The Chimeric Ascension of Lyudmila Springfield

Chapter One-Hundred-Two: Honoring the Fallen – Part Two

I gathered a ball of fire and tossed it, which created a portal. “What do you require of me, Lord Springfield?” Ira asked as she walked out. Her outfit was like solidified flames.    

“My family is suffering from those blisters. What are they?”  

“They’re formed from the residue mana of my attacks. The closest comparison is…radiation damage mixed with cancer.”  

“Cancer?! You gave them cancer?!” My fists were clenched before I knew it. I wanted to beat this stupid goddamn piece of shit…  

“The effects can be mitigated by sufficient exposure to the opposite element," she quickly added.   

“Explain!”  

“[Furia Glacies] is the counterpart of [Ira Ignis]. The former must be used to eliminate the residue mana of the latter. That will kill the blisters.”  

Sekh gently unclenched my fists as she held my hands. “She is right,” said Tris. “No lie has been uttered. It will be as if the blisters were never there.”   

“The blisters are inert. They’re connected to my mana as…an additional aspect of my magic, but that link will never be reactivated.”  

“You’re goddamn right it won’t! Will it hurt when you fix your mistakes?”  

“No. I will use [Furia Glacies] to expose your family to a gentle, lightweight ice storm. It will lightly coat their bodies in frost. It will be uncomfortable, but only akin to being outside in winter without a jacket. Chilly, yet it won’t be dangerous. An oni is more resistant to temperature than humans, so I doubt the discomfort will be annoying. The blisters will be gone after one week.”  

“…”  

“I’m sorry. I…don’t like how it turned out like this.” Ira bit her lips and turned away. She nervously rubbed her arms. “I’m sorry for my deception. I’m—” 

“I don’t need your goddamn pity party. Get lost until you’re needed.”  

“I—Of course, Lord Springfield. If that’s what you wish.”  Ira formed a portal of flames and entered it, returning to that floating iron platform surrounded by an ocean of fire.   

“Surtr, can you tell the lions?”   

“I will,” he nodded.   

“Umm… Mila?” Yew tugged at my sleeve.   

“What’s wrong? Don’t let that thing bother you. I promise she won’t hurt you anymore. Ira won’t dare to lend a stray thought to it.”  

“No. It’s not that. It’s… I…” Yew became quiet and looked at Sekh. Her red eyes turned to Quella, Tilde, and Surtr before landing on Tilde and returning to me. “I don’t know what to do. I’m still so lost. I don’t know how to be a chimera. I don’t know what one is supposed to act like.”  

“You know, Master was the same way.”  

“I remember it was after we met. We killed that boar, and you told me to finish my plate.”  

“Yep. You don’t want to leave behind anything that would suggest the existence of a chimera, so I guess rule one is to always finish your food.”  

“So… I need to eat? How do I do? Do I… I don’t know how to change myself.” Yew raised a hand and grunted, but nothing happened.   

I rubbed her head. “We’ll teach you, okay?”  

“O—Okay. Thank you, Mila. And everyone!” Yew smiled, although it wasn’t steady. The poor girl displayed a brave face, so I wondered where that social anxiety came from? Anyone could tell she was pushing herself through the discomfort.   

I have something to report about Yew, my lord. It’s not concerning, but you must be aware of it.  

What is it?  

It’s about her birth. The mana of a still-alive chimera was involved in the chimerization event.   

She has my strength? I could’ve guessed that, but there’s something more. What did you discover?  

Yew’s potential is equal to you and Ira together. She has access to everything you can do--barring the abilities granted via your status as Soul Warrior or the void. 

Does that extend to transfigurations?  

It does, my lord. Think of it like this: she has assimilated a duplicated copy of everything you’ve devoured.    

What about Divine Skills?  

Yes and no. Yew has [Ira Ignis] and [Furia Glacies], but only immunity to fire, heat, ice, and cold has transferred to her. She does not have a Wrath or Fury dial.  

Okay. Thanks for that.   

So, Yew was…strong. More than that, really, except it was untapped. She didn’t know how to access it.  

The girl was impressionable. That was why this situation was so precarious.   

I need to have that conversation with her. I gotta talk with Tilde about the truth, too.    

“Sera will arrive within fifteen seconds. I’ll cancel this clone and return to the one near Niva, my lord.” Tris left us with a smile and a wave.    

