107 the birth of the ancient race

While they worked a great art of the night, none of them were able to come with a cure. They discover some new healing potions along the way, but not a single one of them was potent enough to cure her or had the desired effect.

While uncured, they had a small hope still present. They had been able to nearly stop the poison from spreading, containing it to a single place rather than spreading all around. Alex was also able to recreate one of his world potion, the flushing potion.

It was that particular potion that had nearly stopped its propagation as the poison in her blood had been evacuated, leaving the one that had seep in the organ the only one present. Because of the majority of the poison evacuated, it was unable to spread as fast as before.

He discovers that it acts like a virus, breeding in her cells, before spreading outside. By administrating a small dose, of flushing potion, they eliminated the bred one in her blood, but it was another story altogether for the ones in the organs.

When the royal family hears that, the became immensely relieved, A lesser amount signifies a longer period for it to corrupt the body, thus longer time for them to found a solution.

The more time pass, the less the king was willing to let Alex being subjected to the chance of turning into a familiar, he could stop the treatment and cure research in pure spite and condemn the princess.

With two other days, Duke Valliere, his wife, and the two sisters appear at the school per order of the king's summon.

Needlessly to say, the four became livid that their daughters and sisters were suspected of rebellion against the crown, even only by association. It could doom the Valliere family when he hears of the possible plot to implant a spy, he immediately orders his daughter to finalize the bond between master and familiar between her and Alex.

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All those decisions have been made without Alex being aware, this is reaction wasn't a really good one when he hears the Duke. Being summoned to the Vetri court, he exits the tower

"Your filthy peasant, I hope for your own health that you prove the Valliere innocence in this, or you could be sure that the consequence will be heavy!"

"Who are you?" Not the less intimidated by the blond-haired man yelling at him in front of him, he wanted to know whose skull he was going to intend.

"You! I!"

"Yes?"

"I the Duke of the Valliere, show respect to your better, commoner!"

"How about no? Anyway, I have other things to do, and more important people to see." He turns his back to the family of five, the royal couple, and the headmaster present and made his way back to the tower under the shocked audience on how he dismisses the duke like an unappealing whore.

"How dare you!"

Never in his life had he be dismissed of the sort, even the king let him keep face after a raw they could have. Like any noble in this world when they feel wronged, he immediately attacks, not caring that his opponent had his back turned to him.

When the others see the large fireball flying at him, none had the same reaction. The King was disappointed with his rash reaction, and fear for his daughter's life if Alex were to die. The queen was horrified that he would strike for such reason and fear for Alex's life. The duchess was disappointed for his husband's behavior, tarnishing the Valliere honor, but unconcerned by the death of a commoner. Eleonor was appealed at her father's behavior, judging him unfit of his station. Cattleya was simply horrified and worried for Alex, having long since realized that her family wasn't what she has seen one should be. Louise was smiling as off the commoner fate, and Osmand sigh, knowing how it would finish.

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Alex feels the fireball before it arrives, but even then he didn't react. Letting it hit him, he feels the fire turn rampant, trying to burn his flesh, but for someone who had been basked into the primal fire of the heath, it was nothing more than a mere annoyance at best. Even then, the last time, it was his soul that had been basked in, now it was his body turn.

While he was lost in the feeling, he suddenly feels like his heart has been pinched and attempted to be torn apart. Turning around, he could see Chione on the ground, heavily bleeding from a large gash on her chest.

The sight froze Alex solid, as the sensation was growing, then it hit him, Chione was dying. Seeing the tip of a blade ready to give the final strike, hell broke loose.

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While Alex was inside the flame, the duke angry face turn into an arrogant one.

"Will they ever understand their place. A shame that Louise lost a potential familiar, but well worth."

"What have you done?" feverishly asks Osmand, looking at the burning fire.

"I hope it was worth your daughter's life, Jack." Harshly said the queen Marianne when she sees the lightest grin on his face, whipping it immediately when he remembers that he was the same young that has to keep his daughter alive and never divulge the formula of the potion.

