Chapter 117: Chapter 188 – The Calm Before the Storm

Asterios woke up with a groan. Scrunching his face, he raised his hands to rub his forehead but only one of them arrived at its destination unobstructed. Slightly confused, he slowly opened his eyes and quickly recognized the castle’s ceiling. He wasn’t in the master bedroom since there was a lack of the distinct canopies high above his head and the bed was clearly much narrower.

Tilting his head to the side, where his arm had refused to rise up earlier, he noticed a person sitting on a simple but comfortable chair with a padded backrest just next to the edge of the mattress. The scarlet-haired woman gently held his hand and smiled ever so softly at him.

“You are awake at last,” Silvia said in a hushed tone.

He decided to question the unusual situation in a moment and sighed softly while shifting a little. “What’s the time, and how long was I out?”

“An hour or two after noon. You’ve been asleep for two days since the summoning.” The princess saw his eyes widen a little and tenderly squeezed his hand. “Don’t worry and take it easy. The Storm King said it would take at least three days for you to regain the lost reserves so you must still be somewhat tired. Everything was taken care of after you went to rest. We made sure of that.”

Meeting Silvia’s kind gaze, Asterios nodded and tried to relax. He knew he could count on his friends and didn’t doubt that they had everything in perfect control. All the women were something else in the end, and the Committee members hadn’t suddenly disappeared.

Feeling the princess’ soft fingers brushing over the top of his hand, he moved his eyes to it. At first, he hadn’t noticed it, but there was a faint connection between them and warmth emanated from their touch, much more than it should.

“So, what’s the situation here?” Asterios asked, switching his gaze between their intertwined palms and Silvia’s face. “Not that I don’t find this nice but I would expect Miria in your place instead with how much she usually worries about me.”

The princess let out a very subtle chuckle and nodded. “That’s true, and she did check on you the most out of all of us.” She then slightly lowered her head. “I’m sorry for acting on my own but shortly after we transported you here, I noticed that our mana mingled together just as usual, and I soon found out that my spiritual energy could somehow stimulate yours. I’m sure you can feel it even now.”

“I see.” Asterios nodded and brushed his finger over Siliva’s soft skin. “Does it drain you?”

She shook her head. “Not in the slightest. While I’ve certainly been sharing some of my mana with you, it’s not an amount worth mentioning. I would need to focus deeply to notice the effects and I haven’t felt anything worrisome during all my time here.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve been sitting here since the summoning.” Asterios raised his brows at her and she responded with a slightly more apparent smile. “Damn. I don’t know what to say besides thank you. It must have been horribly boring.”

“I wasn’t alone all the time.” The princess skipped with her eyes past him.

Asterios turned his head to the other side and found a golden-haired woman with dazzling white wings sitting there.

“Gods, Bryn, I’m sorry for not noticing you earlier.”

The Valkyrie showed a brilliant smile and shook her head. “Don’t worry about it, Master. I’m glad to see you recover so quickly. I made sure to keep an eye on you from a medical standpoint now and then but my time here can’t even compare to Princess Silvia’s. There's no doubt that you woke up earlier thanks to her discovery and help.”

“For sure.” Asterios returned his gaze to the princess and found a barely noticeable tinge of rosiness on her noble cheeks. “Thanks again. How is the situation?”

“You are welcome,” Silvia replied calmly. “Nothing significant happened while you were unconscious. The plaza is already back to its original state and the Storm King chose its northern part as his resting place, lying there peacefully most of the time. The Committee members decided to build a raised platform for him and will most likely start the construction soon as they are a bit busy assisting with your family’s new stores.”

He chuckled, imagining the towering Dracodon curled up on a pedestal and watching over the market with his keen eye.

Then, a dark gate opened next to Bryn and a person flew out of it.

“Master!”

Miria slammed into Asterios and he had to break his hand out of Silvia’s hold to catch the panthergirl. More chuckles escaped his lips as his feline mate wrapped her limbs all around him and rubbed her face into his chest. As he stroked her cute ears, Selene and Tina walked into the room too.

