Chapter 74: Quick dispatch

The snow-capped walls of the city stretched high above the frozen streets, forming a fortress for the city of Emberreach. Perched atop the battlements, Lucinda stood alongside Mikoto, her eyes fixed on the distant horizon. The wind whipped her white hair into a frenzy, and her breath misted in the chill air. Before her, the landscape unfolded, a frozen expanse that seemed to stretch on forever.

Mikoto could not help but internally lament, ("What a pain in my ass. I thought Lucinda was supposed to do this crap alone.") Professor Eugene, while entrusting the job of killing the dragon to her, was still wary of her mental state. He seemed to have trust in Mikoto's power, for whatever reason.

("Not sure I can destroy the soul just yet,") Mikoto hummed as he glanced at Lucinda's distant eyes. ("Killing the dragon should be easy though, but I'll wait and see what she does.") Lucinda was releasing her mana constantly; despite lacking mana, some dragons saw mana as a delicacy, and her mana was quite potent.

Speaking of the girl, Lucinda was obviously still affected by her failure. She let Selwyn get away, and she could not even save the kids and Lucy. If he were in her position, he would have been of much the same mind, or maybe not.

("Something's wrong with me too,") Mikoto frowned. It's something that became more apparent as days go by. ("Hmm, I might be going insane. This situation should have gotten me riled up too. I mean, what kind of scum would kill children?") He tried to find the rage, but there was none. ("This is troublesome. I need to get that ring asap to Rheya so I can get the hell away from this world.")

But was the longing for home truly the cause of this mental state of his? He might become a sociopath at this rate. Wait, he was already one. ("But it was self-defense, honestly. The guy was scummy,") he shrugged to himself as he suddenly heard Lucinda's voice.

"Useless," Lucinda spat, her voice low and venomous. Mikoto did not react to her words; he expected her to start venting right about any time, if he were being honest. And who better to vent to than the guy she barely knew?

"I can't believe how completely useless I was. I've failed to save them," she gestured wildly, her hand trembling with frustration. "Can you believe it? I'm the spawn of the Goddess Octavia. I'm supposed to be a kind of hero, an angel, and a beacon of hope in these times. But no, I'm just a failure. A useless girl who can't even save some children. How sickening," she grit her teeth in frustration.

Mikoto's gaze remained steady, his hidden eyes locked onto Lucinda's as if he were drinking in every word. His expression beneath his mask remained impassive, yet his intensity was palpable.

("I underestimated how much the death of those kids affected her,") Mikoto shook his head. He could hardly relate to her in any way.

"But it's not just about me," Lucinda continued, her voice rising in anguish. "It's about everyone who's been hurt, who's been mercilessly killed. Those innocent people who had nothing to do with this, any of this. I could not even defeat that damned man. That bastard is still roaming around freely!"

Mikoto weighed what to say; he was not one for pep talk.

"So dumb, one person can't save anyone," his voice was low and even, yet she had heard him all the same.

Lucinda's eyes flashed with anger, her cheeks burning with indignation. "How can you say that? I've seen the devastation firsthand. I've smelled the smoke and tasted the fear. I've failed to do anything about it."

"And what would you have done differently?" Mikoto asked.

Lucinda's laughter was bitter and humorless. "I would have saved them all. I would have stopped those cultist monsters from destroying everything. I would have—"

"You're trying too hard with this hero shit," Mikoto interrupted, his voice bland but commanding. "Those kids are dead; there's nothing you can do about it now. Focus on the future or whatever, save the people you can or something." Mikoto sighed. "If you were hoping for a pep talk, then you should forget it. My old man once taught me only cold hard facts mattered. Scummy as he was, there was truth to his words."

Lucinda's gaze dropped, her shoulders slumping under the weight of her own guilt and shame. She felt a lump form in her throat as she struggled to find the words to respond.

"But what about my obligation?" she whispered finally, her voice barely audible over the wind.

Mikoto's expression turned confused. "Obligation, huh? Right, all that spawn of Octavia crap, how meaningless." She looked at him, her crimson eyes wide.

"But I'm the spawn of Octavia," she reasoned.

