Terra adjusted her glasses and stepped forward. “Like Alzuring, my abilities have only received a boost,” she said. “But I’ll be more than honored to show you how far they’ve -come.”
She raised her hands, her blue eyes glowing brightly. The shattered fragments of the boulder quivered and began to shift.
In seconds, the stone pieces crumbled into fine grains of sand. With a fluid motion, she gathered the sand into a swirling column, her hands guiding its movement like a conductor leading an orchestra.
The column expanded, growing larger and larger until it began to take shape-a massive sand golem towering above them.
Its form was crude yet imposing, each movement accompanied by the sound of grinding stone. Terra stepped back and gestured toward her creation. “As you can see, my control over sand has increased significantly,” she said.
Alister nodded, walking toward her and patting her shoulder, his gaze fixed on the massive construct. “I see,” he said, clearly impressed. “Your progress is commendable. I am pleased.”
Terra bowed slightly. “Thank you, my lord.”
Alister turned to all his generals, his expression softening slightly. “I simply wanted to check in on you, to ensure you were all right after what we previously went through,” he said.
“Besides that, I have news to share… Apparently, Guildmaster Yuuto revealed something today he is a dragon.”
Terra adjusted her glasses thoughtfully. “I always suspected as much,” she said. “His presence was… unusual, even if he was a very powerful human.”
Mar’Garet chuckled, folding her arms. “I always felt his aura was far too strong for a mere human,” she said with a sly smirk.
Alister nodded. “Indeed,” he said. “It seems we will have much to discuss with him in the days to come.”
Alister clasped his hands behind his back, his golden eyes narrowing thoughtfully as he turned back to the matter at hand. “Now, back to the issue with the wyverns laying eggs.” Terra adjusted her glasses again, her expression growing serious. “Some of the eggs have already hatched, my lord,” she began. “And what we’ve observed is… remarkable. The newborns are showing signs of intelligence far beyond that of their parents.”
Alister raised a brow, intrigued. “Is this another effect of Restria?” he asked, his tone more inquisitive than accusatory.
Terra nodded confidently. “I believe so,” she said. “The fragment of Restria you obtained and bound to the Mindspace seems to be enhancing more than just us. It’s fundamentally altering the wyverns as well, reshaping their evolution. These hatchlings are faster learners, their movements more calculated, and their interactions… almost social. They’re displaying a level of cooperation and communication I’ve never seen in their kind.”
Alister’s gaze lingered on the horizon for a moment before turning back to Terra. “How many have hatched so far?” he asked.
Terra consulted a small crystal tablet she carried, a faint blue glow illuminating her face as she read. “Out of the initial clutch, five have hatched successfully. The rest are still incubating, but their auras are stable and strong. It’s only a matter of time before the others join them.”
Alister then said, “Good. On the matter of the eggs, I have just been reminded of something.” Terra adjusted her glasses, tilting her head slightly as she asked, “What is it, my lord?” Alister opened his inventory with a flick of his hand. A faint shimmer of light appeared, and he carefully retrieved a white, crystal-like egg. Holding it up for all to see, he said, “This.” His gaze lingered on the egg as he continued, “I was initially discouraged when I saw the immense amount of mana required to hatch it, so I simply kept it away. But with all that awaits us in the future, I believe we will need all the strength we can muster.”
Terra leaned forward slightly, her glasses glinting as her enthusiasm grew. She nearly started drooling; it was obvious she was more interested in studying the creature than anything else. “Do you want to place it in my care?” she asked, clasping her hands in front of her.
Alister shook his head. “No.” He turned, his eyes settling on Mar’Garet, and motioned for her to step forward.
Mar’Garet blinked, a mild look of shock spreading across her face. A mischievous smile soon formed as she strode toward him, her crimson eyes gleaming with curiosity.
She extended her hand as Alister slowly placed the egg into her grasp.
“I am entrusting you with the egg,” he said.
“I want you to try feeding it Ether instead of mana,” he continued.
“I believe Ether would be a far better energy source to nourish it, considering it is a celestial- like creature.”
Mar’Garet’s crimson eyes sparkled with amusement as she gently caressed the crystal-like egg. A playful smile curled her lips as she tilted her head toward Alister.
“To saddle the responsibilities of motherhood upon me so soon…”
“It seems you truly want us to start a family together, my lord.”
Alister froze, his golden eyes narrowing slightly as he shifted uncomfortably. He cleared his throat but found himself at a loss for words.
Nearby, Alzuring’s sharp gaze locked onto Mar’Garet, his jaw tightening as he struggled to maintain his composure.
His hand twitched, hovering near his bow, as if resisting the urge to summon another arrow. A faint growl escaped him, barely audible but filled with frustration.
Mar’Garet, however, seemed entirely unfazed by their reactions. Hugging the egg close to her chest, she pressed it gently against her bust, her expression softening into something with a look of almost… maternal affection.
“You need not worry, my love.”
“Although not born of my womb, I’ll be sure to raise this child as if it were our own.”
Alister pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long exhale. “Mar’Garet…”
“I entrusted you with the egg because of your strength and abilities, not for… whatever this
is.”
Mar’Garet tilted her head, her smile widening as she cradled the egg even closer.
“Of course, my lord.”
“I understand completely.”
Alzuring, still barely holding himself back, muttered under his breath, “One day, she’ll drive
us all mad.”
Alister let out a tired sigh, running a hand through his hair as he turned away. “I’ll be
returning now.”
All his generals straightened, their expressions becoming serious as they replied altogether,
“Understood, my lord.”