Moulin felt his mind turn static, tuning out everything in his surroundings, leaving only a faint echo, gradually growing from the depths. His body had stilled.
Almost half a minute passed when he finally processed the words.
Moulin subconsciously held Hadrian's arm as the realization finally ca to him. He feared the words would burst out from his throat. Pale fingers tightened around the dark finery. "They're back? My-... and what of Ghana? My brother? Had they..."
The golden Lord lowered himself slightly, a little effort to make himself appear gentle. Golden pupils emitted a deep, soft glow like beams from the golden sunrise. "They have returned... Your brother... Ghana and the rest..."
The mont those words ended, Moulin felt himself go light. The unbearable weight was finally lifted from his chest. The youth lets out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.
'They've returned safely. And the Chrysolite is with us...'
Moulin had to see how Emlen and Ghana were. They had successfully acquired the lost crystal despite the life-threatening dangers out to take them. He knew they were far from alright...
"I have to see them..." Moulin whispered.
Lord Hercullio's expression slightly fell. His hands carefully held the youth's shoulders as he spoke. "That is unwise. Your absence at this mont would bring misfortune to your ntors while the Royal Council remains wary of you."
Moulin resisted making a retort, but he admitted Hadrian spoke truthfully. Lady Celeste functioned as his guarded observer, while any improper conduct from him would beco a weapon to use against him. Sadness filled his chest.
"Then... please look after them..."
"They are currently being treated, "Hadrian explained. "They lost a few n during the journey, so the funerary preparations have begun. Ghana is exhausted, but she's looking lively and uninjured."
Moulin was relieved to hear it. "And my brother?..."
This ti, Hadrian paused, gazing at him deeply. Moulin felt dread instantly taking up his chest.
"Is sothing wrong? Tell . What happened with him?"
Hadrian sighed as he spoke. "He is well but sothing happened in their travels. Ghana carried him all the way back as he was too weak to walk. Your brother had his mana drained too much, and the seers are currently treating him. They remain investigating the cause."
Moulin was left confused and worried. Emlen's situation didn't sound simple at all. However, it ant his brother was alive and breathing; it gave Moulin a faint sense of comfort.
Seeing that the youth had finally cald down, Hadrian pulled him into his arms and slowly guided him towards the desk. Moulin let himself be moved and found a conspicuous large chest sealed with powerful anti-mana runes. It was dark and looked to have gone through so much with its faded color and the several scratches on it. Dust from the journey remained stuck underneath its deepest crevices.
Moulin stilled. Thoughts ran chaotically in his mind. "Is this..."
"Your brother had gone through so much to bring this back to you." Hadrian stepped back, nearing the table. With a swift wave of his hand, the spells collapsed, and the lock popped off with a loud click. His golden gaze t Moulin's.
"The Chrysolite is yours."
Moulin watched as the Lord placed a hand over the lid and slowly pulled it open. With the spells disintegrated and the faewood broken open, the extrely potent energy surged out from the box, filling the entire room.
Moulin felt the hair on his skin rise as the powerful energy surrounded him. It was an explosion of oppressive power, flaunting its might with so much arrogance. Moulin winced, resisting the urge to shield himself. But he must see it with his own eyes, the legendary crystal from the to of Orchaedia.
Amidst the blur, he sees it. Nestled on the dark leather, a deford crystal revealed itself. Pulsing with bluish light, its surface was a ss of crystal spikes, alternating in size like a moving wave. It looked as though it was angry, discontent expressed by the quick pulses of light and the quick changes on its round, thorny body.
Awe filled Moulin's gaze.
As though sensing the youth's attention, the Chrysolite slowed its movents like an animal drawing back to observe. anwhile, its violent energy had withdrawn.
Moulin sighed in relief and stepped closer. "It's... beautiful..."
The crystal emitted sharp and quick pulses of blue light as though in response. Before Moulin could marvel at its actions, the lid was abruptly shut close. The snap sliced through the silent room. The magical ambiance vanished instantly.
...
"...?" Silver eyes, filled with confusion, shifted towards Hadrian.
The High Lord expressionlessly removed his hand. "Staring too much will hurt your eyes..."
"..."
It wasn't that bright.
Moulin narrowed his eyes at him briefly. Honestly, can't he be jealous of the right things?
