Chapter 338 Saving my first love?
Lucretia & Lumiere Arc
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(POV: Lumiere)
In order to rescue Lucretia, my mind raced for a strategy to effectively defeat the Frost Lich.
You'd think I wouldn't need to have a strategy to fight this monster, but I actually did.
It'd be easy to burn it, yes...
But first, I had to separate Lucretia from the icy prison that bound her. Observing the situation with precision, I realized that using a wide-range destructive attack would be the most efficient way to bring down the Frost Lich. But such an attack would inevitably put Lucretia's life at risk, and that was something I couldn't allow.
"Honestly, this is just stressful..."
The Frost Lich let out a bone-chilling roar, fixating its gaze on me.
Its massive tendrils, sharp as spears, shot towards me with incredible speed.
There were at least seven of them, descending upon me menacingly.
However, I was prepared.
With a swift and practiced movement, I activated my skill, [Flash Step], instantly vanishing from the reach of the incoming tendrils. In a blink of an eye, I reappeared five meters away, witnessing the tendrils bury themselves into the ground, creating a web of cracks.
If its tendrils were that strong, I'm surprised how Raxe even managed to survive.
Contemplating my next move, I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
Just as I was formulating a plan, the Frost Lich launched another attack.
This time, the tendrils were crafted from ice, interweaving with each other, effectively sealing me within their icy grasp. The spears encroached upon me from all sides, denying me any room for escape.
Yet, it was a futile attempt.
"Jeez."
As the frigid spears closed in, I channeled an enormous surge of flames from the depths of my very being. The searing heat emanated from my body, effortlessly reducing the icy spears to mere wisps of steam, dispersing harmlessly in the air.
The hotness of the flames was so much that the icy spears didn't just melt or crumble to steam, they were erased instantly. Almost like the flames were so hot it didn't even give the spears a chance to melt; just instantly get evaporated.
"Hm, I have an idea."
I extended my hand and invoked my [Summoning Magic].
Calling upon the elemental plane of fire, I summoned Fotia, the fire spirit, to aid me in battle.
Emerging from a grand pillar of swirling flames, Fotia materialized before me, adorned in an elegant white robe adorned with red and golden trims.
"How may I be of service, master?" he asked as he bowed his head respectfully.
"We need to take down that thing," I said, directing Fotia's attention towards the roaring creature in the distance.
Fotia chuckled lightly, his eyes fixated on the Frost Lich.
It was hard to figure out why he found this funny? Was he laughing because he wasn't sure he'd be able to defeat it, or maybe it was because it was an easy task.
It better be the latter, I thought.
"Ah, is this some sort of test, Master?" he mused.
Confused by his question, I tilted my head and asked, "A test? I don't get it..."
The fire spirit smirked, his expression filled with confidence. "Master, you possess more than enough power to vanquish even a thousand of such monsters," he stated assuredly.
"Is that so?" I said.
I may have said that, but he didn't need to tell me before I'd be aware of my own capabilities. But at least, it answered my question of what he found so funny.
But then, a sense of urgency hit me as I explained my predicament to Fotia.
"The concern lies in finding a way to defeat the Frost Lich without endangering Lucretia. There's a chance the monster has the ability to regenerate, and I don't want to risk a half-hearted attack that would only provoke it further and prolong this ordeal."
If it went on any longer, I wasn't sure how it'd affect the either dead or alive Lucretia.
He immediately understood how serious a situation it was.
Fotia genuflected before me. "Use me as you wish, my lord."
He looked noble.
With a resolute decision, I extended my hand towards him, activating my spirit-based skill, [Armatization].
This sub-skill was originally a unique skill I after becoming a Spirit Master. But it further evolved after I acquired the Apex Skill, 『Spirit King Avelnarogius』. Since this Apex Skill covered the basis of all my spirit magic related abilities, [Armatization] was automatically merged with the Apex Skill.
The sub-skill, [Armatization] gave me the ability to fuse my spirits into my being and transform them into weapons (armaments).
