chsdbacks Chapter 504 - 501 – Return to the City
Chapter 504 - 501 – Return to the City
After the extremely intense and exhausting battle, the sudden silence that enveloped the dimensional rift felt almost unreal. The air, which had previously been filled with the roar of sharp winds like thousands of knives, the constant rumbling of thunder, and the soul-shaking roars of the primordial creature, was now only filled with the heavy, tired breathing of the six women. The thick black-golden energy mist gradually thinned, like silk torn by time. The last energy shards from Umū Dabrūtu’s body floated slowly in the air, sparkling like dying stars before finally disappearing completely into small particles that faded into the endless dimensional darkness. No corpse remained, no giant carcass to be utilized. Only a faint breeze still blew gently, carrying a sharp ozone scent mixed with the smell of wet earth and the slowly fading primordial mana vibrations. It was as if the storm guardian’s spirit had returned to its original realm after its crushing defeat.Sylvia stood firmly in the now calmer area, even though her body was still in the terrifying yet captivating undead queen form. Her pale skin glowed faintly with thick black veins spreading like living rivers of darkness, her dark red eyes gradually dimming to a softer wine-red color, and her previously dimension-tearing sharp claws slowly retracted back into elegant, slender fingers. The abyss chains that had spun violently like a living storm, striking everything with destructive power, now slowly returned to the shadows of the ground, leaving faint traces of darkness vibrations in the air like lingering wounds that still pulsed. She took a long breath, her rising and falling chest showing how rarely she felt this kind of exhaustion. The death energy within her was still surging, but her body demanded rest.
"What a shame..." Sylvia murmured in a hoarse voice that still carried the cold tone of the Queen of Death. "Its body disappeared into particles. I couldn’t turn it into a loyal zombie. A creature that strong would have made an extraordinary soldier."
Alicia approached with tired steps, her magic staff still emitting a soft holy light as she healed minor wounds on her companions’ bodies. The light was like a small lantern in the remaining darkness, warm and soothing. Her silver hair, soaked through, clung to her cheeks, and her usually calm eyes now showed deep exhaustion. "At least we survived, Sylvia. That creature... Umū Dabrūtu... was too strong. Its power was like an unstoppable storm. If not for your blazing anger earlier, we might have been the ones defeated and buried in this dimension forever."
Stacia nodded while checking her grimoire, which was wet and slightly torn at the edges. The ancient pages were still intact thanks to protective spells, though the mana ink on some parts had slightly faded. "Its energy was truly too high. Even my strongest seal could only hold for a short time. But... look at this," Stacia said, pointing to the ground where the creature had disappeared.
In the middle of the still-smoking mud from the residual energy, a small item lay there. A long, sturdy tailbone that still faintly emitted golden storm energy. The bone was golden-white with intricate natural rune patterns, as if primordial wind carvings were etched into it. It was nearly a meter long, elegantly curved with a spear-like pointed tip, and its surface felt smooth yet covered in small scratches that held tremendous power. Whenever touched, the bone vibrated gently, as if it were still alive and remembered its master’s roar.
Sylvia bent down with graceful movements despite her exhaustion. She carefully picked up the tailbone, feeling a strange warmth in her palm. The vibration traveled up her arm, like the pulse of an ancient creature. "A tailbone... this is excellent. I’ll keep it. Who knows, it might be resurrected later or used for a weapon, or even a new artifact. This wind power shouldn’t go to waste."
She quickly stored the bone in her system inventory, faint black light enveloping the item before it disappeared. The rest of the team nodded in agreement, though their eyes were still filled with deep admiration and exhaustion. Elara approached, her voice soft and full of respect. "You... are truly the Queen of Death, Sylvia. Your power earlier... I’ve never seen anything like it. Those abyss chains, the death aura that swallowed everything... it was as if the world itself feared you."
Sylvia only smiled faintly and did not answer directly. There was a flash of satisfaction in her eyes, but also a small doubt about the limits of her own power. "Let’s get out first. This rift is starting to become unstable. I can feel the dimensional walls cracking more severely."
