Chapter 858

Chapter 858: Gallienne II Arie Sultria

A new life was born, Empress Eira gave birth to the first princess of Alrosia, a child named Gallienne II Arie Sultria. The hospice, cupped at the center of Rosespire, looking over the hectic traffic of the streets below, sat a quiet little room with a great view. Nurses and doctors were at their disposal for tending to the Empress’s aid. The voyage took little more than minutes for they had used a helicopter – the building itself was massive and not linear. Blocks broke in and out of the main firm structure. The clean and pure color scheme was pleasing to the onlookers. Ambulance sirens often resounded across the streets, injured fighters, victims of gang and domestic violence. The crime rate wasn’t high nor low, it sufficed, kept the quota of normalcy for those abled of Hidros.

Igna and Markus stood outside Eira’s room, “-congratulations,” said Igna.

“I can’t believe I’m a father,” the hands visibly shook, “-this is amazing,” he had his forehead against the glass.

“You may go in,” said a nurse leaving the room, a doctor followed shortly and said, “-the babe is healthy, congratulations.”

Markus walked in, to be completely overwhelmed by a torrent of emotions. He gasped at the bundle of joy, “-she’s,” he blinked, “-she’s normal.”

“And?”

“It means,” he inhaled freely and cheered, “-she won’t have to deal with learning the Sultrian way.”

.....

Eira watched softly, the news was music to her ears, “-she doesn’t have an affinity for magic either.”

‘No magic nor abilities,’ the arms crossed in thought, ‘-are the newer generations losing grasp over the olden ways?’ he narrowed, trying to gauge if the babe had anything hidden, nothing, ‘-éclair gave reports of children being born without the ability to use magic or call onto adventuring skills. Something’s happened to the world,’ a vague look to the sky, ‘-if magic disappears, monsters will run rampant. Maybe I’m looking at it a different way, the newer generations are brought in a normal world without potentially deadly abilities, a place without flair. Think, Igna, think,’ the lips pressed, ‘-maybe its evolution taking a stand against the created mess. The combination of a Goddess and superhuman is sure to create a beast...’ he narrowed to no avail, ‘-I was thinking a demi-god or someone invincible,’ therein, a realization hit, and he stormed the room.

“Igna,” smiled Eira, “-come meet your niece.”

“Sorry sister,” hurried to Markus, “-may I hold her?”

“Sure,” he handed the babe, “-don’t drop her,” he laughed, Eira threw a cautious gaze, “-I was joking,” he returned.

“Right you are,” they held hands, before anything said, Igna had the babe cradled.

“Pure grey eyes,” he said, “-she’s not normal.”

“What do you mean, brother?” Eira’s heart sank a little, “-is she unhealthy?”

“No time for jokes,” gulped Markus, “-that’s our daughter, no Ignaish business, ok?”

“Ignaish sounds like a brand for canned food,” he quipped, “-she’s the epitome of health,” the duo exchanged glances of which he returned to Eira, “-what’s her name?”

“Gallienne II Arie Sultria.”

“A mouthful,” back to the unnervingly silent babe, “-raise, Arie, thou art more than human,” a golden hue flashed to which the babe’s blanket unraveled into a pair of wings, she hovered before the family, “-I was right,” he laughed, “-ARIE IS AN ANGEL!” the room shook, orbs of power manifested at her back, the expression grew into calm before the storm, her tiny clenched fist motioned at her visage.

“Right,” *snap,* the wing’s retreated into her body, “-no going AWOL just yet,” said Igna softly catching the babe, “-there you are,” he handed the lass to her mother, “-my niece will grow to be more than a little handful. Her upbringing will require much effort,” to which he patted Eira’s head, “-and I’m sure my big sister and her husband will kick ass. Glad to have you in the family, Arie. I can’t wait to see what time has in store for you,” he wiped his hands and headed for the door, “-Brother wait.”

“Yeah, sister?”

“Raising an angel is hard, yes?”

“No, it’s in the name,” he shrugged, “-she’s an angel, literally. Don’t mind much, she won’t cause trouble as her beliefs are already ironclad,” a look to her tiny pupils, “-there lives a benevolent soul. Honestly,” he halted at the door, “-coming from me, the advice is wasted. She’s your child, nothing more, nothing less. Treat her as one.”

The hallway carried the muffled footsteps, hospitals were always lively – nurses rushed from one end to another, the lack of staff and influx of patients, most bearing similarities to the monster-curse. He shrugged and took the elevator down, exited the massive hall, and landed under a giant shadow cast by the building. People moved, most excited at the festivities, past the stairs, across the seat, laid lines of shops, restaurants, pharmacies, – all in relation to what a hospice may need. An alchemic distributer and a magic shop as well – some glass frames held the poster advertising the current festival. People walked and took notice, they scanned and shrugged, ‘-erasing presence, comes in very handy,’ briefcase in one hand and cigarette in the next, Igna muddled through till a taxi-stand.

“Got a place for one,” said a driver, “-mister, come on in, we’re headed to the festival.”

“Sure,” he ducked into the back where sat two lovely dressed maidens in short attire, they took one look and smiled, “-you’re handsome, aren’t you,” said the one in the middle.

“And my lady, you’re astonishingly splendid,” he returned, “-tell me,” he went to fling the cigarette, “-no, no,” interjected one at the window seat, “-don’t throw it away,” she gestured, he smoked and handed the bud, “-it’s the good stuff,” she smiled and leaned against the window.

“Tell me, ladies, how’s the festival so far?”