A handful of seconds later…  

“Mila? Are you there?”  

“You can enter,” I replied.  

Sera pushed past the flap. “Sorry for the intrusion—oh?” Her eyes widened at seeing Tilde alert, and I introduced them.   

“Mila’s spoken at great lengths about her head maid. I’m glad you’re awake, and I’m so sorry you were hurt.”  

“Oh, these injuries? Psh, don’t worry about them. I’ll be right as rain in a few weeks. See? I’m getting better already.” Tilde raised her left hand and wiggled her fingers.  

“There must still be something I can do to repay you. Umm… I… Oh!” Sera quietly clapped. “I once helped a fairy a few centuries ago. An illness damaged his wings’ roots, but he recovered! Oh, please say you’ll let me help!”  

“If you’re that insistent, declining would make me feel bad. Thanks a bunch, Sera! Oh, is it okay if I call you that?”  

“Yes! That’s perfectly fine!” Sera was the type to value casual closeness over formality when it came to close-knit friendships, so judging by her wiggling ears, this made her happy.    

Suddenly, she looked concerned. “There was another. Where’s Niva? Is she okay?”  

“She’s fine,” said Quella. “My teammate is operating on her.”  

“Surgery? You spoke about it earlier, Mila. It’s the one that replicates a nerve mesh?”  

“Yes. That’s it. I trust Keeth with it. He’s done it once, so it’ll be easier this time. Tris has had time to revise the process.”   

“Wait, she’s behind it, too?”  

“Not solely. It was his idea, but Tris clarified the procedure and used illusion magic to indicate the specific nerve corridors.”  

“Nerve corridors? I’m sorry, but I don’t follow.”  

“I’d be surprised if you did, Sera. It’s only ever been done twice.”  

“I’d be happy to tell you about it in more detail,” said Quella. “It’s impressive. Operating on a person’s delicate, fragile nerves without specialized equipment... It’s honestly astounding it’s possible at all.”  

“You know, I think I’d like that. I don’t often speak to Soul Warriors, much less one summoned from another world,” Sera said with a smile. She was trying—the poor elf wanted to be amicable. She trusted me more than anyone here, so my word carried weight.   

… 

“Anyway, while knowing the ins and outs of the operation is nice, we gotta talk about something else, Master.”  

“Niva’s state of mind?”  

“Yeah. That. It’s not easy to lose your limbs once. And twice? So brutally, too? We know how she thinks of herself. Remember her speech on the boat ride over? Little Miss Niva wants to be strong and fight by your side. So… This setback might be rough. I don’t wanna say anymore, but it’s gotta be handled carefully. She’s gonna be very vulnerable after she wakes up.”  

Quella was about to say something when I heard Aello’s voice. “High Blessings, are you in here? May we come in?” I gave them permission. “Tilde?” Aello exclaimed after entering. She happily flapped one wing because the other hugged Aetos’s flower pot close to her chest. “You’re awake! Oh, what good news!”  

“Thank you, Tilde, for your sacrifice,” said Aetos. He lowered his head slightly.   

“Ah… Geez, you don’t have to keep…thanking me…”  

“Is the usually composed head maid feeling embarrassed?” Sekh crossed her arms. I knew she had a smug smile. Tilde stuck out her tongue and closed her eyes.   

“Have you talked to the villagers?”  

“We have, High Blessing Seraphina. They unanimously agree to your proposal. We are ready whenever you are.”  

“That’s handled. Sera, what do you wish to do? Are we advancing to Dirge’s capital city?”  

“Yes.” Her tone was fierce. It seemed like the air trembled from her determined nature. Her eyes sharpened like a hawk had latched onto its prey as she turned northeast. “We must confront that wretched woman.”  

“Okay. Now, Yew.” We turned to the girl. “What do you want to do?”  

“I wanna stay with you, Mila,” she said without delay. Perhaps it was too fast since she covered her mouth. Her eyes darted to Aetos and Aello. “I… I hold the will of the Eagle Yew. That’s a lot of responsibility, and I don’t want... I want to make it proud and protect the village, but I…” Yew looked at her tiny hands. “I can’t do that as I am now. Please don’t think of it as me running away.”  

