Chapter 27 ~ Swan’s Lament
Yimi shielded her face from the wind pressure that was so strong it made her eyes water. Although she was at the eye of the storm, she remained unscathed. When she peeked through her lashes, all she saw was the Golden-haired Girl standing calm as can be, her dress and hair fluttering in the storm like some sort of warrior goddess carved from the mountains.
“Yimi, you’ve done wonderfully.” The moment these words whispered past Yimi’s ear, she found herself lifted off the ground, floating mid-air.
Yimi’s eyes widened to the size of saucers, even her usually expressionless face twitched in surprise.
Before she realized what was happening, Tillysha had scooped her up in a warm embrace. Yimi was drowned in waves of softness, her senses overwhelmed by the pleasant mingling scents of mint and vanilla, all so close she could smell the delicate perfume radiating off Tillysha’s body. This sudden, unexpected gesture froze Yimi’s Little Head solid.
“Thank goodness you’re safe,” Tillysha’s soft tone sent shivers down Yimi’s ears. “We cannot afford to lose another member of our clan.”
“Tillysha…”
Before Yimi could utter another word, twin sprouts emerged from Tillysha’s hands, forming into gentle vines that cradled her and gently placed her back behind the battlefield, far from the chaos.
“Leave the rest to me,” Tillysha murmured softly, turning her back.
In one smooth movement, she deflected a spear hurled by the Collective of Grievance. The Flower Speech Longsu transformed into a willow bow encased in leaves of flowing green. She loaded it with two Sky Sapphires, pulled the string back, and aimed at the Collective.
“Warrior God’s Flower Blossoms”
The projectile burst into a flurry of floral petals and willow branches, burying their roots into the monster’s skin, sprouting new life.
This was an enhanced version of the Flower Rain Blossom technique, requiring assistance from two Sky Sapphire sprouts for activation.
The Monster was completely overrun by parasitic plants, roots entangling around its body, sustaining themselves on its very life force to bloom flowers from its head.
The horrid visage of the Collective thrashed and screamed in a horrifying crescendo, a bl**d-curdling sound akin to ten thousand needles scratching glass.
The onlooking Soldiers from the Empire clutched their ears in agony, while Tillysha exhaled in relief. The hardest part now lay ahead; she couldn’t afford to lose focus.
She retrieved the pouch provided by Yimi, closed her eyes, and let the damaged petals drift out in slow motion, swirling around her.
With a gentle touch of her delicate fingers, two sprouts fell into the soil beneath her feet, taking root. Waves of nurturing power calmed everyone’s racing hearts, a serene breeze enveloping them all.
“Celestial Sky Sapphire Enhancement: Flora’s Blessing”
Two colossal flowers bloomed to Tillysha’s height, their stamens unfurling. Streams of vitality erupted, rejuvenating the broken petals and stems in a fountain of life.
Tillysha closed her eyes, casting two more Sky Sapphires as her power reserves dwindled to nothing.
Four giant blooms released torrents of rejuvenating energy onto the withered petals. They began to regain their former brilliance, their cells regenerating under the immense vitality.
“Crack! Crack!” The sounds of snapping stems startled everyone. Tillysha noticeably underestimated the resilience of the Collective. Her power and stamina were nearly depleted, but the Collective still had more to fight with, forcing its battered body closer to the motionless Tillysha, its fists raised high above.
At the critical moment, the Monster’s fist froze mid-air, trembling, unable to strike. Tillysha knew without looking that Yimi had temporarily restrained the beast using her Sorcery abilities.
It was impressive that Yimi could control such a vast collection of grievances with her mental power for even just an instant. What seemed a mere pause to the observers was, in fact, a momentary freeze imposed on countless grievances.
But this wouldn’t last long. Yimi couldn’t withstand the weight of these grievous souls alone forever. The Collective regained its senses soon, and with its pain increasing, its regenerating grievances became even more potent. What was once a vaguely centaur-like beast had now degenerated into a monstrous spider-like form, larger than ever—like a cathedral.
The army of the Empire witnessed the spectacle with wide eyes, none of them prepared for such a scene.
“Gunners, fire upon the monster!” Gran shouted.
Amid such chaos, verbal orders didn’t travel far. Here’s where the power of the Divine Analysis Technique came into play: by amplifying the voice using a mental wave, every soldier would hear it with guidance, revitalizing their flagging spirit.
Infantrymen made way for the gunners who fired a single volley of bullets that lit up the Monster’s back.
“Magicians, commence group attacks!” Gran commanded again.
Instantly, various chants filled the air. Veterans of war, these Mages readjusted themselves quickly and unleashed a barrage of ice spears, fireballs, and lightning chains against the monster’s defenseless back.
While magical attacks were far more effective, the Musketeers had managed to reload and fire again.
The g*n barrels heated up and smoked, and though they hadn’t inflicted much damage, they succeeded in drawing the Monster’s attention.
The Monster hated nothing more than those who caused it pain; this was its core grievance. Lacking higher functions, its massive form had no strategy, attacking whoever caused it pain.