“It’s great, Jane over here,” she pointed to the right, “-has scored a few whilst making rounds. Good clients with a lot of money,” her fingers strode up his knee to the thighs.

“Right,” he watched nonchalantly, “-business is booming.”

“Come on, don’t you want to hire us?” she slyly moved her lips, “-we could release the tension,” she whispered.

“Pains me to refuse,” the cab reached Naeva’s park marked by a massive tree, “-I should get going,” he tapped his card and exited the vehicle. A side-glance showed the car be swallowed in the lines of traffic. Base in hand, he breathed and passed the outlying barrier, stone brick walkways split around the large area. Children played at the playground, teenagers hurdled and laughed, couples took long ways. Igna walked, ignorant to the surrounding until a bench fairly hidden from view in the deeper part of the park.

‘The case,’ he sat and opened the locks, ‘-a new phone, a gun, a watch and earrings,’ attention locked onto the watch, ‘-good, a mechanical one,’ the white-face had engravings reminiscent of snow – the hands were of a translucent dark-blue pointing at numbers, at six, the heart of the movement shuffled beautifully. A bracelet made from wyvern hide and golden clasps. ‘-A good formal watch,’ it tied nicely, ‘-why aren’t they selling this model?’ underlaid a note, “-greetings, majesty. Pardon the informal way of asking for feedback. Lady Elvira and craftsmen at Phantom have long been discussing the potential of starting our own luxury watch brand to rival Meldorino. Their shops have started to invade the land of Hidros, as the kingdom is proud of creating their own items, we want to issue a direct challenge. With your blessing and insightful advice, we, an unknown team of craftsmen, are ready to take down a giant. At the risk of sounding needy, we wish for our lord to take the position of leader, we wish to work under thy tutelage. The current watch is a prototype, an unfinished piece made especially for his majesty.”

‘Sneaky,’ he admired the work, ‘-they want a leader to take them to the Alphian market. Might not be such a bad idea. Raven’s could do with the additional business. Good on them,’ the focus turned to the earrings, they were similar to the older version. Once settled, he moved to the phone, smaller in width with a peculiar port at the side. A push of a button unlocked a drawer, inside which were contact lenses.

The interface initialized, lines of codes fluttered left and right, small icons lit above everyone he looked, focusing on said icons brought a summary of the person such as name, wealth (spending power), and social status. ‘-Looks like it can easily infiltrate another device,’ as a test, Igna kept an eye at incoming visitors, they wore sunglasses and chatted loudly, the young adult of the group had his head in his phone. The icons displayed in blueish color, he focused to be faced by a flashing circle, conclusion opened a secondary window, on it was everything the device held, ‘-It works,’ there also laid an option of self-destruction, ‘-what does that do?’ toggled the switch to a contained implosion, “-DAMN IT,” cried the young adult, “-Ma, my phone just died.”

“Shut it, Joe, I don’t care.”

“Ma, look,” he moved forward and showed the smoking pile, “-see, it’s fried.”

The mother stopped, rose her glasses, and stared, “-good, now you won’t spend all that before chatting your imaginary friends,” a quarrel began between mother and son.

The wind blew harshly, sound muted, a familiar aura leaped from a dark portal, “-Igna, to the Shadow Realm, now,” ordered a red-faced Miira, she returned through the cut in reality. The briefcase shut, and he followed to a frigid landscape against which laid a massive temple.

“Where are we?” the chilly wind sent shivers, “-don’t remember this place.”

“Frostrest,” she said and climbed the snow-ridden walkway, “-the temple to Kronos,” they clambered and arrived at a gathering of devotees dressed in cold attire. They hurdled on the marble tiles before a slowly burning fire, many recited prayers, others spoke in the ancient tongue. The few standing paid respects to lady Miira by pressing hands in prayer and moving out the way.

“A goddess, aren’t you,” said Igna, “-why the cold shoulder?”

“Ha-ha.’

“Drop the sarcasm...” Silence fueled the walk, an array of pillars lined and guided the visitor to the center where laid a massive sandglass.

“Look,” she pointed, “-a rift opened, it tore through the ceiling and altered the weather into a blizzard – the sandglass’s cracked. The last grain will drop in a few hours, the reset might shatter the sandglass of Aclk.”

“You mean this?” he opened his palm, a representation of the big entity hovered in a smaller reflection, “-it suddenly appeared and I found I could stop time whenever I pleased.”

“You don’t say,” she leaned and examined, “-the sandglass of Aclk is important to the symbol of Kronos, without it, the scythe is left free and unable to contain itself.”

“Suppose the smaller piece is a fragment of the original,” he crushed the smaller version and blew the particles at the bigger mass – cracks molded and disappeared. Miira kept her head high, “-easier than imagined.”

“I know, the bigger they are, the easier it is to finish. The crack must have been my responsibility, I won’t call on the power of time.”

“Thank you,” she rose her arms and gave a tight embrace, “-been a while since we spoke.”

“Miira,” he whispered, “-I had a fight against Lucifer, and I won,” she ended the embrace and watched, “-why are you afraid?”

“I learned who I was before, the cursed King, Alfred. I cut Lucifer’s wings and assimilated its powers,” he pushed and sprawled the golden features, “-turns out, I may have accidentally taken on the symbol of the cross.”

“Why am I not surprised,” she shook her head, “-listen, the Shadow Realm is stable – the more time passes, the thicker grows the foundation. You should see the children, they’re beasts, far powerful to anything in the overworld. This world is truly unique and ours to rule.”

“I know,” he exhaled, “-that’s why I don’t want to stand in way of progress.”