Ave began her tale to Hinabi about the history of the Naraka World after its creation. The beautiful priestess listened intently to the Grand Aeon before her, her gaze fixed on Ave's eyes, which held the depths of ages.
Ave recounted how Bahamut had fallen into a deep slumber akin to death, how she herself had been trapped within a colossal ice crystal that froze and contained deadly poison.
She also explained why they, the Aeons, had never been able to harm their brethren of the Order of the Moon, a fact she conveyed with a hint of bitterness.
Hinabi, who listened with unwavering attention, finally posed the question that weighed on her mind. A delicate furrow appeared on her brow, reflecting her confusion and concern.
"Lady… why do you wish to share your Maha with Jade? Will you not slowly perish, like your brother Demantra?" Hinabi's voice was soft, filled with apprehension.
A gentle smile bloomed on Ave's lips, a stark contrast to the dark tale she had just shared. "No, Hinabi," she replied calmly, her eyes holding a reassuring light. "I never said I would wed him physically. I will wed his soul."
"Therefore, I will not fade and perish. Instead, he will become mine forever."
Upon hearing Ave's pronouncement, Hinabi's expression shifted instantly. Disapproval was evident in her slightly narrowed eyes and the subtle tightening of her lips. Yet, Ave stood before her, her aura radiating an unshakeable conviction.
"This is the only way for humans such as yourselves to fight on equal footing with Rivotra. Prepare three more individuals to be wedded by Mythria, Karasu Tengu, and Nyanja." Ave's command held an undeniable weight.
"We will summon them into this man's Nypocampus once he has sworn fealty to me." Ave then elaborated that this soul marriage was akin to the soul resonance of Summoners with their Mystical Beasts.
However, she emphasized the difference. If Jade were to die, Ave would not perish and take over his body.
Conversely, if Ave were to meet her end, Jade would live on. This differed from the soul resonance of Mystical Beasts, which demanded life-long, shared fates.
Furthermore, Ave revealed that she would never be able to separate from Jade entirely. She would be confined and reside within Jade's Nypocampus.
Hinabi's face grew even paler as Ave's explanation unfolded. Deep concern shone in her eyes as she gazed at Ave with apprehension. "Lady, could I not take Jade's place as your medium?" Hinabi asked with a hopeful tone, implying feelings that went beyond mere respect for Jade.
A soft laugh escaped Ave's lips at Hinabi's request. She stepped closer and casually patted Hinabi's posterior, causing the beautiful priestess to flinch in surprise.
"Hinabi, the primary reason I chose Jade is because I have no fondness for women. I am not like Nyanja!" Ave declared with a teasing lilt, though a hint of firmness remained in her eyes.
"Lady!" Hinabi exclaimed, a blush creeping up her cheeks at Ave's sudden action.
"One more thing before you go. Come here, Hinabi…" Ave whispered softly into Hinabi's ear, imparting a secret that caused Hinabi's eyes to widen in disbelief. Fear and shock were etched across her features.
"T… truly? Lady… is there no other way?" Hinabi sank to her knees before Ave, tears beginning to well in her eyes. Despair was palpable in her expression.
"There is none, Hinabi… pray that we all succeed. Through this man's hands, I will spill the blood of Rivotra and the others." Ave's voice was cold, seemingly unaffected by Hinabi's distress.
Hinabi sobbed, tears streaming down her face. Ave remained silent, folding her arms across her chest, her expression unreadable and distant.
"Later. Once you have relayed everything we discussed to the Queen, meet your sister within the Nypocampus. Tell her the true power of The Astrologer." Ave's tone shifted, becoming more serious.
"Such is the fate of the twin priestesses. And prepare yourselves, Hinabi and Hanabi, for the worst possible outcome," Ave stated, her gaze piercing, as if she could foresee a future fraught with peril.
"Now go. Time out there continues to turn." Hinabi rose from her kneeling position. She was still weeping, but her nod to Ave was filled with obedience.
"Be strong, Hinabi. Trust that we will soon reunite in the promised place." Ave then embraced her mother's loyal follower tightly, attempting to impart a measure of solace.
Soft lights, resembling fireflies, swarmed around Hinabi, causing her to fade from Ave's embrace, leaving behind a faint, soothing floral scent.
Ave turned her attention to Jade, her gaze scrutinizing. "Your name is Jade, is it not? We haven't had the chance to exchange names… why do you possess a fragment of my brother Bahamut's Maha?" she asked with a curious inflection.