The still gloating Duke was cut short when Chione sink her sharp claws on his face, gouging the eyes, rendering him blind and screaming.

After the slight surprise of the sneak attack, Karin strikes back to avenge her husband, slicing at the bird, tainting her pristine feather in blood red, ready to give the final strike.

Eleonor couldn't help but be finally disgusted that the once-proud House Valliere would sink so low and Cattleya was in tear at her parent action. She had always been know for being a kind soul and an animal lover. While partial to four-legged ones, she couldn't help but marvel at the majestic owl that had just appear, now at death door.

Louise was still her bitch self and relish in the misfortune that had befallen on him.

Osmand could only look numbly at the scene, still unable to process how things have degenerated in such a short time.

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Before the blade coup strike the last blow, the atmosphere grew cold, so cold that frost starts to appear on the grass and tower wall in what a second ago was a pleasant warm day. The still-burning fire turns from an angry red to a bone-chilling white-blue, before being snuffed out.

The windless area was traversed by a light breeze before a squeaking voice was heard. As all head snap the sound origin, they discover that Duchess Valliere was maintaining in the air by an arm exiting his her back, a still-beating heart in the hand.

Alex looks deeply in the eye of the woman, before crushing the vital organ to mush, leaking an important amount of blood from the destroyed organ and ripped arteries. Throwing the still warm corpse-like yesterday trash away, he vanishes.

At the sound of snapping bones and screaming voice, they once again turn their head, seeing the duke on the ground like a sitting duck, his leg mangled beyond repair, and then Alex's voice resounds.

"A life for a life, you attempted to kill me, I killed your wife. Your wife had made my familiar dying, I will use you a price for keeping her alive."

The ghostly voice and vacant light in are eyes tell all that it wasn't all of Alex that was speaking, but a more primal part, a dangerous and frightening one.

White-blue fire erupts all on him has he transform in front of a static crowd. Eyes fixed on the hand that was slowly making its way in the duke chest, burying deeply in. It didn't stay for long before its exit, dragging with it a brightly burning red ember.

What choked all of the attendance was that not a single wound was visible on the duke and he was still alive.

Rising, Alex made his way to the petrified Louise.

"You are the reason all this happens, it's time for you to receive your punishment."

The same hollowed voice ring, as his second hand slowly sink in the flat chest of Louise, extracting another ember, but this one was a pure gaseous white.

The moment his fingers exit her, she finally lost it and crumble, passed out from fright, and only the trail of water on her tight let it know that she wet herself. Still lost and his actions dictated by his subconscious, he made his way and kneel at the side of the struggling owl.

The previous cold action turns into a caring motion as he delicately let the two ember sink in the mortally wounded owl's body, before taking her in his within his arms. The two combust has he pour all his magic into her.

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The maelstrom of fire and magic was felt by the entire academy, and soon everyone comes running to see what happen. When they see the frozen king and queen, the headmaster, two of the Valliere heir, and the fire, some worried as their proximity to the blazing inferno.

It was only after everyone calm did that they actually realize that the fire was heatless, only a brilliant mass of churning white-blue fire rising into the sky, pulsing with magic like a giant heart.

It was first erratic, but slowly the pulse stabilizes, growing deeper, slower, and stronger. At each pulse, the pillar of fire recess in, condensing more and more. From as high as the main tower to the one surrounding it to a large bonfire, and a solid human form.

At the next pulse, white round hears and two tails appear, before ahead, and two legs. The third reveals the torso, completing the form, only for all to see that it was Alex. The past raging inferno was now only a large pure white solid ball once again recess, vanishing inside the body of a healed Chione.

All hold their breath, even without knowing why, but they feel it, the need for everything to stop and bear witness of the miracle to came. As it became unbearable, the last pulse ring, a low, profound, stronger pulse than any had felt, propagating through the land the air and magic, feel by all races in the world.