“It’s alright, I’m fine.” He caressed Miria’s back lovingly. “I’m happy to see you too.”

Raising them both to a sitting position, Asterios put his hands under her chin and placed a gentle kiss on her lips. She smiled beautifully at him.

“I know you are fine, Master. Silvia and Bryn took good care of you. I’m just glad you finally woke up,” Miria explained and kissed him too.

Selene chuckled softly on the side and shot a glance at the princess. “Venuzathor said it would take you a day or two more but I’m not surprised that you exceeded his expectations.”

“I still feel a little hole in my reserves but I’m almost full. I think I’m good to go. Thanks, everyone, for taking care of me.” Asterios looked at each of them with a kind smile.

“Speaking of holes…” Miria said quietly and the mood turned slightly more serious.

He sighed softly and scratched behind her ears. “The injury, right?” She nodded somberly. “Well, I’ve never felt like dying and I’m sure you can tell. On the contrary, I’ve been growing stronger bit by bit. I don’t think there’s much we have to worry about, especially without any information on what Venuzathor meant.”

~Let me elaborate now, then.~ The Storm King’s voice echoed in their heads.

“Looks like everything ended without an issue,” Asterios commented. “We would be glad to hear more of your insight on this matter if you know anything, King Venuzathor.”

~Storm King is more of a title rather than status. Feel free to call me Venuzathor, or Venuz for short. And naturally, I do not mind speaking of what I can see.~

“Noted. So, I don’t exactly know where to begin so if you could…?”

~Your feline mate was pretty close with her assessment. Looking at you, I see half a person. It’s hard to explain but I guess calling it a hole in your being is quite accurate. What I have no doubt about is that whatever it is, it was inflicted upon you.~

“The injury,” Tina whispered as she and Selene sat down on the edge of the bed.

They felt the Storm King make a rumbling noise of agreement. ~There are evident traces of something powerful piercing your body. The physical matter might have fully healed, but the traces of spiritual damage still linger over your entire torso like a web of fading cracks.~

“Could it be… from the crystal?” Miria glanced into Ast’s eyes with a teary expression.

He grazed her cheek and gave Venuzathor access to his memories from that day. The Storm King watched their battle with the Bloodfang and pondered for a moment.

~Hmmm… I don’t think that was it… That crystal… is way too weak.~

Miria exhaled heavily with her hand over her heart. Asterios pulled her into a warm hug, glad that she felt at least a little better about herself. He still could sense her worry but Miria didn’t blame herself so deeply anymore and some relief washed over her.

“Bryn did say that she removed the Limit Breaker’s effects,” Selene said with a respectful nod at the Valkyrie. “You didn’t notice anything else?”

The winged woman shook her head with a downcast gaze. “No, I’m sorry. I took care of anything I could sense through my magic. If there is still something that could be healed, it’s either above the scope of my current abilities or I need to use a specific spell for it. Of course, I will do everything in my power to test everything I know.”

Seeing the determined expression taking over Bryn’s face, Asterios smiled at her softly. “It’s alright. I’m really grateful for your help, Bryn. There’s no rush to exhaust yourself in pursuit of a solution.”

“There’s a chance that the location in your realm holds some magic research too, right?” Tina glanced at her. “Maybe it will be about Healing Magic. That could come useful. Especially if it was some mix of draconic characteristics with normal spells like with the Summoning Magic.”

“Tina is right,” Silvia joined in. “You told me that there was some connection between the Summoning Magic and the beastfolk realm, and then between the Sealing Magic and the Demon Continent. Is there anything about Healing Magic that comes to your mind, Bryn?”

The Valkyrie made a thoughtful expression for a while and scrunched her face a little. “I don’t think there’s anything special about it. Our Healing Magic is certainly quite strong and many of us are able to master it.”

“It could be something barely known in the society like in Miria’s and Selene’s world,” Asterios suggested. “No use in trying to figure it out. We’ll see for ourselves when we take the Descending Spire back from the claws of those monsters.”