Ave approached and tilted Jade's head to the side. She clearly saw the symbol of a Rem, an ancient character signifying that Jade held power from a portion of Bahamut's Maha known as Rem.
"This is the symbol of the Dragon Conqueror… Tiamat might even heed you… My brother was truly enigmatic," Ave murmured, her brow furrowed in thought. She tilted Jade's head again in the opposite direction, examining every inch of his face.
"Looks rather delectable…" Ave whispered, her eyes gleaming strangely. Her tongue flicked across her teeth, which were slowly transforming, growing pointed like the teeth of a saw.
Gradually, her cheeks stretched, tearing at the corners of her lips, and her mouth widened grotesquely, nearly reaching below her ears. Ave's beautiful features twisted into something monstrous, a creature with an intimidatingly hungry gaze.
In the blink of an eye, Ave lunged and bit into Jade's neck!
"Aaarrhhh!!!" Jade's scream echoed through the chamber. He jolted awake, his eyes wide with terror as he saw the horrifying creature devouring his neck and shoulder, fresh blood staining its downy feathers.
***** *****
Meanwhile…
Hinabi regained consciousness in the sacred chamber where she had been before. The sounds of insistent knocking and the anxious calls of knights echoed from beyond the chamber doors. "Lady Hinabi! Lady Hinabi! Are you within?"
Hinabi, her mind still reeling, looked around in confusion. She saw no sign of Ave. Only Jade lay unconscious in the room with her.
"Lady Hinabi! Are you inside? General Lance has returned gravely wounded!" A knight's voice grew more urgent, the pounding on the door intensifying as he called Hinabi's name with rising worry.
With a racing heart, Hinabi rushed to open the door. The light from the corridor outside flooded in, illuminating her pale face, where lines of worry were etched deeply.
Her usually serene eyes now reflected profound anxiety, as if she had just witnessed something horrific. She glanced briefly at Jade, still lying unconscious in the center of the room, a gasp catching in her throat at the sight of the gruesome wound that had appeared on the young man's neck.
However, the panicked voices of the knights beyond the door urged her to act swiftly. With a heavy heart, she tore her gaze away from Jade, steeled her resolve, and stepped out of the chamber. She had solidified her trust in Ave completely.
As Hinabi stepped out, she was met by the tense faces of the knights on guard. Several of them appeared agitated, their swords drawn but wavering, mirroring their confusion and shared apprehension.
"Lady Hinabi!" a young knight exclaimed with a worried tone, his eyes fixed on Hinabi with hopeful expectation. "What happened inside? We heard a scream…"
Hinabi took a deep breath, attempting to compose herself despite the frantic beating of her heart.
"There is no immediate danger," she replied, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to conceal the lingering fear. "General Lance… how is he?"
"That is what troubles us, Lady," interjected an older knight, his expression etched with deep concern.
"He has not regained consciousness since he was found. Queen Yukihiko is with him in the recovery chamber."
Hinabi hurried down the temple corridors, which usually exuded tranquility and sacredness, now permeated by an aura of anxiety.
The sound of her swift footsteps echoed between the stone pillars, mingling with the soft, unceasing prayers she murmured under her breath.
Her mind was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions: deep worry for Jade's condition and the pressing responsibility to ascertain the state of General Lance.
"What do you know about how General Lance was found?" Hinabi asked the knights flanking her, seeking to gather as much information as possible.
"The search party dispatched by Her Majesty found him in a meadow approximately ten kilometers from here, Lady," one of the knights replied.
"He had collapsed atop his Wyvern. The Wyvern itself appeared exhausted, as if it had traveled a great distance with haste."
"Were there any signs of Marquess Tommy in the vicinity?" Hinabi inquired further, her brow furrowed. She knew General Lance had been with Tom, a Marquess from the Lily Flower Isle, when facing Umbra Strxy.
The knights exchanged uneasy glances before the older knight responded with a perplexed tone, "None, Lady. There were no signs of battle, only General Lance himself was found."
"Inform me immediately if there is any news regarding Marquess Tom," Hinabi instructed the knight Alden, who accompanied her. "What about the Dragon Slayer forces?" Hinabi continued.
"A portion has returned and is resting. However, a contingent went with Marchioness Lyra to search for Marquess Tommy. According to reports, the ground troops are likely to arrive the day after tomorrow, along with the remaining Xiangdu forces, heading towards Jindara Palace."
"Very well. Keep me updated on any new information regarding the movements of our troops and Ramon's people," Hinabi stated firmly.
They then arrived at a chamber guarded by several additional knights. An atmosphere of sorrow and apprehension hung heavily in the air around the room.
