Case 90: Rise from the ashes.
''Dia!''
Holding Diamante's limp body in her arms, Kierra suddenly felt a sense of terror gnawing at her deepest place. It was the sa sensation as when she nearly lost August when they participated in the Great War.
As the black hole had dissipated, silence fell on the battlefield.
Kierra took a palmful of Diamante's pink hair, tightly hugging it with the person herself. On her other hand, she clutched the pink diamond.
''Please...''
Without much mana left, all she could hope for was a miracle. In terms of survival, Diamante, a phoenix, was much more proficient than anyone Kierra knew.
If there were soone who could repel this mysterious virus, one that even claid the mighty Heavenly Venerates' body, it would be Diamante.
So, Kierra could only pray.
Gently touching foreheads with the puppy she loved, the archwizard whispered, ''Please, Dia.''
Even as August and Cosmos approached the two, they couldn't bring themselves to interrupt. The sa could be said with Angelica, whose longing for Kierra was no less than anybody else.
It was as if a veil had descended.
Walking between unknown limbos, Diamante could faintly feel a warmth outside of her consciousness. She didn't know who gave her that warmth, but her instinct told her that she needed to grasp it.
Life and death.
Diamante was the noblest of phoenixes, so even if she were dead... she would eventually rise from the ashes and return to life.
Sotis, she called it a curse.
Sotis, she just wanted to disappear.
When she couldn't find a purpose in her life, when she lost her mother to the demons, when she drained herself, working days and nights...
But after Kierra ca into her life, she was grateful for her immortality.
Thanks to that, she would never have to part ways with the love of her life—the woman who always treated her kindly, whose warm embrace beca her nest...
As long as Kierra was safe.
''...!''
It was ti to wake up.
A flicker of fla was dropped on Diamante's body. Soon, Kierra contently watched on as the princess's hair turned sparkling like jewels as it floated. Slowly, her whole body was lifted into the air, holding a glamorous light that pierced through her dark clothes.
When the pink diamond in her hand glead a fiery orange, the archwizard could finally let out a sigh of relief.
Bit by bit, the streaks growing out of the hole in Diamante's chest were incinerated by her fire, and with that sa heat, she quickly nded the missing part and truly returned to life.
Her eyes peeked open as she touched down to the ground, which had been filled with ashes, lingering a fiery shade that signified her immortality.
Before her consciousness settled, she was hugged by Kierra.
''Weh?''
''I'm glad you were okay...''
Imdiately realizing the familiar sll, one that she had been missing for so long, Diamante imdiately encircled her arms around the fluff that had fallen onto her.
While letting out silly squeals unbefitting of the situation, she wantonly enjoyed her Kierra. At this point, she finally thought that everything she went through was worth it!
It was even more delightful to see a visibly pissed August standing nearby.
Like dogs and cats, August and Diamante hated each other imnsely. They just happened to like the sa woman. If not, they wouldn't even want to rember the opponent's na.
''I hate fake whiny bitches like this one.''
''I hate cruel snakes like her!''
Their first conversation was sothing along those lines.
Nevertheless, it was now ti to face the aftermath of the battle, and for so, it was ti for a reunion.
''Long ti no see, Dia.''
''Long ti no see, Kierra!''
First, the archwizard squeezed Diamante's cheeks. Seeing the fluffy puppy nuzzles against her palms, Kierra felt even more relieved. Maybe... she wasn't hated?
As much as she wanted to apologize to her, there was another person of interest who stood behind the princess.
''Ahem...''
Faking her coughs, Angelica clumsily tried to grab Kierra's attention. With a face that practically said, 'I want you to notice ,' she didn't seem quite convincing.
''Angelica.''
''...!''
Nevertheless, she, too, got a hug.
As she pondered in bewildernt, questioning why Kierra suddenly beca so affectionate, she could feel a group of people rushing over.
Singing Kierra's na, they frantically touched her body everywhere in search of injuries or anything of the like. Seeing this sent chills down Angelica's spine.
'T-They'll get themselves killed!'
乂(ﾟДﾟ三ﾟДﾟ)乂
However, contrary to both her and Diamante's worry, Kierra rely brushed them off, and her deanor seed a bit soft, even!
What exactly had happened to her over the past two years?
For her whole life, Angelica had only known the strict and stoic Kierra, and now that an entirely new side of her master had been revealed, she could feel her curiosity spike.
Right then, her azure eyes behind the glasses t with Yu Chen's athyst ones.
''...''
''...''
Both of them didn't know how to feel at the mont. Everybody present didn't.
On top of the absolute monstrosity that Kierra had summoned, there was a bunch of people who didn't know each other at all. In other words, they needed ti to settle.
''Let's go back first.''
Understanding this, Kierra suggested.
And so, one big group promptly made their way back to... Yan Shi's mansion?
''Um... since when did my house beco a eting spot...?''
''What?''
''It's nothing, ma'am. My property is my property, and my property is also your property.''
She was shut off with a single word from August.
So, her house beca a eting spot anyway.
Usually, Yan Shi could be seen relaxing in her cozy guest room, sprawling out on one of the sofas, but today, it was quite cramped.
On one side, there was Kierra, who had August hugging her waist from the right and Diamante hugging her arm from the left. Yu Chen sat beside Diamante, and Tian Yun sat beside August. With Yan Shi kneeling on the ground, the picture was perfectly balanced.
On the other side, a very irritated-looking Mie Xieren sat between Bai Qing and Kang Shuren, who all had ambiguous expressions. Angelica and Cosmos were also sohow stranded on the sa sofa.
Finally, the three Immortal Empresses, witnessing this clash of the titans, timidly occupied a few small chairs nearby.
'''' ... ''''
For a while, only the faint noises of the wind bell outside could be heard. When Kierra finally had had enough of it, she mustered the courag—
'Hah? Mustered?'
—took the chance to speak up.
''First of all—''
With a 'poof,' two small silhouettes appeared.
''Uwaa!! Is everybody alright??''
''S-Shen! Be quiet!''
''...''
Kierra suddenly felt like choking this sassy fox. As she promptly shut it off by using telekinesis, however, Diamante noticed sothing instead.
''Huh? What's with this child?''
Her slender, elegant fingers grasped a trembling Lan, the cultivator who resided in the body of a phoenix. She tilted her head, bobbling her fluffy hair.
''Is this... our child?''
Like so, a bomb had been dropped.
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