In Fotia?s case, he transformed into a magnificent longsword.
The resulting weapon was a sight to behold, with a golden hilt, a red core at the pommel, and intricate inscriptions adorning the vibrant red blade. The edge of the blade itself shimmered with a pristine white glow.
It promised tremendous power.
Maybe I should've used him sooner.
Same thing goes for all my spirits.
Gripping the handle tightly, I felt a surge of flames erupt from the sword, carving an impressive, deep fissure straight towards the heart of the forest.
"Now, Fotia," I said calmly. "Let's make this quick."
With lightning speed, I sprinted towards the towering Frost Lich, dodging the onslaught of deadly tendrils that lashed out towards me.
My nimble movements allowed me to gracefully weave through the tendrils, utilizing them as temporary platforms to propel myself higher into the air. Rising above the creature's reach, I took advantage of its colossal size, positioning myself for an advantageous strike.
Placing the transformed Fotia longsword to the side, I tightly gripped the hilt with one hand, feeling the immense power surging through the blade. I focused my mind, channeling the primal energy of fire into the weapon, the flames intensifying with each passing second.
My emotions roared into the blade itself. How I felt about everything.
The way I treated Ravenna...
Her death...
The way I spoke to Lucretia...
The way I spoke to Lucilia...
How I ignored Luna and Anastasia...
They way I spoke to Simone...
All these regrets pulled on my heart, it roared into a powerful flame that overwhelmed me momentarily.
But with all those anger came...
Acceptance...
"I'm sorry, you guys..." I muttered.
With a powerful stroke, I unleashed the full force of the flames, eviscerating the Frost Lich's tendrils in a scorching fury.
A deafening screech resonated through the air, causing my ears to throb, but I pushed through the pain.
Without missing a beat, I executed a series of lightning-fast slashes, moving at such incredible speed that the monster could barely comprehend my movements. In its wavering perception, I appeared and disappeared within the span of a few seconds. After a whirlwind of strikes that lasted for what seemed like an eternity but was only a mere 10 seconds, I materialized four meters away from the Frost Lich, cradling Lucretia securely in my arms.
"Good, she's safe.." I said.
In a single devastating moment, the Frost Lich's body shattered into a thousand fragmented pieces, disintegrating into a swirling inferno of flames. The scorching vortex consumed the remains, reducing them to nothing more than dust dancing in the fiery wind.
As the conflagration subsided, the longsword reverted to Fotia's normal form, the fire spirit bowing before me in honor.
"Good job, Fotia.." I told him.
He smiled. "You flatter me, my lord. It was nothing."
I nodded.
"Will you be needing my assistance with anything else?"
"No, that'll be all, Fotia," I replied with gratitude.
Fotia nodded, his head low, before vanishing into thin air, leaving me to my thoughts.
Still cradling Lucretia tenderly, I realized that she was pulselessly cold, but her faint breaths assured me that she was indeed alive. Though the source of her survival remained a mystery, I was happy that she was safe.
However, I knew that I had to act swiftly to protect her from the cold.
Especially with her... Being naked...
"Her body, it's so..."
There was something so attractive about her body...
But for now I needed to focus!
I channeled some mana through my body and into hers, and slowly, I generated some extra heat, this heat helped her body slowly recover from the intense cold.
More and more, she got warmer, and the first thing that escaped her mouth was a moan.
She felt relieved, or maybe even satisfied.
"Lucretia, Lucretia, Lucretia." I called her name several times.
I needed some kind of response besides a moan, I had to be sure she was okay.
My worry increased.
For some reason, I actually cared.
Or maybe the reason was very obvious.
Maybe I was still in love with her, maybe. I wasn't sure, but before now I didn't care about anything and yet here I was going out of my way to make sure she opened her eyes to see who saved her.
"Lucretia!" I called out her name again.
And then, slowly, she weakly opened her eyes and looked at me.
"Lu... Lumiere..."
She called my name.
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