Through the slightly ajar door, Hinabi saw Queen Yukihiko seated beside a bed, clutching General Lance's hand tightly. The Queen's face was etched with profound grief, her eyes swollen as if she had been weeping for a long time.
Slowly, Hinabi opened the door and stepped inside. The knights on guard within bowed their heads in respect. Queen Yukihiko, noticing her presence, turned with a face that mirrored the same sorrow and worry.
Lying on the bed was General Lance, the once valiant and formidable commander now appearing so frail. His face was ashen, several bandages were wrapped around his body, and his breathing was shallow and irregular, barely audible.
"Hinabi," Queen Yukihiko greeted her with a soft, trembling voice, her eyes glistening with tears as she met Hinabi's gaze.
"Thank heavens you have returned. General Lance…" The Queen paused, taking a shaky breath before continuing in a sorrowful tone.
"He was found by the search party in a meadow approximately ten kilometers from here. He had collapsed atop his Whyvern."
"His condition is gravely concerning, Hinabi. He has not regained consciousness since he was found. The physicians have done everything they can, but…"
The Queen's voice broke, and tears finally spilled down her cheeks. She bowed her head again, gently kissing Lance's hand, which felt cold in her grasp.
Hinabi approached with quiet steps, her heart aching at the sight of the Queen and the General's truly unsettling state.
She knelt on the other side of the bed, gazing at Lance's pale face with deep pity. She knew the immense importance of General Lance to the entire kingdom.
Lance's face was turning blue, his breath coming in ragged gasps. She worried that he might have been struck by a blast from an Umbra; she knew that in this world, technology could not cure the potent venom of a Mystical Beast.
After a moment of heavy silence, Hinabi truly felt the weight of their dire circumstances. Her heart wavered under the burden of the trials they faced.
Suddenly, Hinabi remembered Ave. Perhaps she could help General Lance.
Hinabi gathered her courage and conveyed what she had just heard from Ave.
In a soft yet clear voice, she recounted everything she had experienced and the requests made by Ave, the princess of the night.
She strove to relate everything truthfully and in detail, explaining every recollection, even though she herself still felt a sense of wonder and disbelief at the truth behind the tale. As she spoke, Hinabi occasionally glanced at the Queen, observing every subtle shift in her expression.
Queen Yukihiko appeared not to be listening intently to Hinabi's words. Her brow was deeply furrowed, her lips slightly pressed together, and her gaze was distant. She seemed solely focused on Lance's precarious condition.
However, as the story unfolded, the Queen's expression gradually changed. The tale of Ave with her formidable power seemed to offer a glimmer of hope; she likely shared Hinabi's thought.
"Is… is this true, Hinabi?" the Queen finally asked, her voice filled with a fragile hope. She lifted her tear-stained face, looking at Hinabi with reddened eyes.
"This story sounds… so extraordinary. Could Ave truly help Lance? The Plaster Elixir has had no effect on him."
Just at that moment, before Hinabi could respond or attempt to reassure the Queen, a cold yet undeniably authoritative voice echoed from the doorway, shattering the heavy silence.
"What the priestess speaks is the truth."
Instantly, every eye in the room turned towards the source of the voice. There, standing with an ethereal grace, was Ave, her aura of power palpable even in her calm and composed demeanor.
Beside her stood Jade, now conscious but still appearing dazed and weak. His hand occasionally drifted to the bandage wrapped around his neck, the gruesome bite mark a silent testament to the terrifying ordeal he had just endured. A lingering trace of fear and confusion clouded Jade's eyes.
The simultaneous appearance of Ave and Jade in the doorway of Lance's recovery chamber served as an undeniable confirmation of Hinabi's account.
Queen Yukihiko stared at Ave with a mixture of shock, bewilderment, and a palpable fear that widened her eyes. She rose hastily from her seat, her steps slightly unsteady with surprise.
"Lady Ave…" the Queen greeted her with a respectful tone. Hinabi moved closer, supporting Jade, who looked frail beside Ave.
"Can you help the man lying there?" the Queen pleaded, her face etched with worry and a desperate hope.
Ave turned her gaze towards Lance. A flicker of surprise crossed her features. Lance was the one who had shattered the ice crystal of Eira, her sister of the Order of the Moon, which had sealed her.
"This man… this man is the one who freed me from the ice crystal of my sister from the Order of the Moon. Eira, the Eternal Ice." Ave glided towards Lance and then stated,
"He has absorbed too much venom from Ba'i Yang, the Basilisk."