SYSTEM ASCENSION

When Mona had dropped them off, he walked away in search of something. Sometimes he had sense as soon as the day dawned.

A form of energy that looked a lot like his own.

He continued to look around and trace it, till he ended up on a hillside. His eyes were instantly drawn up, and he saw the silhouette of a person, sitting on a rock. The morning sun illuminated the lady’s face as she hummed softly. Red hair shrouded her face.

He climbed further.

Eventually, she noticed him and turned. Her hums stopped. Red eyes narrowed. She stood up and took a step back.

”You...who are you?”

Mona continued to walk to her. He closed the distance until they were an inch apart, and then leaned down to her height.

”What...” she leaned back. ”What are you...”

Another person walked out from beneath a cave. ”Curela, we’re...”

He paused when he saw Mona. Mona also turned his gaze to him. For a moment, no one said a single word.

The boy, who shared an identical look with the girl, squinted his eyes.

”Who are you?”

Mona leaned back. He shoved his hands in his pocket and turned around.

”Hey! Wait!”

She tried to stop him from leaving, but he already hopped down the hill. She ran to the edge and looked down, and the sight of him flying back up, startled her.

She stumbled back as he flew up into the sky, the wind tugging her clothes and hair.

The boy came forward.

”He’s the one mother was talking about.”

She smiled. ”Do you think he’s going to mother ’s place?”

***

Mona landed on the palace building. He folded his wings and jumped down. He looked left and right, before spotting Quil.

The latter too had already seen him.

”Elias, do you notice the new presence?” Quil walked to him.

”I’m Mona.”

”I know. I don’t just see the difference.”

”One of them is Haliad,” Mona snorted. ”The second one is Nel. She brought her cubs too.”

”Nel? The dragon in the protector painting? Why is she here?”

”They might want to remove Mother’s soul in Elias.”

___

The room beneath the palace had been prepared before Elias ever opened his eyes. A sacred room created along with the empire.

Candles surrounded the stone platform in a wide circle, their blue flames burning unnaturally still despite the cold air. Strange symbols had been drawn across the floor, connecting the platform to an ancient-looking altar.

Elias lay unconscious at the center. His breathing was slow and steady.

Richard stood beside the platform, arms folded, his expression unreadable. Muon stood on the opposite side, staring down at his nephew with obvious unease.

Haliad remained near the entrance. He hadn’t said much since arriving here.

The dragon in her human form, Nel knelt beside the ritual circle. Her red hair fell over her shoulders as she carefully placed several small objects around Elias.

Muon finally broke the silence.

”You’re certain this will work?”

Nel didn’t look up. ”If his mother’s soul is still attached to him, I can separate it.”

”And put it into that body?”

Muon glanced toward the far side of the chamber. A body lay on a white cloth.

Nel’s eyes shifted toward it.

”The vessel is compatible,” she said. ”But once I begin, I can’t stop halfway.”

She sighed. ”I hope it works. The last time I separated his soul, I didn’t sense another one. And I still can’t sense it.”

Richard’s eyes narrowed. ”What happens if something goes wrong?”

Nel looked at him. ”Then the soul may reject the vessel.”

Muon stiffened.

”And Elias?”

Nel was silent for a moment.

”He’ll survive.”

Silence followed.

Nel placed her hand over Elias’s chest. The symbols around the room began to glow. ”Asaii byhd nhvc bkjd drgv jigb jgso daeC jusc jhdc mcse hvct...”

Elias’s fingers twitched.

Muon immediately stepped forward. ”He’s waking up.”

”No.” Haliad whispered. ”He’s only reacting to the ritual.”

A low hum filled the chamber. The light beneath Elias slowly expanded, spreading across his body like a thin veil. The air grew heavier as she continued to recite.

The light gathered around Elias’s chest.

”I see it...” she muttered. ”There. His mother’s soul.”

The mist slowly rose from Elias’s body. It separated gradually, as though something invisible was carefully loosening a thread that had been tied for years.

The shape continued rising. For a moment, it hovered above Elias.

Then Nel raised both hands and the entire circle illuminated.

At the other side of the room, the covered body suddenly reacted. Its fingers moved.

Muon froze.

”That body just moved.”

”Because the vessel recognizes her.”

Nel guided the soul toward it. The glow surrounding the spirit became brighter. The soul entered the body.

The candles extinguished simultaneously.

Nothing happened for a moment.

Then—

A single breath. The body inhaled.

Muon stared. ”Woah...”

Haliad’s expression changed for the first time.

Nel lowered her hands. ”It’s done.”

Richard looked toward Elias. He was still unconscious, but his breathing remained steady.

Muon approached him immediately.

”He’s alright?”

Nel nodded.

”The connection has been severed.”

Muon released a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.

Then a voice came from across the room.

”...Where am I?”

Everyone turned.

The woman slowly opened her eyes. Her gaze wandered across the chamber. She stood up, swaying slightly before she stood steady.

She looked around again, slowly turning her head toward Richard.

Their eyes met. For several seconds, neither of them spoke.

Muon slowly looked between them.

Haliad folded his arms.

Even Nel seemed to be waiting.

After everything that had happened, surely this was the moment.

The reunion. The husband finally sees his wife again. The wife finally saw the husband she had been separated from.

Perhaps an embrace. Perhaps tears. Perhaps at least a few emotional words.

Myai suddenly moved.

Richard moved at exactly the same time.

They had expected the couple to approach each other, but—

Muon blinked. ”...What?”

Richard reached Elias first. He bent down and carefully lifted his son

from the platform.

”Myai.”

”I’m checking him.” She smiled.

She was already beside them, placing a hand against Elias’s forehead.

”His breathing is stable.”

”Pulse?”

She checked his hand ”Normal.”

Myai touched Elias’s cheek.

”Elias?”

No response.

She looked at Nel. ”How long until he wakes?”

”Not long. The extraction exhausted him.”

They both nodded.

Muon slowly turned toward Haliad.

Haliad stared back.

Nel was the only one who seemed completely unsurprised.

Muon pointed toward Richard and Myai.

”You both did not just brush that off!”

They glanced at him.

”What?” Myai muttered.

”Don’t tell me what! You just..fine! Forget it!”

”Alright,” Nel clapped. ”I know it’s a short notice but I’m dying to know here. What’s the deal with your son?”