“I would never dream of it, Yew. You inherited the Eagle Yew’s spirit, for there is nothing you can do that will disappoint it. Do what you wish, so do not think you're beholden to the village. In due time, once I have been planted, another Eagle Yew will be born. Thank you...for these past thousand years…for working endlessly to protect the village and forest. Your work is done, so please focus on your happiness.”  

“Even… Even if it means…”  

“You are not abandoning anything, Yew. I know your mind is misconstruing it as such, but that cannot be further from the truth,” said Sekh.    

“I’m not?”  

“You aren’t. Sekh is right. You don’t need excuses to live your life. Remember, you can visit whenever you want.” Sera raised her staff and caressed the eagle tip. “It is but a teleport away from anywhere in the world. I’ll teach it to you once you’re ready, so you can visit anytime you wish.”  

“I…” Yew didn’t finish. She rubbed her teary eyes, a gigantic relief warming her heart. Yew believed she had substantial shoes to fill, so self-doubt was only natural.   

Sera and I hugged the little elf until she gave us a bright smile… 

*****

*****

It was noon—the sun shone brightly on an emotional parting, but it was not permanent.  

“Please be safe, High Blessings!” said the children I had spent time with. They each held dioramas of their favorite places—my final gift to them as they looked toward the future. Enap stood beside Aello, who supported Aetos.   

“We will,” I told them, rubbing their heads. “Be good, okay?”  

“Will we see you again?” asked a centaur boy.  

“Of course. We’re friends, are we not? Sera can teleport me whenever I want, so I can be there in a flash.” I rubbed his hair and stood, taking my place behind Tilde’s temporary wheelchair. Earlier, the children had swarmed her with hugs.  

She's always been good with kids.    

They were concerned about Niva, but she was recuperating in the medical wagon I’d made with [Wooden Puppetry]. It was like an ambulance from my world, although it didn’t run on gasoline—a pair of wooden horses pulled it. It wasn’t on purpose, but I had unintentionally molded the horses after a pair Sera and Susize had owned as children.  

Keeth was inside. The surgery had finished an hour ago, but he was double-checking a few things with Primrose and Lei.   

“Be well, Lord Aetos.”  

“As should you…Lord Springfield. I will pray for your success. Sekh…” Aetos stopped talking. “Could you take me over there? I wish to discuss something with you.”   

“Can we delay our departure for a few minutes?” asked Sekh. Sera nodded.  Sekh gently took the flower pot from Aello and walked away. Tris opened a [Skyview] window and let me eavesdrop.  

“You came precariously close to death. Exercise caution in the future because it will be decades until I can create another Yggdrasil Drop,” said the eagle once they were far away. Sera wondered what they were talking about, but I feigned ignorance.  

“Are you worried about me?”  

“In a way, yes. Yes, I am. You cannot be permitted to die before your time.”  

“I’m well aware of that, eagle.”  

“…”  

“…”  

“I’m glad the transplant was successful,” she said after a prolonged silence. “The world needs someone like you.”  

“I should say the same, although it’s less the world and more someone in particular.” He pointed a wing my way. “You have something special that most people never find after a lifetime of searching. I still don’t know if that is what you deserve.”  

"Oh, don’t I know it? I know you’re watching, Mila. There’s not a day that goes by that I’m not thankful we’ve met.” My heart warmed at her words. “I love you.”  

I love you, too.    

“I…” Aetos struggled to find his words.   

“Spit it out, eagle. This reserved nature isn’t like you, so why the hesitation?”  

“It’s Seraphina,” he said, looking over his shoulder. “I ask that you watch over her.”  

“What?”  

“It is much to ask—I know. I cannot risk having anything happen to my princess.”  

“You’re aware she’s stronger than me, right? You said we couldn’t defeat her even if Mila, myself, Surtr, and Quella fought together. A battle with the Holy Lord of Shadow may not be certain, but Gloria cannot best Sera. Your princess, Aetos, is among this world's strongest." 

“I know that.”  

“Then what are you asking? I don’t understand. Do you want me to guide her?” Aetos didn’t respond, so Sekh was right. “Am I the best person? Mila’s the better choice. What am I even leading her towards?”  

“I don’t know the path. Who else but you have lived—”  

“Tilde. She was alive back then. She may be older than me.”  

“Besides her!” Aetos gestured with his wing. “You… You are the best choice. For better or worse, no one except myself or her mother knows Seraphina better than you. Just how many times have you clashed on the battlefield?”  