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Ever since his gaze had fallen on the down form of Chione, bleeding dry of the live-giving ruby's liquid, a primordial feeling had to overdrive him. Is conscious was nothing more than a strand of grass, blown away by the organ that had broken free for the confine of his being.

Someone was trying to rip a part of his soul and his magic resists, violently. The once warm hearth that was his soul had turned into a chilling nightmare, ready to tear apart anything that was trying to divide it.

Even if he would have been able to control or influence it, he wouldn't. Nobody harms Chione or Skadi and stay alive.

His magic had commanded him to punish those responsibly and so he did. With the last strained string that was still leading to his rational thoughts, he understands that for them their magic was more important than their life, so he would deprive them of everything they hold dearest than life.

For all, their magic was the hearth that warm and flood their soul, bringing them harmony. All being had magic, be they were able to access it or not. As a hearth, it naturally falls under his authority, allowing his to take it back, plunging them into the eternal darkness it had held at bay from the dawn of time.

The first had been burning coal of fire and would be fuelling Chione's lifeforce to help her fight back the putrid claws of death that were creeping closer each second.

The second had been a surprise, void. Magic in its purest form, allowing its owner to shape reality under its wishes. Such a gift had been wasted into a soiled child that was unable to truly understand the boon that she had been offered, but no more.

If she couldn't use it, then he would, this second offering would break the shackles of Chione, bringing her to a new high, into a new creature unseen in this world.

Taking her within in, he pours every bit of magic, love, and life force he could into the cooling body, holding the slightest of life still in. The wait was killing him but he holds strong, knowing that she would prevail and return to him, or he would follow her into the next great adventure.

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At first, I could only feel her life quitting her, no matter how much I was pouring into her I was losing her.

I can't lose her, she was part of me, I couldn't be complete without her.

'You never been like those dumb bird, I always know you were special, so came back to me, please, don't leave me, don't leave us alone!'

I was nearing my limit and I know it, but I would not succumb to the darkness, I know she will come back, stronger than before, than anyone.

As the last dregs of magic quit my body, it finally happens, the still pulse of her life force flare like never before, releasing a tidal of pure magic, it was so powerful that I feel the magic itself ignite, burning in the same fire that the hearth of origin, the very flame of life.

The darkness vanishes, and light prevails once again. With every pulse, I could feel her coming back. It would have been a crime against nature itself to meddle in this so I continue to pour all I could feel for her in the ever-growing link we share.

It was then that I feel it. It was weak at first but he soon became stronger, she was returning those very same feeling, and like never before I could feel the two of us combine into a single being, two-part of a larger ensemble, two drops in the infinity of the reality, but the very drops that tip the scale between the immensity and the infinite.

She had come back, she didn't let the darkness win her over. Everything would be alright.

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As the large tangible flame sink into the very being of the large owl, she ignites into those magnificent white-blue flame, reducing her to ashes.

All were shocked to see it, thinking that she had perished after overtaking this hurdle, but only one knows what it really means.

Cupping the heap of burning ashes in his palms, he patiently waits. After a few seconds, the immobile top of the ashes falls all around, unveiling the very first phoenix to be born in the land of Halkeginia.

The still-burning ashes soon let place to the ever-growing chick who rapidly sprout immaculate glittering white feathers, only her tail'feather had an artic blue end. When she feels ready, she unfolds her wing, and in a single flapping, take flight, turning into a white star rising toward the sun. At her highest point, she unfolds again her wing as a heavenly trill bask the land of Tristain.

While all were still stunned as they feel the magic wash over them, Chione delicately lands on his outstretched arm, nuzzling her head against his cheek, tears soon rolling on her feathers.

Before they could feel, a vial made of diamond, and surrounded by Evans steel in Chione craving, appears, storing to safely her very first tears. Sealed and stored aways, he runs his hand delicately on her feathers, before softly whispering.

"Welcome back, Chione."