They all exited the dimensional rift carefully, supporting one another. As soon as they crossed the faint boundary, the rift immediately shrank and disappeared like before, shrinking into a small purplish light point that pulsed briefly before vanishing completely into reality. It left only scorched black ground, fallen trees, and scattered broken branches like the aftermath of a battle between gods. The weather outside was quite hot. The afternoon sun shone brightly after the storm had completely subsided, its light illuminating the forest with soft golden hues. The air felt dry and warm, a sharp contrast to the heavy rain and cold winds inside the rift earlier. The scent of wet earth mixed with fresh leaves was strong.
They decided there was no need to change their wet clothes right away. Their garments were still soaked, the fabric clinging tightly to their skin, accentuating their body curves and leaving an uncomfortable sticky feeling. "Maybe it will dry on its own during the journey back to the Elf Kingdom," Elara said while brushing her long wet hair, water droplets still falling from the tips. The others nodded in agreement. Though uncomfortable, the hot sun would help dry them along the way, and they were too tired to stop for long.
The journey back to the Elf Kingdom was calm but filled with reflection. The forest began to feel more peaceful after the rift disappeared. Birds sang joyfully on the branches, their voices like a song of victory. The evening breeze carried the scent of fresh leaves, wildflowers, and the fertile earth typical of the Elf Kingdom. They occasionally stopped to catch their breath and share small stories about the battle. Alicia recounted how her holy light had nearly been overwhelmed by the golden storm, while Stacia analyzed the runes she had seen on Umū Dabrūtu’s body. Sylvia listened while walking at the front, her mind drifting to the newly acquired tailbone. Perhaps it could be used as material for a new weapon or even to summon a more controllable storm spirit, she thought.
Their clothes did gradually dry under the warm sunlight. The fabric that had been heavy now felt lighter, though still slightly damp by the time they arrived at the gates of Aeloria at dusk. The great gate made of living wood and mana crystal opened wide, and the elf guards welcomed them with respect and admiration. News of the rift’s closure had spread quickly. "Thank you for your service, heroes," said one guard captain while bowing. "The kingdom will forever be in your debt."
At the palace, the atmosphere was calmer. Mana lamps glowed softly, and the aroma of warm food wafted from the palace kitchen, but they were too tired to eat much. Sylvia and Alicia returned directly to their respective rooms. Their bodies were exhausted after the long battle and tiring journey. Their eyes were almost closing from accumulated drowsiness. They only took quick baths with warm water infused with elf flower scents, cleaning the mud and dried blood from their bodies. After that, they immediately collapsed onto the soft beds with silk sheets. Sol and Qilin also curled up comfortably nearby, faithfully guarding them while purring softly. Within minutes, both fell into deep sleep, faint dreams of battle and victory drifting through their minds.
Stacia, on the other hand, felt very energized. Her eyes sparkled brightly despite her physical exhaustion. "I can’t sleep now. There’s too much knowledge there waiting for me!" she murmured to herself. She left her room with light steps, grimoire at her waist and her still slightly damp cloak put back on. She headed to the magnificent Great Library of Aeloria. The large building was still open to all elves and honored guests, and with her illusion camouflage still holding, Stacia entered without issue.
The interior of the library welcomed her with the characteristic scent of old paper, fragrant mana ink, and living wood that soothed the soul. Living wooden shelves towered high to the curved, star-dome-like ceiling, filled with thousands or even tens of thousands of neatly arranged ancient books. Soft mana light illuminated open pages, making the gold and crystal ink on the book covers sparkle as if alive and breathing. Stacia felt like she was in a paradise of knowledge. Her heart beat fast with excitement.
She began walking around in awe, her fingers gently touching the spines of book after book, as if greeting old friends. She read voraciously from detailed books on the history of Yggdrasil, ancient nature magic in harmony with the world, rituals of harmony with the Tree of Life that could strengthen bonds with the world, to rare records on dimensional monsters and methods to permanently seal rifts with blood and mana seals. Time passed unnoticed. She sat at one of the beautifully carved wooden reading tables, surrounded by book stacks as high as her shoulders. Small light orbs floated above her head, illuminating the pages with soft, non-blinding light. Occasionally she smiled to herself upon finding new spells she could develop or theories that matched her grimoire. "This... is incredible," she whispered. "With this, I can strengthen my magic."
The night grew late, but Stacia continued reading, taking notes in her grimoire with mana ink she created herself. Meanwhile, in the palace rooms, Sylvia and Alicia slept soundly, their exhausted bodies finally receiving the rest they deserved after a day full of danger.