Eternal Emerald Dragon

Chapter 1824: Chapter 1823 - Parting

Ethry felt numb. She was sitting at a grand feast as a youthful Ryl proudly stood before Lind and expressed his desire to find Bryth and see if she would become part of his pack. The young Dusk Grypwolf had come far and his earnest face would normally elicit a smile from her, but she could only remain calm.

Pelia was next to him and had also said she would follow Ryl. They were both Immortals very recently. Ryl was nearly halfway through the Sliver Tier but Pelia had just overcome her Immortal Tribulation.

She was insanely powerful and flexible with her tiger bloodline manifesting far more than before. She was neither beast nor human but something in between. How that was possible, even Lind did not know.

Chu seemed to think that her next tribulation would finally decide her bloodline but Ethry could not seem to care.

She was recalling her first clear memories. She had been in darkness but partially aware for a long time when the gentle emerald flames came for her. They were wonderful.

She felt her heart thud and her body completed to finally be born.

The first person she saw was a human boy who smiled wide at her. His dark green eyes were gentle and she knew he would be a wonderful partner.

It took a long time to understand he only saw her as a baby and not a mate but humans were different. There was time.

Then the worst day of her life happened. He pushed himself far beyond his limits to stop a horrific monster in human form from consuming innocent trial takers.

He was dying and she sacrificed herself to save him only to have him undo it! He valued her life over his own!

Then Heaven had rewarded him and he became of her species! Her heart had shaken her ribcage so hard when that happened. It was fate!

She gained the ability to transform early and was able to finally speak with everyone she loved!

Those early days were her happiest time. She also remembered coming to Qing and crying that Lind only saw her as a child. Shoti had teased her but Cyntilla shut them up.

The demoness asked if Ethry was serious and she nodded. Annabelle hugged her tight and said they would take care of it.

The happiness when Lind finally accepted her matched the day she was born.

Their long lives had ups and downs, and even a serious moment when Lind tried to walk away from it all, but she had always known he would come back to them. He would break the barriers and all Laws or Daos to get back to his family.

Now, however, she felt like the day Cyntilla died all over again. Lind had revealed he was going into seclusion to condense his final Mystery.

They all knew what that meant. There was a good chance the current feast was the last time they would see Lind ever again.

Lysanna was already stuck at the Immortal Realm. Kora was unlikely to reach the Master Tier. In fact, Ethry and Karu were the only ones outside of Fey that would reach it most likely.

Even then, none of them aside from Karu could affirm they would reach the next major realm.

Even if Lind failed, their fate would be as the final feast of the Bastard. If he succeeded, he could not come back. No Eternal Realm had ever been seen in the Divine Lands to the best of anyone’s knowledge.

The fact the Bastard could not easily interfere, when he had a very good reason to, showed how hard it had to be.

Her heart felt dull and her body far away. Tears would not come and she could not seem to gather her thoughts to do more than nod or do surface conversations.

Ryl and Pelia were granted their freedom to go out into the world. Ryl was trying to suppress his excitement but Pelia was openly crying as she smiled.

The poor girl had a harsh beginning but she had not only come so far, she had been able to help others in her state.

The shadow of the Glass Palace still lingered but they could no longer act with impunity.

People cheered and the festive event moved on. Lind indulged friends, children, and others. Her Sisters seemed to be enjoying themselves but Ethry just could not do it.

Dragons mated for life. Separations were normal but that only motivated them to grow stronger to catch up. Yet, she felt it in her bones. She could not become an Eternal Realm.

She had tried so hard and worked for any other path but her Master Tier Mysteries were set. The Divine Ryuu bloodline was powerful but now was a shackle she could not break!

She had hidden it from the others, yet Kora and Chu suspected something. Karu likely knew and respected it was Ethry’s choice.

She did not want the feast to be goodbye!

Her heart was breaking!

Eventually, she left without causing a ruckus. She walked down the corridors until she found a path to a mountain peak. She looked up at the starlit sky and just soaked in the windswept mountains.

She felt the urge to fly but that would draw too much attention.

"Lady Ethry, you should talk to him." A voice made her snap her prismatic eyes wide open to see the tan robed figure of Haro. She had noticed he was now projecting throughout the party.

Next to the original 5 wives, he was the one that knew Lind the best. It could even be argued he knew more.

The ring spirit was unlike any artifact spirit she had ever known.

"I can’t. I can’t be weak in front of him." Her bloodline rebelled at the very thought but Haro smiled and shook his head.

"Is it weakness to be truthful? My Master is many things but has he ever hidden his faults?" His words made her pause.

The Heart of Origins had not helped her escape her fears and no amount of research had done a thing, but she had never asked Lind for help. He was living proof of the impossible becoming possible.

It was common knowledge, even in her race memory, that 6 elementals were cursed existences. Yet, Lind had broken that curse for everyone.

It was common knowledge that Fiends were unbeatable and would never fully go away. Yet, Lind had ended their age.

It was common knowledge that Divine Realm cultivators would struggle exponentially with every Mystery. Yet, Lind had erased that with the Heart of Origins.

Tears finally formed as Haro quietly stood in front of her. He was family but he did not see himself that way. Ethry finally smiled at him and he tilted his head.

"He will not abandon you." Haro’s dark eyes went wide as he understood her race memory knew his fate. Divine bloodlines knew about the rings and what happened to those that made the transition to a Divine Lord.

"There is no–" Ethry held up her pale hand and shook her head.

"What is his bottom line?" Her question gave the ring spirit pause. Just as he had helped her, she now helped him.

Lind had said it and acted on it so often that even a mortal knew the Divine Lord Lind Frey’s bottom line.

{People are not things.}

Where many would define people as their own race or species, Lind was not so limited. He had found Fiends that were not worth killing in a Law Binding of all things!

Honestly, he was nearly insane for holding to such an idea in many ways. Powerful cultivators could not see lower realms as anything but ants, yet he did not.

Further, spirits of artifacts were just tools but Lind had never treated them as such. He had fused 2 artifacts into his body to help them become free of their narrow constraints!

Haro suddenly looked pale and Ethry quickly got to his side as he dropped his teacup. The jade shattered since it was old but neither cared.

"He–he–he will not abandon me?" Haro could not seem to accept that reality but Ethry smiled and nodded.

"You are family, Haro. You have always been family to him." She freely admitted it took her time. Yet now, this senior brother that had been so sure and confident was as fragile as glass as he wept in her arms.

"I–I accepted my fate. It really is not so bad but I did not want to go!" She patted his back and both froze as a sigh was heard.

"How little do you two think of me?" Lind stood in the doorway glaring at them. They had been caught!

Lind tossed a jade slip at Ethry and she caught it. She was confused but when she sunk her aura into it she nearly fell down! Her bloodline roared in joy as she felt her path forward shift!

"The Heart of Origins was created by me. Did you really think I would not know what it did for my family?" She shook as fresh tears fell and he kissed her. It was gentle and she knew her first impression was still true.

Lind was a safe haven for her heart always.

He then turned to Haro and glared hard at the spirit.

"Did you really think I would be happy with what you told me? It is not just you, I will come for them all." Haro knelt but was forced upright by Lind. "YOU ARE NOT MY SLAVE! You are my family!"

His words echoed and Haro openly wept.

The pair had been holding onto fears yet they never existed. Lind was going away but he would not leave them behind. He would give them a way forward as he had done for trillions of others.

They returned to the feast and happiness truly ensued. Lind was leaving but now it was not a heavy moment. It was the final time they could be together until they fought hard to catch up!