Bryn showed a dazzling smile and bowed her head. “Speaking of Healing Magic, that man in charge of the garrison asked me if I could run a check on their soldiers too. After consulting with the others here, we thought that you would accept the request so I agreed and was tending to them whenever I wasn’t by your side, Master. I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course. You girls know that you don’t need my permission for such little things, or anything, to be honest. Just don’t overexert yourself.”

“And look who's talking.” Selene smirked at him and he chuckled.

~I apologize that there’s not much more I can share with you,~ the Storm King added after a moment of silence passed.

“That’s already plenty, thank you,” Asterios replied. “It doesn’t feel like an immediate danger to my life and certainly isn’t anything new so let’s focus on our current issues first. Everything was fine on your end, right?”

~I have familiarized myself with the terrain in the close vicinity and my scouts keep a constant eye on these lands. They haven’t reported anything out of the ordinary yet. We will know immediately if they do.~

“And what about the weird interference?”

~A flock of birds told me they feel uneasy flying over a certain place in the same direction as I mentioned earlier. I haven’t investigated it myself yet, waiting for your awakening. It seems to be a small hill like countless others in the forest.~

“At least we now have something to check instead of just theorizing,” Tina commented. “Let’s see it after you get back on your feet, Ast.”

“I’m already good,” Asterios answered and turned himself to the edge of the bed.

“No need to rush, as you said yourself,” she reprimanded him with a stern gaze and he smiled, feeling Tina’s concern and affection. “The town is definitely safe with the Storm King around. Any beasts will now think thrice before rushing in this direction.”

He raised his hands in surrender. “Alright, alright, I’ll obey. I don’t feel like lazing in bed, though.”

Tina smiled back at him and placed her hand on Ast’s chest as she got closer. He leaned down and let the shorter girl peck his lips. They stood up together and he summoned his clothing with a wave of crimson flames.

“We could spend some time in our world if you would like, my Lord,” Selene suggested.

Asterios glanced at Silvia, who also just stood up.

“It’s okay. I need to head to rest up a little anyway,” she said and he could tell that her eyelids were at least somewhat droopy.

“You haven’t slept this entire time?”

“I did. A little bit,” she admitted.

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He pointed at the door while squinting his eyes. “Out with you before your father learns of this and takes my head for ruining your health and beauty.”

Silvia chuckled very quietly and walked to the entrance. They exchanged soft smiles as she passed him and the princess excused herself out of the room in silence. Asterios sighed and raked through his hair.

He noticed all the girls looking at him with smiles. “What?”

“Nothing!” Miria replied with a giggle and nuzzled herself to his arm.

Selene opened a portal for them and they all walked into the city of Spiritual Foxes. The panthergirl left his side quite quickly and pushed Tina forward. With a noticeable blush on her cheeks, the Summoner girl slid her hand into Ast’s and they walked side by side like a true couple while the three women followed after them shortly.

Asterios knew exactly what was the reason behind Selene’s suggestion so he led everyone toward the main temple. Tina admired the beautiful buildings carved in the marble mountain. They felt so majestic and romantic. It was like they walked through one giant sculpture rather than a town.

They soon reached the overbearing stairs and he swept her off her feet, evoking a little squeal from the blue-haired girl. Miria jumped into Bryn’s arms as Asterios materialized his wings and they soared into the air with Selene by their side, who brought out enough tails to fly comfortably. After her recent advancements, just five were enough for the short distance.

“What are you planning now?” Asterios asked his vulpine mate as they landed on top of the last step.

She showed a mischievous grin and began walking ahead. The air around the fox lady shimmered and she disappeared, confusing them all. But, it didn’t look like she had lunged forward faster than their eyes could follow, just quickly faded away into nothingness.

Asterios reached for his draconic origins and focused on his eyes. His vision turned into grayscale and he quickly noticed the traces of bluish mana associated with Selene. He raised his head and found a transparent, blurry silhouette of his eight-tailed companion floating in the air above the temple. Soon, massive serpents of cyan energy surged towards her from everywhere around.