Its faceless, pancake-like features distorted grotesquely as it turned its attention to the soldiers, purple acidic flames bubbling out from within.
“Shield bearers forward, form defensive lines!” Gran instructed succinctly, initiating his Divine Analysis Technique.
However, the moment he activated the Divine Analysis Technique, it stung his eyes. This creature seemed beyond comprehension, even looking at it was like being pricked by needles.
Covering his streaming eyes, Gran, as a commander, knew he had to keep his composure or face a loss of morale.
Morale was often the critical factor in winning a battle.
After the initial assault, the Mages had little time to recover. They immediately cast another round of spells, weaving shields to defend the front line. Meanwhile, the army reorganized, the Musketeers retired to the rear while the Shield-bearers took their place, offering double protection.
The regiment’s training and discipline were evident. Such an army could rival an elite cavalry sent from the capital, Gran thought.
Seeing Gran standing firm on the front line of the battlefield, Yimi understood his resolve.
It was rare to find a general without Divine Authority yet leading from the front, weaker than the soldiers yet braver. This set the ultimate example for his men.
According to Gran’s calculations, the Monster’s attack this round should have been manageable. But what he hadn’t anticipated was that the protective magickal shields crafted by elite Mages dissolved as if they were made of paper, unable to stop the poison flames and allowing them to penetrate and corrode toward the soldiers at the rear.
The Shield-bearers barely had time to react before they found their shields melted into puddles, followed soon by their bodies.
The soldiers were corroded in seconds, their screams never making it out before they turned completely into mounds of pus and bl**d.
What was once a living soul was now turned into a puddle. The scene was both terrifying and chilling.
At the eleventh hour, a soldier shoved Gran aside as the poison flames swept through the ranks, turning more soldiers into smoke.
Gran stared at the scene, shocked by the monster’s ferocity. These men were his comrades, and now they were unrecognizable.
Clutching his fists, anger and fear mixed, leaving him at a loss. He looked toward Tillysha, who stood guiding the life force.
He wasn’t sure if they’d made the right bet, but there was no turning back now.
Tillysha, hurry up or we’re done for!
This beleaguered army couldn’t withstand the Monster’s next assault.
As the Monster turned its gaze toward Gran, Tillysha opened her eyes, and a vivid jade light shimmered, revealing a perfectly intact black flower in her hand.
The Corpse Flowers, a form of natural creation, could be repaired using life energy. However, without the fuel of grievances, they would soon decay again.
Collecting the grievances was never an easy feat.
Sealing grievances, resistance only made it harder. These came from tormented souls, who, after enduring immense suffering and persecution, would retaliate even more fiercely when hurt further.
They mustn’t endure any more pain.
In a shocking move to Yimi, Tillysha turned her Flower Speech Longsu into a flower accessory, pinned it on her hair, reabsorbed the four Sky Sapphires, and started walking toward the Monster calmly.
The Monster was still restless, raging internally because of the pain it suffered earlier. It seemed intent on reducing everything to ashes.
Tillysha cast the four Sky Sapphires into the ground around the Monster, forming walls with them to enclose it within.
Realizing the power being directed at it, the Monster’s fiery red eyes turned toward Tillysha behind it, its hatred nearly tanglible.
Seeing the danger, Yimi shouted out to Tillysha, but she paid no heed.
Ignoring the warnings, Tillysha swayed her hand gently, spreading a breeze of spring that calmed the enclosed space, turning it into a harmonious garden filled with flowers.
The Monster, though pacified somewhat, its fiery hatred still burned but began to shrink in size, eventually becoming human-sized, but it still glared at Tillysha like a wary stray cat.
“I won’t hurt you,” Tillysha gestured with her empty hands. “My actions earlier were simply trying to calm you.”
“Cease your attacks, your targets have been wrong.” Tillysha’s voice rang out melodiously, like a forest’s hymn.
“The greedy elites deserve punishment, but look at those you’ve harmed, the common people and soldiers of humble origin, are they really those to avenge upon?”
“Look into their eyes and see how alike they are to your former selves. m*rder won’t satisfy your grievances; it will only spawn more.”
They might not comprehend Tillysha’s words, but the Empathy of the Elf conveyed her intended message to these restless spirits.
The Collective showed clear indifference to Tillysha’s attempts at placation. They scoffed at these efforts, their hatred undiminished by an Elf’s empathy or words.
In response,
Tillysha continued her steady progress toward the Monster.
The Monster’s holed throat rattled with a final warning growl. Despite its diminished hostility, it was, after all, a creature fueled by grievance.
But just as it prepared to eliminate Tillysha, who it assumed would commit some unspeakable act, Tillysha acted preemptively in a completely unexpected manner.
The radiant Golden-haired Elf opened her arms wide, her embrace as soft as willow branches, and held onto the grotesque, corrupted beast as if it were an ordinary living being, whispering a soft and melodic song.
Even from a distance, Yimi could hear the tune Tillysha sang.
It was an Elf Clan’s nursery rhyme, “The Swan’s Lament”.
