"The ether here... it's too thin, and almost impossible to manipulate."
The petite scholar looked around, gazing up at the endless spikes and down into the bottomless abyss, murmuring, "How was this world... formed?"
"Is it down there?"
Ansel suddenly asked.
"Uh... about one and a half million meters down."
Flamelle answered casually, "Tyr and the others are already waiting below, Falcon is ascending... oh, we've arrived."
In this eerily silent and bizarre world, suddenly a towering whirlwind surged from below.
Accompanied by a crisp cry, a massive falcon burst out of the dark void below, its wings streaming with blue currents that shredded the unsettling black matter, finally landing smoothly before Flamelle.
"Master, I apologize for the delay."
Spoke the gentle and melodious Falcon with a flustered apology, while Flamelle, with a smile, affectionately stroked its head. "Such words are unnecessary; without you, the final ingredient would have remained elusive... You have labored diligently during this period, Falcon."
The majestic and commanding falcon responded with joy and pride, "This is where Falcon finds its purpose."
"What are Tyrus, Torado and the others engaged in at present?"
"They await your command... As per your directive, we have refrained from striking the prey."
"Commendably obedient; I had presumed they might succumb to impatience and attempt a premature strike."
"...In truth, Lawrence has already made an attempt, ceasing only after succumbing to death two hundred and sixty-seven times."
"Ha, that impetuous guy..." Flamelle chuckled and shook his head in amusement, "No matter, it is of little consequence. Dive again, and remember to safeguard those two young ladies."
"Falcon understands... my young misses."
It spread its wings and flew before Ansel and the others, bowing its head, "Please, be seated upon the Falcon's back."
The two girls almost simultaneously turned to Ansel, who merely smiled and shook his head:
"Accompany the Falcon; I shall follow my father."
With these words, he tapped the boulder beneath him with his scepter, propelling himself towards the stone where Flamelle awaited.
"..."
Helen watched Ansel's retreating figure before swiftly averting her gaze to climb onto Falcon's expansive back.
After a brief silence, the Falcon seemed inclined to answer.
"Father... did not inform me or Miss Seraphina about today's journey to the Zero Realm Enigma. We are here because Mr. Flamelle revealed this matter."
"Because the master has already regarded both of you as the young lord's pact heads... Miss Helen may need some time, but it's inevitable. However, the choice on the young lord's part..."
Falcon pondered for a moment, then shook its head, "Apologies, Falcon cannot think of a reasonable explanation. The Zero Realm Enigma is not considered dangerous, and with the master's protection, it is unlikely that anything untoward will happen."
Meanwhile, next to Flamelle, Ansel's expression was serene; he indeed did not want Helen and Seraphina to come, but the reason was quite straightforward.
Because he could not guarantee that he would control his emotions well—during this short journey with Flamelle.
And he especially did not want his uncontrolled emotions, detected by Helen, to become a weapon used by fate... as had happened with Seraphina before.
But the unwanted event still occurred; Flamelle had designated Helen and Seraphina to accompany them, and Ansel was the first to disbelieve that fate had no hand in this.
"Annihilation, void, devouring, destruction..."
Flamelle half-closed his eyes, his hands waving lightly and joyfully, like a conductor of an orchestra, he exclaimed:
"Truly... perfect. Such a multitude of annihilation elements blended together, yet achieving an ultimate balance—this is what I've been missing... the final ingredient."
He reached out obsessively towards something that didn't exist, only a void filled with pitch-black substance:
"The final... fuse."
Mature Hydral's fingertips trembled slightly, his sea-blue eyes, almost identical to Ansel's, sparkled with a madness that even the pitch-black substance seemed to retreat from. With a casual grasp, the pitch-black "ocean" created from endless annihilation and destructive elements was directly scooped out, instantly condensed by Flamelle into a tangible entity.
Without a second thought, he tossed the pill into his mouth, and then his entire body shook even more violently, not from injury, not from fear, but from... ecstasy.
"Right... this is the taste, this is the feeling, this is the kind... of corrosion and destruction that even I am subjected to."
The crazed Hydral sighed contentedly, then turned his head to look at Ansel.
"It's almost over, Ans."
In the endless darkness, Flamelle smiled and patted Ansel's head: "After today, everything will proceed towards the perfection I have planned."
It was just a moment, in the instant he turned his head, the chaos and madness in his eyes dissipated instantly, leaving only pure affection and gentleness.
"I promised your mother, and I promised you."
The doomed late-stage divine being whispered:
"I will give you... a perfectly happy life."
*