The Greatest Bloodline

|Rachel|

I barely had a moment to catch my breath before another lethal projectile, a golden disk of concentrated mana, hurtled toward me. With a surge of Undine's water magic and the support of aether, I managed to just barely deflect the attack.

'She's formidable,' I acknowledged inwardly, realizing the true extent of Cecilia's power. Too strong, perhaps.

Cecilia's golden eyes gleamed with confidence as she extended her hand, effortlessly shattering my water barrier and seizing control of both Undine's water magic and my own.

The Spirit Dive encircling my left arm unraveled, disrupted by Cecilia's overwhelming prowess as the original Legacy.

In response, I unleashed a volley of dozens of water arrows towards her, but with a simple twirl of her left hand, she dismantled my attack, reducing it to mere droplets.

Cecilia's ability was deceptively simple, yet immensely potent—absolute control over mana. She could manipulate and unravel my offensive and defensive maneuvers with ease. Fortunately, as an integration stage mage with Undine's support, I possessed a fighting chance. Without these advantages, the battle would have concluded long ago.

The influx of mana in the world had indeed augmented my strength, as my body adapted to accommodate the heightened energy. However, it was still insufficient to bridge the vast power gap between Cecilia and me.

Even Lancelot, who had narrowly emerged victorious in his previous encounter with Cecilia, relied heavily on the intervention of Mana Sovereign and a fair amount of luck. In contrast, I lacked any extraordinary aid like that at my side.

'Rachel,' Undine's voice echoed in my mind, 'You will die if you continue like this.'

I gritted my teeth in frustration.

I knew deep down how ineffectual I had become.

I possessed the knowledge of the future, yet I failed to utilise it. Yes, I had grown in power, but now I faced imminent death at the hands of Cecilia.

I believed myself to be worthless.

Why was I the one who reincarnated into this world? This question plagued my thoughts time and again.

I was far from special.

An ordinary schoolgirl, raised by my father after my mother's untimely demise during childbirth.

I deemed myself useless.

'You are not worthless, my child,' a voice reverberated within my mind, causing my head to snap back and forth in search of its source.

"W-Who?" I stammered, my sudden outburst catching Cecilia's attention as well, both of us scanning for mana signatures.

'I shall now remove the restrictions on your earth magic,' the voice continued. In that moment, I felt a surge of energy envelop my body, connecting me to the living earth beneath my feet.

'Hello!' another voice chimed in, as a young boy dressed in noble garb, sporting brown hair and eyes, materialised by her side. 'I am Gnome, the earth spirit! Can I be your spirit contractor?'

"But I already have Undine," I replied, my voice tinged with hesitation.

'You can have two,' Gnome responded cheerfully, 'Choose swiftly, or that scary lady will bring about your demise.'

I hesitated for a brief moment, but then nodded.

As the fusion of Gnome and Undine surged within me, my body shimmered with a combination of earthy brown and shimmering azure magic.

My armour underwent a remarkable transformation, gaining solidity and strength as it melded with the essence of the earth. The harmonious union of Gnome and Undine further integrated with me, amplifying my powers to extraordinary levels.

My eyes snapped open, their sapphire depths ablaze with newfound might.

With resolute steps, I advanced, causing Cecilia to instinctively tense, her guard raised to its fullest.

[Double Spirit Dive: Gnome + Undine]

The power of earth magic was limited to simply what made the earth, as its name suggested. But my power stretched beyond it. Metal magic was just a derivation of earth magic after all.

I raised my hands, feeling the tremors as the molecules of liquid and solids around me shook from the influx of mana particles.

I deftly deflected a barrage of metallic spikes aimed at Cecilia, yet her impervious golden shields rendered my efforts futile. The enigma of Cecilia lingered in my mind, a conundrum I struggled to unravel.

My thoughts veered towards the moment she shattered Agrona's insidious brainwashing, a testament to her breakthrough into the integration stage. However, despite this liberation, she persistently opposed Arthur. Was it solely driven by a desire for a life with Nico? And in this alternate realm, did her sentiments for Nico still endure?

As I manipulated streams of water, transforming them into crystalline ice by siphoning away molecular kinetic energy, a realization struck me. This wasn't an abrupt unlocking of ice magic; rather, it showcased my elevated mastery over water magic. The realization prompted me to marvel at Cecilia's prowess—the embodiment of the Legacy.

She effortlessly seized control of my ice pillars, disintegrating them with a display of absolute power. Her mana control surpassed any I had encountered. Doubt crept in—could I truly restrain her? Despite my newfound strength, I recognized the chasm that separated me from the mastery of magic like Lancelot, the godlike swordsmanship of Alistar, or the unparalleled versatility of Gary.

The trio stood as paragons of excellence.

Amidst the internal struggle, the haunting question loomed—was I even a part of the prophecy? The mention of dawn-children left room for ambiguity. Could Cecilia, with her undeniable strength, be the chosen one instead of me?

She outmatched me even with the augmentation of my double spirit dive.

'No, I won't succumb to doubt,' I admonished myself, snapping out of the negativity. Determination surged within me. 'I must prevail. Not just for myself, but for my family and the future I envision with Lancelot.'

Yet, defeating her remained an elusive puzzle. My magical arsenal proved almost impotent against her, and even Aether offered no advantage, manipulated effortlessly through her command over mana.

