11 Tears of Blood

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Moving towards the now joint Ethereal Grotto Sect's and Quintessential Umbra Organisation's pavilion Senior-Brother Yan moved Astrallis' and his group of five.

Curios Fairy Silvanus followed.

"Astrallis, your father, my master, told me to take care of you during this Tea Party," Yan said endearingly. Even without his master's command, he would have done the same.

Following Senior-Brother Yan's eyesight, Fairy Silvanus was stunned. In front of her stood a child so beautiful, even she – who was known as one of the top beauties of the Augustin world- felt inferior. Long golden hair, shining with an ethereal lustre and willow magenta eyes, one could only dream how surreal this child would look when it's older, inwardly thought Fairy Silvanus.

"Brother Yan, who is this tall junior sister?" Aylox'er asked with a hint of respect. Who wouldn't want to ingratiate themselves with such a goddess?

"Ahem." Brother Yan tripped over his feet, while Astrallis' friends bowled over in raucous laughter.

After a few moments, Brother Yan managed to stand up again, albeit weakly he turned towards the now confused face of the beautiful elven girl.

"Ah… Fairy Silvanus that is junior-brother Astrallis, Patriarch Cestra's and Vita Fairy's only son," Senior-Brother Yan whispered to Aylox'er.

Fairy Silvanus face gradually became a pale white, while cold-sweat formed on her back.

"Ah, I'm sorry Young Master Astrallis, your looks are beyond anything I have ever seen." Aylox'er bowed deeply, feeling that she nearly dug herself a grave with a future powerhouse and the son of her idol the Vita Fairy.

"Fairy Silvanus, it's alright. This situation happens a lot." Astrallis respectfully replied although anyone who was emotionally close to Astrallis could see his face take on an expression not usually shown.

"I meant no disregard; I respect your mother, the Vita Fairy, with all my heart. My mother was grievously wounded when she was younger, without your mother's timely aid – as well as her breathtaking comprehension of the Way of Life – my mother would have succumbed to her injuries. Your mother's graciousness towards myself and the Quintessential Umbra Organisation is something only reciprocated with great difficulty," Said Fairy Silvanus with a look of utmost respect in her eyes.

Although this was the first time Astrallis had heard of this, his face gradually relaxed. "Big Sister Aylox'er, if I may, can I sit next to you?"

"Of course, you may, little brother Astrallis." Fairy Silvanus heart-jumped at the opportunity, also sighing in relief that she managed to change Astrallis' impression of her.

"Azui, Baihu, Wukong and Azalea come sit with us,"

"This is your Awakening Ceremony and your ascent of Mt. Evanescence. Come sit at the centre, the rest of your senior brothers and sisters have already had their chance, they've come along to spar and support your challenge of the mountain." Senior-Brother kindly informed the children.

Fairy Silvanus called her children of the QUO who were also ascending the mountain seeking inheritances; a line-up gingerly approached the table; consisting of elves, dwarves, demi-humans and fairies. Altogether there are around thirteen children, more than doubling the five children from the Grotto.

In no time the children of both the Holy Lands were engaged in excited discourse over the coming sparring matches. Silvanus and Yan looked over the children pleased with their immediate acceptance of each other.

"Looks like those two are about to start… They are always at each other's necks." Fairy Silvanus' voice echoed across the pavilion.

On the beautiful wooden stage, stood a tall multi-coloured man, this man was Nezel the leader of the Elemental Infinitum Sect, across him prowled the sturdy lion, Leon.

"You beast, so what if you have a bloodline of a self-proclaimed pseudo-Deity? That is all eclipsed in front of my Pentaelem Technique,"

"You vermin! How dare you slander the Lion-God!" Enraged Leon began to grow in size, while his fur turned obsidian black, and his mane changed between bright streaks of red and violet.

Leon charged through the sky towards the now floating Nezel, a sense of danger flashed through Nezel's eyes, using the Way of Wind he flew towards the edge of the arena faster than Astrallis' eyes could see.

Nezel, afraid of flying off the arena, thus losing; sent a raging fireball towards Leon, "I've already reached the Third Concept of the Way of Fire, how can your physique handle it?"

Leon, with a smirk, directly flew through the raging inferno. He came out the other side with only a few red hairs, "Nezel you're not the only one who has made an advancement since we last sparred,"

"Hmph, we'll see how your body handle's a sabre." Pulling out a long sword, flashing with the colours of the elements, Nezel charged towards Leon.

An explosion occurred at the point of contact between the two youths.

This explosion was not a result of the two youths collusion.

All the youths became inundated and turned towards Mt. Evanescence.

An explosion of energy coalesced into a scintillating beam of light, above Mt. Evanescence, soaring towards the heavens. The celestial clouds above the mountain spread apart, creating a hole for one to see the peak of Mt. Evanescence, the mountain reached the stratosphere. The summit of Mt. Evanescence was seen for the first time in recorded history. The millions of people around the plains, the cultivators in the ships and the elders of the Holy Lands all stared incredulously at the furore that was the explosion.

Beautiful apparitions began to form around the beam of light, god-beasts, seraphim, angels and all forms of incorporeal creatures built around a celestial object, in pious worship.

A beautiful sabre reaching from the peak of Mt. Evanescence to the stratosphere, gradually formed, all manner of apparitions bowing in subservience.

The sabre hilt was a surreal golden colour, with a marking of a grey-willow tree, with red-leaves, sprawling around the handle. A long silver blade joined the golden-hilt, with faint markings of red-lines proliferating the edge, red-lines themselves seemed as if they were the interlocking branches of the willow-tree engraved on the hilt.

Gradually those lines began to shine intermittently with an incandescent red, to the point they started adopting a vein like quality. An immeasurable blood aura began to emanate around this heaven-reaching sabre, turning the pure white celestial clouds into a churning carmine cloudy hell.

A unique aura sundered the void, causing a mass warping of space-time resulting in the sky cracking throughout the plane.

Centered in the Elder's pavilion above the celestial floating lake, the Holy Land elders felt as if they were insignificant children in front of this blood aura, an aura full of killing intent.

"Quick, get all the children to safety." Shouted Cestra.

The parents and masters of the children complied with the utmost haste, and sped towards the children and enclosing the children with their sturdy Qi.

Eventually, there was not a single soul left on the Elders pavilion, except for a single celestial looking-female, with emerald hair. She stood there unmoving, going unnoticed by all around her as they frantically tried to defend the children.

Tears of blood gently flowed down her beautiful visage.

"Mother, is that you?"