While Ery remained in closed-door training, the Gene Center of Utopia City received one of its regular patients.
She had visited the center many tis over the past several years and every appointnt had been handled personally by the head apothecarist.
Inside the private treatnt chamber stood two won whose presence alone drew the eye.
Both were strikingly beautiful. Both had flowing blonde hair and carried a natural majesty that made ordinary people instinctively lower their gaze.
One possessed a graceful calm, the other carried a fiercer charm.
The graceful woman was Gweeneth of Earth. The other was Kayelin, the renowned Grand Magus apothecarist from a distant world. Kayelin adjusted several floating instrunts before gently pressing a crystal injector against Gwen's arm. A luminous serum entered her veins, spreading through her body while layers of scanning runes passed over her skin, asuring life force, blood vitality, and spiritual balance.
Several quiet minutes passed before the readings faded.
Kayelin lowered her hand and spoke in her usual calm tone.
"All done. There will be one final treatnt next month. Until then, rest well and do not strain yourself too much."
Gwen nodded with genuine warmth.
"Thank you, Sister Kay. I truly feel much better each ti I co. You are indeed amazing."
A rare smile touched Kayelin's lips.
"Still far from comparing with the famous Star Maiden."
The two won had grown much closer over the last seven years. What began as simple treatnt had gradually beco mutual respect, and eventually sothing close to friendship.
As Gwen raised a hand to smooth back her hair, however, her expression paused.
Several strands had fallen loose into her fingers.
She stared at them briefly before releasing a soft sigh.
Kayelin noticed at once.
"Do not worry," she said gently. "It is a normal side effect."
Gwen looked up and grinned again, this ti with quiet sincerity.
"I know all of you have done your best. I am grateful."
She rose from the treatnt seat and bowed respectfully. The faint worry that had crossed her face monts earlier had already vanished, replaced by steady resolve.
"Please relay my thanks to him as well."
Without waiting for a reply, Gwen turned and walked from the chamber.
Kayelin watched the door close behind her and let out a slow breath.
As a Grand Master apothecarist, she understood Gwen's condition better than most.
The affliction itself was not uncommon.
Many mortals who attempted to force their way into the Magus Realm ended in similar states. So lacked the talent to support ascension. Others were crippled by unstable thods or accidents during breakthrough.
Gwen's case was similar.
During the Kronos duel, she had drawn strength her mortal body was never ant to contain and burned through her own life force in exchange for temporary power.
The result was severe.
To put it simply—
She had consud much of her own life force.
That kind of damage was among the most difficult to treat. Lifespan-restoring dicines existed, but mortal bodies could only absorb so much before reaching their limit.
Since the duel with Kronos, through repeated treatnts, she had managed to extend her life by nearly thirty years.
But borrowed years were still borrowed years.
The only true solution left was for Gwen to successfully step into the Magus Realm. Once she transford beyond mortality, her life foundation could be rebuilt and stabilized.
Unfortunately, under normal circumstances, the chance of success in her current state would have been no more than ten percent.
That was why Kayelin and Ery had spent the last several years doing everything possible to improve those odds. Through dicine, body refinent, energy stabilization, they had gradually pushed her chances to above thirty percent.
Even so, thirty percent was still too low.
In two months, Gwen would need to attempt her breakthrough.
Whether she rose or fell would be left to fate.
Gwenn walked out of the facility with a shadow trailing closely behind her.
After a while, she spoke softly.
"What do you think, Livi? Do you think I'll succeed?"
The shadow beside her rippled, then gradually rose into the figure of a young girl with playful eyes and a curved horn on each side of her head. Livi stretched lazily before giving an honest shrug.
"I really have no idea," she said. "But I trust my master will finds a way."
At the ntion of him, Gwen could not help but smile.
"He always does… doesn't he?"
So of the tension in her chest eased as she continued forward.
She soon passed through the Utopia Teleportation Gate and arrived at the Centauri Teleportation Hub, the usual transfer point before returning to Dawnstar. The place was known for being crowded at nearly all hours.
Today, however, the atmosphere was completely different.
The entire hub had fallen into disorder.
Thousands of people packed the platforms and surrounding plazas, with more still arriving through the active gates every few minutes. Civilians clutched children and whatever belongings they had managed to save. Wounded soldiers were bore by comrades or dragged themselves forward with hollow expressions. dical teams rushed through the crowd while officers shouted commands that were barely heard over the noise.
Many of those arriving looked as though they had just crawled out of hell.
Their clothes were torn.
Their faces were pale with exhaustion.
So were still stained with ash, dried blood, and smoke.
As Gwen slowly made her way through the crowd, fragnts of conversation reached her ears.
"More refugees from the war zone…"
"The fighting keeps spreading…"
She looked over the sea of desperate faces and quietly murmured to herself,
"I suppose I am still one of the lucky ones."
After waiting far longer than usual, she finally secured passage through another gate and returned to Dawnstar City.
The mont she stepped into the arrival plaza, several young figures in uniform hurried toward her with obvious urgency.
"Lady Star Maiden!"
Gwen let out a tired sigh.
"I told you not to call that."
The youths awkwardly lowered their heads. They were mbers of the group she had guided through the foundations over the years—young talents, forr street children, and recruits she had helped give direction and purpose.
One of the older boys stepped forward quickly.
"I'm sorry, miss, but we ca to report sothing urgent."
Gwen's expression sharpened at once.
"What happened?"
"We discovered a hidden base used by slave traders."
The relaxed air around her vanished completely.
"Is the information confird?" she asked. "And have you contacted the Magus Enforcers?"
"We did," the young man replied, frustration clear in his voice. "But I don't think they're taking it seriously. Miss… I think the slave trader are on the moves... I'm worried"
Gwen's expression darkened further.
She knew how such people operated. If they believed exposure was near, they might even kill all captives to erase evidence.
Without hesitation, she turned sharply.
"We are going there now!"
From beside her feet, Livi's voice ascended from the shadow.
"You should send soone else and rest. You just finished treatnt."
Gwen kept walking,her eyes steady and burning with resolve.
"If you truly care about my safety, go to Terra, deliver the information, and ask for help."
Her tone left no room for argunt.
"Go quickly."
User Comments
0 comments from readers