A moment later, a powerful presence exploded from the point where she hovered in the sky. All the scholars, priests, priestesses, and servants dropped to their knees or onto all fours as gravity suddenly increased tenfold or more. An intense spiritual storm broke out around the temple peak and a ferocious wind howled in circles, separating the location from the rest of the world.

Everyone looked around with either terror or awe in their eyes as dark clouds gathered above their heads. The only thing lacking were lightning strikes and thunder but it seemed like Selene either chose not to cause them or couldn’t do so yet. Asterios could see how she manipulated immense amounts of spiritual energy around the place to create this phenomenon.

“Bring me the Matriarch!” A deep, female voice boomed straight from the sky.

Ast’s group knew it was Selene but only thanks to their obvious advantage of prior information. The poor Foxkin and Spiritual Foxes had no idea what was happening and could only cower on the ground. Some managed to assume a praying form and bowed to the heavens.

Soon, the doors to the temple burst open and they watched Lerisse rush forward with a panicked expression, with all five of her tails out to combat the increased gravity. Right behind her ran Ronye with a deathly pale face and five tails too, which seemed new to Asterios.

The duo stopped in the middle of the plaza in front of the entrance and turned their eyes to the sky, moving their hands into their people’s greeting.

“The Matriarch is here! I greet the respectable senior!”

“Weak!” The powerful voice boomed again.

Right after, the pressure around the two women grew even more and they were forced to their knees even with all their tails out. They grunted in a struggle but quickly assumed a respectful pose on one knee, with their heads bowed, and hands still joined above their figures. It didn’t look like the others suffered the same fate.

“Is this the extent of power my descendants have reached in the last centuries? Pathetic!” Selene’s fake, powerful tone caused the ground to tremble.

Lerisse’s eyes shot wide and she too paled to the extreme. Asterios chuckled and shook his head, realizing what their companion was playing at.

“Do you have nothing to say for yourself, Matriarch?” The voice echoed again.

“This junior has failed the ancestor! This junior doesn’t dare to make any excuses! This junior will prostrate herself in front of the ancestor and await punishment!”

“You think you are worthy of seeing my immortal visage?” The gravity pressed the Foxkin duo even stronger, causing them to whine a little.

“I am not!” Lerisse quickly shouted. “None of us are! There is no one among—”

“There is someone!” Ronye interrupted her and the Matriarch shot her an intense glare. “There is someone with potential just like the ancestor! She is strong! She might even be the ancestor’s…”

The older woman swatted at her unfilial disciple to stop Ronye from blurting out more unnecessary things.

“Someone?” The voice rumbled a bit softer and the pressure decreased a little, letting the two women raise their heads.

They watched the dark clouds part in a certain spot and a ray of golden light shone through the hole down on the pavement right in front of them. Following it, they noticed a sparkling, shimmering outline of a person of feminine posture and multiple tails.

The obstruction gradually receded and revealed an impishly smiling Selene looking down at them.

“And who is that someone?” She smirked.

Lerisse’s eyes turned into saucers and immediately narrowed into thin slits.

“You… Unruly… Brat… I’m going to murder you!”

The Matriarch lunged forward as the pressure disappeared but Selene chuckled softly and blinked away from the woman’s fist. Lerisse continued swinging at her but the white-haired fox lady didn’t even change her posture, just teleporting from place to place as the seething Matriarch chased after her.

Asterios and the girls walked up to Ronye and he extended his hand to the young foxgirl. “Are you okay?”

She looked up at his warm smile and blushed immediately, realizing her embarrassing position, squatted awkwardly with her butt on the floor. Trying not to look him in the eyes she accepted the help and stood up with a little wobble, falling into Asterios. He chuckled softly and assisted her in regaining proper balance.

“The fifth one wasn’t there the last time, was it?” he asked.

Ronye glanced up at him with a tinge of confusion in her eyes before they widened ever so slightly and she bowed respectfully.

“It’s all thanks to Esteemed Teacher’s guidance. I have recently advanced under the eye of the Matriarch and Senior Selene. I am unspeakably grateful for your help.”

Asterios raised her up. “That’s great news. I’m glad that my ramblings could assist you.”