The youth shook his head and took the box into his arms. Concern filled his expression. "My brother and the n's efforts will not be in vain. Unfortunately, there is not much ti to test the Arcan Chamber after we embed the Chrysolite. Right now, I need more than luck..."
"You have already prepared enough. For now, you must focus. The council cannot truly place any heavy punishnt upon you. Fridal and Klaria have strengthened the people's belief, and if the council tried anything outrageous, they would face its consequences."
Moulin hesitated but inwardly agreed with Hadrian's words. Moreover, if they try to force Moulin, he will make sure they learn the complete weight of their mistake.
The youth walked up to Hadrian and lightly patted the man's cheek. The hint of playfulness in his voice made those golden eyes darken. "Behave well for now and cheer for tomorrow. I'll see you in the morning."
A fleeting kiss on his cheek made Hadrian stiffen. Before he knew it, Moulin had left the room in haste. Before he disappeared out of the door, one could see the endearing flush of his ears.
The sudden silence turned bearable.
'Was that a reward?' The Hercullian Lord questioned to the air.
.....
In the next few hours, Moulin had brought the legendary relic before Lady Calanthe after personally studying it. Shock and awe filled the sorceress's eyes the mont she laid her eyes on it. From its beauty alone, it was truly a magnificent thing reflecting the gifts of the heavens. Amusent filled Moulin's expression while he observed his ntor's reactions. He had never seen Lady Calanthe look so astounded.
"The tiers of mana it emits is more than what we assud." She frowned, placing her furred hat beside her so its drooping feathers wouldn't obstruct her view of the precious crystal.
"It is too powerful. Embedding it directly to the pedestal will, perhaps, overwhelm the chamber and destroy all our efforts. The formations must be altered imdiately."
Moulin half-sat on the desk of their work area, pondering for a few minutes. "Can we complete it in ti before the eting?"
Lady Calanthe's eyes remained glued in fascination to the blinking Chrysolite. "It is possible... I'm too old to be foregoing any sleep, but for your big day tomorrow, sacrifices are imminent. Woe for the aged indeed."
Moulin chuckled faintly before walking away to fetch the magical plans they had made. It was his first ti working with sothing extrely powerful and divine. Although Moulin had spent almost two months studying, absorbing all the knowledge he could find, he was still far from the bountiful wisdom Lady Calanthe possessed from decades of study.
Lady Calanthe guided him with much more enthusiasm upon stumbling on sothing she had never encountered before. The unknown and the potential to remake such a specin fueled her spirit. Moulin bore the burn of her excitent and spent the next several hours altering magic formations, remaking necessary runes, casting complex spells, and quelling the fiery temper of the Chrysolite.
It was a legendary relic that possessed a usual trait. It could respond and control, and knowing that it also possessed so kind of awareness of its surroundings was mind-shattering.
Dawn had already crept in when Moulin was carefully studying the responses of the Chrysolite.
Lady Calanthe suddenly approached him from behind and muttered thoughtfully, "It seed to have possessed an incorporeal body before it morphed into the vessel it currently inhabits."
"It does... seem oddly familiar... Even its essence possessed sothing elusive I couldn't quite na..."
"You don't?" The amusent in her voice poked at Moulin. Her eyes curved. "Try looking at it carefully..."
"...?"
Confused, Moulin put down his pen and paper before studying the crystal before him.
It looked honestly like a crystal urchin. An urchin capable of changing the length and thickness of its thorns. What Moulin found peculiar was the familiar glow it emitted, as well as the energy masked by the hundred layers of powerful essence.
"..."
So pure and... soothing. Gentle yet could strike when provoked. Beautiful as it flows out.
A bright, silvery spirit smoothly dances.
Moulin stiffened. His reaction could not escape Calanthe's keen gaze. She smiled. "It bears your essence. Perhaps it swallowed an arcan relic and, like the peculiar thing it is, used your essence as its own."
Like a devourer absorbing essences, it finds them beneficial and transforms them into its own.
"However... knowing that we could still recognize your energy from within it, it ans it doesn't necessarily absorb everything." She spoke before glancing at Moulin. "It doesn't devour divine essences belonging to another heavenly entity."
"But hides it instead..." Moulin stared at the pulsing crystal with unknown thoughts.
.....
He swallowed.
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