Undaunted, I unleashed a barrage of diverse water and earth spells, each augmented by the powers of Gnome and Undine. Still, Cecilia closed the gap between us with alarming speed, her hand thrusting toward my abdomen. A seismic force tore through my defenses, and I felt my world shatter as her attack cleaved through.

The ensuing explosion catapulted me to the edge of our battleground, my mana-augmented body screaming with the agony of cracked bones. Blood spilled from my lips as I staggered forward, my physical form teetering on the brink of collapse.

Cecilia, an imposing figure, approached with deliberate steps, an empress amid a loyal court of ambient mana. Her golden eyes, fierce yet tinged with sadness, bore into mine.

The tethers connecting me to Gnome and Undine began to fade, their attempts to reach me drowned out by the encroaching darkness.

Am I facing death?

A single, precisely executed attack had inflicted devastating damage.

"You lack the qualities of a warrior," Cecilia declared, her voice resonating with an unusual clarity. She bowed down, lifting my head by the hair, her golden irises locking onto my azure eyes.

"Why persist in such futile combat when you are so fragile?" she whispered, her hand brushing my bare stomach through the torn cloth.

A chill coursed through me as I grasped the implication.

"Don't fret; I ensured the womb remained untouched. Yet, it matters little," she continued, her gaze unyielding.

I coughed up more blood before summoning the strength to speak, "Do you love Nico?"

My question seemed to catch her off guard. She bit her lip nervously, a flicker of uncertainty crossing her features.

Confusion furrowed my brow at her unexpected reaction.

"You don't need to know, Rachel," Cecilia muttered, her words carrying a weight of finality. The ambient mana surged behind her, distinct from the malevolence that had preceded Arthur's impending demise. It was a peculiar difference – a gesture, perhaps, to grant me a merciful end.

In the fleeting moments before the deluge of mana obliterated my body, an ethereal green arrow materialized between us. Cecilia's eyes widened in surprise as a one-directional explosion erupted, forcefully creating distance between us.

"L-Lancelot," I stammered, relief washing over me as I beheld his figure descending from the heavens, clad in vibrant green spirit magic. However, my hope was swiftly extinguished as I took in his condition – utterly depleted.

His battle against Jezebeth had exacted a heavy toll. In his present state, defeating Cecilia seemed an insurmountable task.

Lancelot paid no heed to the chaos unfolding below, his mana flaring in determination. Cecilia's own mana responded in kind as the two formidable users engaged in a silent struggle for dominion over the ambient mana enveloping us. The balance teetered on the edge of equality, Lancelot's mana domination trailing just beneath Cecilia's.

The clash between the two titans unfolded before my closing eyes, the spectacle of their battle fading into darkness.

My eyes slowly parted, greeted by the embrace of a vibrant blue sky and the gentle touch of golden sunlight casting its glow upon my surroundings. Taegrim Caelum was but a distant memory.

A massive tree commanded my attention, its colossal presence drawing my gaze. In an instant, I recognized it—Yggdrasil, the Tree of Life.

Yet, this wasn't the Yggdrasil of Norse mythology, connecting nine worlds. Instead, it sprawled with trillions of billions of branches, each a universe unto itself. The sheer magnitude of the spectacle threatened to buckle my knees, a testament to the unfathomable scale before me—the multiverse itself.

"Welcome, Child," a mellifluous feminine voice beckoned from behind. My senses, heightened in this world of heightened mana and aether density, hadn't detected her presence. I turned cautiously, my guard up.

Before me stood an embodiment of ethereal beauty. Cascading blonde locks flowed like a river of liquid gold to her waist, framing a perfectly symmetrical pale face adorned with features captivating to any observer. Eyes, radiant as the greatest sapphires, met mine.

Her hourglass figure, draped in a captivating blue dress, defied mortal standards. Yet, what seized my attention most were the transparent red chains binding her small wrists and delicate ankles. A gulp escaped me involuntarily as fear surged through my veins, urging me to flee.

I tore my gaze away from the chains, fixing my eyes on the woman once more. Beyond her beauty, an unspoken weight emanated, an enigmatic force playing tricks on my senses. Confidence exuded from her, mingled with a power beyond anything I had sensed, surpassing even Gary.

The paradox confounded me—how could someone exuding such strength be bound by chains unseen, defying the very essence of her formidable presence?

"I did not make a very flattering first impression huh," she chuckled as she snapped her fingers. The manacles did nothing to stop her as chairs and a table were manifested by her in this world.

I followed her, settling into its comforting embrace. My throat tightened as I gulped, a mixture of trepidation and anticipation coursing through me. She gracefully poured tea, and I hesitated only briefly before deciding to drink it.

There was no danger in the tea since poisons won't work against me and she could kill me anyway. The chains restraining her didn't seem to hinder the exertion of her immense power; their purpose remained elusive.

The tea, however, was a revelation, surpassing any I had tasted. Lost in thought, I studied my reflection in the liquid, noting the uncanny similarities between her visage and mine.

"We bear a striking resemblance, don't we?" she remarked, a slight tilt to her head accompanied by a gentle smile. In her presence, I felt like a child, the allure of her beauty capable of catching even the most guarded off-guard.

"My name is Anastasia," she declared, placing a hand over her chest with eyes closed in a moment of quiet reflection. As her eyes fluttered open, she fixed her gaze on mine, her voice carrying a weight that hung in the air. "But you may know me better as Rosia Glidesburn—your mother."