"Your obligation is what you choose, honestly," he said blandly. "Your obligation is to be yourself. Or to be this wannabe hero. I don't really care; just stop being emo, dude. Focus all your attention on beating the shit out of that Selwyn guy." Mikoto smirked as he jabbed a thumb at himself. "Or actually, you're kinda weak, not gonna lie. I'll take care of him." His words were meant to be hurtful, a blow to her pride, but they were very foreign. Someone was offering to fight her battles for her?

Lucinda's eyes searched Mikoto's mask, seeking some glimmer of understanding or reassurance. And for a moment, she found it – a spark of compassion that ignited within her a small flame of hope.

Perhaps she wasn't useless after all.

As they stood there, the snow falling around them, Lucinda felt a minute and newfound resolve begin to take shape within her chest.

"We barely know each other," she murmured lowly as she glanced at him. "Would you truly fight for me?"

"I'm strong, so it should be easy," he stated. A small smile found its way onto her face, a newer warmth in her chest. But just then, a loud roar shook the foundations of the city and echoed throughout. The large dragon drew closer and closer, ever more; it seems their method of attracting it had worked.

Lucinda, her eyes fixed intently on the horizon, stood slightly more motivated. The dark shape of the dragon could be seen hurtling towards them, its wings beating the air with a deafening roar.

As the dragon drew closer, its scales glinting like black diamonds in the fading light, Lucinda's eyes flashed with a fierce flash. She raised her hand, and a shimmering light began to emanate from her palm. The air around her seemed to thicken and distort, as if reality itself was bending to accommodate her will.

From the swirling mist of light, a sword began to take shape. Its blade was long and spotless, its otherworldly metal gleaming with an otherworldly sheen. The large radiating hilt was adorned with intricate runes that seemed to pulse with a malevolent energy that seemed to blend in with a light.

"Divine Blade Fate sealer," Lucinda said, her voice low and husky.

Mikoto's eyes zeroed in as Lucinda grasped the hilt of the sword. The dragon was now mere feet away, its jaws wide open as it prepared to strike.

With a swift motion, Lucinda launched herself at the dragon, the blade flashing in the fading light. The sword bit deep into the dragon's scales, releasing a blast of energy that sent a reeling shockwave through everything.

As Lucinda swung her blade in a great arc, a brilliant explosion of light erupted from the blade's tip. The energy was so intense that it seemed to bend the very fabric of reality, causing the air to distort and ripple like water.

The dragon howled in agony as the blade carved through its body, its scales shattering like fragile glass. The creature's wings beat wildly as it tried to escape, but it was too late.

With one final swing of the blade, Lucinda unleashed a blast of energy that seemed to shatter the very soul of the dragon. The creature's body began to disintegrate, its flesh melting away like wax in a furnace.

As the dragon vanished into nothingness, Lucinda stood tall, and she seemed exhausted. Mikoto could now see her mana was all but diminished.

"Familial Arts," Mikoto noted as he stared at the destruction the blade had caused.

The snowy landscape around them seemed to be shifting. Mountains crumbled into dust, rivers boiled away into nothingness, and the very earth itself seemed to writhe and twist like a living thing.

The blade still pulsed with energy, its blade glowing with an otherworldly light. Lucinda held it aloft, her eyes burning with an inner fire. And she must have taken note of his confusion.

"This sword," she said, her voice. "It is said to have been wielded by Octavia herself, destruction, creation, reality, and the end itself. Things that bind it together." She heaved a heavy breath as the sword dissipated into brilliant golden specks. "I can't use it to its full extent, but as you can tell, it burns through mana, more so than Arcane Ascendance."

Mikoto stared at Lucinda with a grin of gratitude, Familial Art learned.

As they stood there, bathed in the eerie glow the blade's power left, Lucinda spoke again.

"The sword's power is not limited to that," she said. "As I cannot use it to its full potential, but it was the only option I had to destroy that dragon in both body and soul."

"I see, but how are you feeling now?" He questioned. "Mentally, I mean." She shook her head.

"I won't ever forget about Zavier, Lily, and Miss Lucy," she heaved a deep sigh as she planted her rear on the snowy ground. "But I will focus on the future, on taking down Selwyn." She stated with a determined gaze, but quickly a small smile took hold. "Or maybe I should leave that to you, Mister Strongest."

"Damn right," he gave a hidden smile back.

Both failed to notice the grinning figure that hovered high into the air.