“…”  

“Please… Grant me this request. It’s selfish—I know it is. Yet Seraphina… She’s my remaining princess. I promised my lady I’d look after her. I’d failed her for over 140 years.”   

“…” Sekh sighed. “It won’t be easy. I don’t know how to start. How am I to do that when I can’t remove my armor? She’ll never truly trust a face she cannot see.”  

“I’m sorry. I don’t know.”  

“Fine. I’ll do what I can, but I will not promise the impossible, Aetos. Do not hold anything against me.”  

“That is all I ask, Sekh.”  

“…”  

The two returned to us after their conversation. Sera was intrigued, but she didn’t let her curiosity out of the bag.   

“Is everyone ready?”  

“We are, my princess,” said Aetos after he returned to Aello.   

“Okay. Take time to get settled in. I’ll be along shortly to talk to everyone. Mila, may you assist me?” Sera tapped the flute dangling from her hip. I retrieved mine and played Vredi’s Lullaby while she raised her staff. Glimmering light radiated from the tip, casting an intricate magic circle around the group. It glowed brighter and flashed like the sudden flicker of a lightbulb, and…  

They were gone.  

“Is that relief you feel, sister?”  

“It is,” answered Sera. She hugged her staff. “A portion of my heart can rest easy because the forest is my safe haven—cut off from anyone or anything that may even dream of harming it. Yet it will never replace my home. Aetos Village was the closest, but it is not the same.”  

Yew approached Sera and grabbed her hand. Susize’s sister thanked her for giving her some courage with a bright smile.    

The door to the medical wagon swung open, and Keeth jumped out. His hands looked rough, bearing deep red welts and scarred tissue from an excessive overuse of his abilities. Protective gloves prevented anything from harming the operation.  

“Keeth! You said you’d take it easy! Look!” Elly spat in annoyance. She abruptly grabbed his palm, causing him to lightly yelp.  “You said everything had gone well, so why did you keep using your ability?”  

“I had to be sure! I just had to!”  

Elly closed her eyes and breathed. “Fine! Come with me.” Elly walked to a second wagon—this one was being pulled by Surtr because he wanted something to do. It was longer, wider, and fit all of us. The convertible vehicle almost reminded me of a bus or train. Altering it was a melody away, so I could make ten more in the blink of an eye. She ordered him to sit before rubbing his hands with lotion--scolding him the entire time. 

A gentle castigation—she knew he had done it for Niva—but Elly kept asking why he needed to quadruple-check when Tris had given her approval multiple times before.   

He didn’t have a proper answer.   

“Should we depart?” asked Quella. “Sera, is there anything else to do?”  

“Not that I know of… Mila?”  

“I can’t think of anything.”  

“It’s settled then, yeah? Onwards!” Tilde slowly raised her arm in triumph.   

“I’m glad you’re in such high spirits,” said Sera as we walked to the bus-like wagon.   

“What else would I be? This is permanent. It’s like I said. A few weeks, a little help from you and Master, and I’ll be flying with the birds and serving tea and cookies.”  

“You can cook?”  

“Yeppers. I can make a mean batch of tea, too. Wanna try some next time?”  

“I’d be delighted, Tilde.”  

“Can I try some?” asked Yew.  

“Duh. What about you, Greggie? Do you have any secret recipes for tea?”  

“Hmm…” The big man was in thought as he entered the wagon and sat. Ami took the seat beside him and still bore that perpetual smile. “I used to use monk fruit sugar sometimes. Oh, there’s brown sugar with tapioca pearls called bubble tea. I’ll make some if we find the supplies. I don’t think we’ve seen cassava root.”  

“The name is unfamiliar,” said Sekh, joining in. She was making strides to be amicable, too, even if it wasn't comfortable. “The ingredient may go by another name, much like gunpowder and firesalts.”  

“Gunpowder? Specifically for firearms?”  

“Yep. It’s a black powder used for making things go boom,” said Ami. “Firesalts isn’t a real thing in our world, but gunpowder is.”   

A few seconds later, we were all ready to go. I called out to Surtr, who let loose a roar before walking. The medical wagon behind us promptly followed as we began our journey to Dirge’s capital city.   

Of course, it wouldn’t have been complete with Sekh’s hand in mind. They were made for each other. Sera caught a glimpse immediately after we left, and she smiled at us before asking Quella to explain the surgery.