Chapter 1218 Mistletoe Reunites
With the dust settling and the adrenaline fading, Lilo finally allowed himself to land. He stretched his violet wings with a satisfied sigh. "Did you see that, little one? We were unstoppable!"
Nova landed beside him, a touch more hesitant. "We did well," he admitted, a hint of pride in his voice. "But I believe my water attacks were more effective overall."
Lilo snorted, a puff of purple flame escaping his nostrils. "Your water was useful for slowing it down, I'll give you that. But my illusions were the real game-changer!"
Arthur, standing nearby, couldn't help but grin while he examined his updated stats:
[––––––––––– Legacy]
[Level: 65 (11%)]
[Legacy Points: 93]
[Stats Points: 181]
[Strength: 830]
[Agility: 906]
[Stamina: 810]
[Perception: 701]
[Mana: 589/1010]
[Abilities: Runesmith (21%), Reality Manipulation]
[Skills: Mana Restoration - D, Goblins Lord (Unique – 23%), Lightning Resistance (0%)]
[Arts: The Art of Creation –– Part Three, Basic Dagger Art (100%), Dagger Mastery (100%), Art of Creator –– Submission, Art of Creator –– Domain, Godslayer Art - First Stance, Godslayer Art - Second Stance.]
The numbers were encouraging. The Red Tower's limitations had forced him to rely on his stats rather than the flashier, mana-intensive Arts. It had inadvertently allowed him to make significant progress in his core attributes.
The bickering dragons drew his attention back to the present. "...And don't think I didn't see you hiding behind me when things got rough!" Lilo was accusing, his tail twitching with playful aggression.
"I was being strategic," Nova retorted, "If I'd been injured, who would have stopped the Golem from breaking free of your illusions?"
"I wouldn't need illusions if you just aimed those water jets at its feet in the first place!"
With impeccable timing, Arthur cleared his throat. The dragons froze mid-squabble, eyes turning towards him.
"Impressive teamwork," he said, unable to completely suppress a smile. "But now, perhaps some focus on the present? Lilo, your flame breath is exceptional, and Nova, the precision of your water control is astounding. Clearly, you both have valuable strengths."
The dragons exchanged a hesitant glance. Lilo puffed out his chest, though his eyes held a glint of amusement now. Nova shifted, the tension in his wings easing.
"Now," Arthur continued, "While you two squabble about who was more vital, there are other matters to attend to. Come, there's much to do and learn within this ruined landscape."
With a flourish of his hand, he led the way back towards the deeper reaches of Giant Garden. The dragons, reminded that pecking orders were frivolous in the face of larger goals, fell in behind him. Their squabbling faded into the background, replaced by muttered discussions on weather manipulation and the possibility of combining their powers for even more spectacular effects.
***
The grand halls of Yalen's royal palace, usually filled with courtly elegance, buzzed with a different sort of energy. Representatives from foreign nations – Orlan, Janae, Sourna, and even Tanera – engaged in delicate diplomatic maneuvers. Lucian, granted his seer powers at long last, moved through the crowd with a practiced smile. He was the focus, the reason for this unprecedented alliance.
But another meeting awaited him. Tucked away from the gilded halls, a room awaited where shadows gathered instead of finery. Here, in a space of rough-hewn stone and simple furniture, a different council convened.
He pushed open the door, shedding the role of diplomat and revealing the leader beneath. Here, he was simply Sier, founder of Mistletoe, a band of outcasts united by a common cause.
Ivy, with her emerald eyes sharp as newly-forged steel, observed him from a windowsill. Hua, arms crossed and stoic mask in place, leaned against a wall with calculated wariness. Zas and Vihan argued strategy over a worn map, their voices halting at his entrance. William offered a quiet nod of acknowledgment, the warmth in his eyes a welcome sight. Ruby, disinterested in anything but her inventions, seemed bored. Idris, the manager of Broken Goods, sat drinking his tea. "Thank you for coming," Lucian began, his voice surprisingly steady for the turmoil within him. "I know I have much to answer for."
The silence was heavy, an accusation in itself. It would take more than mere words to heal the wounds his actions had caused.
"For months," he continued, meeting Ivy's gaze head-on, "I fell under the influence of the Seer Guardian. Its power warped my perspective, twisted my actions. Everything I did… it wasn't fully my own."