Just then, Selene blinked herself next to him and Lerisse showed up right after her while panting heavily.

“Congratulations, Ronye. I knew you had it in you.” The white-haired fox lady smiled brilliantly.

“Tsch. This is not the end, you hear me?” Lerisse clicked her tongue and fixed her appearance. “I swear you will give me a heart attack one day. I literally thought Kaguya had returned.”

“The last thing I remember from the teachings is her reaching the seventh stage.” Selene showed a wide smile while letting her eight tails sway gently.

“Show off,” the Matriarch scoffed but everyone could notice the corners of her mouth rise proudly.

After everything calmed down a little, Lerisse invited everyone to her office and they sat around a low tea table to chat together. The main topic was of course Selene’s unimaginable advancement and the fox lady didn’t spare the details on how she had achieved it exactly. Ronye could barely sit a few seconds without turning all red.

But, she somehow managed to talk to Asterios amongst all of that. He accepted her thanks and they discussed a few theories related to spiritual energy while she recounted some of the exercises she had introduced into her daily life after receiving his notes. The duo looked so into it that even the Matriarch was shocked to see her young disciple show so much emotion and excitement while talking to a male.

Naturally, Asterios properly introduced Tina and Bryn to everyone who hadn’t met or known about either. As usual, he couldn’t not mention the Valkyrie’s situation again so part of their conversation regarded the possibilities of trade between the realms since the leader of Spiritual Foxes was present.

Lerisse joked that Selene couldn’t escape her fate even after rejecting the position of the Matriarch as she had ended up looking after another settlement in a completely different realm. While the white-haired lady wasn’t exactly Glimmervale’s ruler, she was Ast’s mate, his equal, so she felt at least a bit responsible for it as he did.

After about two hours, Selene suggested visiting Miria’s hometown too and everyone agreed after their feline friend started bouncing around in excitement. As they were leaving, Asterios cheered Ronye on, seeing how fired up she had gotten after their conversation, and accidentally plopped his hand onto her hair to ruffle it gently. 

Albeit with her face turned crimson, she did not run away and stood there to receive his pats as her single now tail swished happily. Selene and Lerisse watched the show with grins, extremely happy that the ever-so-headstrong Ronye was actually letting someone get through that prideful shell of hers. It was a good thing for the young Matriarch candidate.

Bidding farewell to the two fox-eared women, Ast’s group jumped to Miria’s home through a portal she had opened for them. After unlocking more of his lineage, Asterios had tested if they could do so since the anchor in her realm should be attached to that place. It worked without an issue so the girls could properly open gates to him or to their homes no matter where they were.

The sight of five people leaving Miria’s bedroom shocked her mother greatly but she quickly regathered her wits and invited everyone for some cookies. Her husband soon joined them and everyone shared a good time with Miria’s quite eccentric parents. Oria was extremely excited to meet Miria’s sister-mates and knowingly teased the only one person who wasn’t. Bryn held herself strong but they could see some flush on her cheeks whenever such topics surfaced.

Just like in the past, they left Miria’s home to take a walk through the village, in a much larger group this time. They obviously attracted quite the attention but many people recognized Asterios or his two beastfolk mates now since they had often spent their free time amongst them or the Spiritual Foxes.

Since they were already jumping places, Bryn offered to let Tina tour her realm too and no one had anything against it. They still had a moment before it would start getting dark and the flying metal fortress would surely look breathtaking at night too.

Thanking Miria’s parents for their hospitality, they followed the Valkyrie through her gate. Tina was mesmerized by the golden and silver buildings but the groups of winged women were what captured most of her attention.

Unfortunately, she wasn’t fated to sightsee Bryn’s homeworld just yet as a voice in everyone’s heads made them pause.

~There’s movement,~ Venuzathor exclaimed calmly.

They exchanged serious looks and nodded.

~Inform the guards, please. Umbra, fetch Silvia. Gently. She might still be sleeping. We are going to finally see what this is about.~

As Asterios finished, everyone jumped through his gate and stepped back into Glimmervale’s castle.

 

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