Disbelief, anger, and a sliver of wary hope flickered across their faces. William looked troubled, while Hua's arms tightened further.
"Ivy, Hua," he said, his voice thick with unshed emotion, "I know some of you… drifted away. I don't blame you. I strayed from our purpose, abandoned the promise Mistletoe held. And Ivy…"
He took a step towards her, and for a moment, he feared she might draw a knife. Instead, she straightened, chin held high.
"I failed you," he said, bowing low. "I should have saved you from Ilios. And I fell short. I was blinded by the belief that Arthur was my enemy."
Silence descended, broken only by the soft crackling of the hearth fire. Ivy stared at him, her green eyes searching, seeking any trace of the madness that had consumed him.
Finally, she lowered herself from the windowsill. Her voice, when it came, was rough but held a sliver of steely resolve.
"Mistakes happen, Si. The question is, what are you going to do about it?"
Lucian watched the whirlwind of emotions on their faces – skepticism, lingering mistrust, a desperate need for a cause to fight for again. A sense of satisfaction washed over him; they were ready to listen.
"Mistletoe was always meant to be more than a band of rebels," he began, his voice taking on the fervor he always felt when laying out his vision. "I want to forge a better future for Yalen and beyond. But the crown I wear will be nothing but a shackle unless I have allies I can trust implicitly."
He swept a hand around the room. "You were the foundation of Mistletoe, and I'm asking you to be the pillars of my new kingdom. Not just retainers, but advisors, leaders, friends." Lucian bowed slightly, a gesture of respect, not subservience.
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the group. Ivy's eyes narrowed, but the skepticism had been replaced with a sharp curiosity. "And what exactly," Hua interjected, her voice laced with acid, "does this 'new kingdom' of yours involve? Do tell, dear leader, or is this another scheme in the making?"
"It involves an end to the Yalen reign," Lucian responded, his tone flat. "The execution is looming. With Arthur Netherborne on my side, nothing can stop me from claiming the throne. The question is, will you stand beside me and make sure this new beginning doesn't fall to the same old corruption?"
The room erupted. Zas and Vihan argued the practicality of it, their voices overlapping in heated bursts. William raised his palms, a plea for calm on his face. Even Ruby glanced up from her tinkering, frown lines marring her otherwise unreadable expression.
Lucian remained outwardly composed. Inside, he was a coiled spring, every fiber of his being thrumming with anticipation.
Despite the chaos, a smile touched his lips. He had presented them with the ultimate gamble – loyalty to a traitor, yet one who might just light the fire their old rebellion sorely lacked.
"Lucian," Ivy's voice cut through the din. Her gaze pinned him with the intensity of a cornered predator. "You say that Arthur is with you... I thought the two of you were enemies. What changed?
He met her stare unflinchingly. " Arthur shares my vision for a world beyond the Guardians. He, like us, has suffered at their hands. We might come from different worlds, hold different powers, but our goals are intertwined."
Lucian took a calculated risk, drawing on the fragment of the Seer Guardian that still flickered within him. An image formed, not clearly defined, yet recognizable: Arthur Netherborne, facing the Empyrean of Yalen's corpse. It pulsed, flickered, and was gone.
"Arthur has already killed the Yalen Empyrean, and the change is coming like a tidal wave, whether we like it or not."
A stunned silence descended upon the room.
"Make your choice, Mistletoe," Lucian said quietly, his voice ringing in the heavy air. "Will you join me in overturning everything, or watch from the sidelines as history shifts?"
Idris, always the pragmatist, was the first to rise. With a slight bow and a ghost of a smile, he said, "Well, Lucian, you've got my attention. It seems I'm backing another upstart with a grand plan."
Vihan followed. "Your vision has its merits. Count me in."
Zas, ever the hothead, grinned wildly and bowed low. "Let's burn it all down and start over, Boss!"
Slowly, the rest followed. William and Hua knelt side-by-side, faces serious but resolute. Ivy did not bow, but nodded at him. "If Arthur is on your side, then so am I."
Even Ruby, engrossed in her tinkering, offered a distracted nod.
Lucian met each gaze with a flicker of triumph. "Thank you," he said, a swell of emotion rising in his voice. "With you by my side, we will change everything."
This wasn't a scene of royal subjects; it was a pact born of desperation and a desperate gamble for a better future. It was shaky, uncertain, and undeniably thrilling.
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