Tales of Revenants

Chapter 85 – Not Giving Up

Time lies stagnant.

Air stopped breezing.

The light coming from the tinted window cannot escape the subjection of Luciella's control over the unparalleled time and space.

It was like a fleeting dream, everything halted when Luciella held the Shard of Time. Her overflowing desire to correct her mistake has allowed her to accept the full potential of the shard that governs time.

The lone princess who lost her world when she faced a Demon Lord is pure bravery, but behind the strong-willed facade she exposed is a girl who's kneeling in a dormant acceptance.

Stuck between time and dimension while crying all alone. She became a maverick who understood the meaning of life. It was the first time she learned that power alone cannot save her comrades.

While she weeps under the influence of her end, a spirit of light approached Luciella who's crouching on the floor where she grabbed the shard.

"...are you okay?"

"I'm not... I lost everything today... I promised to protect Laken, but I only watched him get killed by the Demon Lord..." Luciella's voice presents her hope to accept what just happened, as well as the sorrow of a princess who cannot accept the cruel world.

The light that surrounds Luciella manifested the form of a lady. Luciella couldn't look at her directly, nevertheless, she accepted the embrace the lady offered.

"Cry all you want... it's okay to be weak. It's okay not to accept everything... but do you know what's wrong?" The lady asked her.

"Something... wrong?" Luciella doesn't know the answer.

The young lady taps the illusionary field they are sitting, layers of magic circles and glyphs appeared.

"Everything in this world has flaw Luciella, you should understand and learn the most valuable thing in life... that is... do not forget! Never forget the reason why you never gave up!" The lady was encouraging her.

The little fire burning inside Luciella was set ablaze from what the lady said. She realizes she mustn't sulk in a corner of nothingness and deny the world as a whole. It's not she lost hope nor she has fallen to darkness, she just forgot the reason to move forward.

"Who are you...?" Luciella asked, and the moment she touched the lady's cheeks, petals of flowers escaped from her light and next thing she realizes is that as if she's looking in a mirror.

"I am you... I am your persona manifested from the Shard of Time." It felt so unusual for Luciella that she's talking to herself. Despite her confusion, she still exchanged words with herself.

"Myself huh..." Luciella breathes deeper.

"Listen Luciella, you are at the peak of insanity from the extreme flux of power coming inside you. You called for me because you wanted a wish, and I know the wish you want me to grant." Luciella's persona hinted.

"Yes. If my theory is correct on how shards work, Shard of Time should have the ability to travel me back in time before the empress or anyone met their demise." Luciella was sure of herself.

Her persona shook and nodded at the same time and said, "The shard that governs time has the power, but the question is, can your body even do it? Remember when the Shard of Void took over, you cannot even properly speak."

"So I cannot do it because I'm really weak..." Luciella felt discouraged.

After minutes of contemplation, her persona patted her head and said, "We are weak... but I can make an exception. I shall grant your wish but it shall cost a portion of your life-force, and also it will be the first and last. If you're ready to do it, just say your prayer..."

The princess who was once an innocent lady has the chance to make amends. It will cost her a percentage of her life since the flux of mana can't directly flow at her body. Meaning if she ever managed to tap the full potential of the perpetual shard; she will die.

A choice that might cut her red string of fate, Luciella never hesitated to take the risk because she learns the value of life comes from the sacrifices. It's the reason why they wanted to survive the cruel world.

Behind each sacrifice is the smile of a special someone that they successfully protected.

Luciella took her hand after she sobered from her pitiful state. She refuses to accept the fate has given her. They say that one should be wary of what they wish, in spite of everything, Luciella shouted her selfish request.

"I wish... to correct my mistake! Give me the chance to save Laken and everyone!" Luciella has the courage of someone who found the reason to live.

"Your wish is my will... your wish is granted." The magic circles and glyphs below encompassed her entire being. Her violet dress became a silver mage dress that has an intricate design and patterns relating to chronomancy.

There's a clockwork of time on her chest that's constantly ticking. The Shard of Time fully activated her into Magus Incarnation.

Seconds later after her wish is uttered, Luciella felt a burning sensation on her chest while the clockwork's gears spin in a counter-clockwise behavior. She didn't let the pain make her unconscious and endured the process because it's a small price for the better.

A surge of mana has filled Luciella's mortal form that acted as a medium to grant her wish. The pain made her numb and her mind went blank the moment the clockwork's gears halted.

The next thing she knew was that she's sitting on a sofa. She successfully reversed the worst possible outcome of everyone dying.

Luciella attempted to move her body but then, she felt the extreme shock from her chest. The burning sensation must have an aftershock in which probably the price she has to pay in order to use the Shard of Time.

Trying to figure out the enemies' whereabouts, she looked at her chest and saw the result of the recoil was like creeping black roots that started on her lower midsection bosom.

She immediately covered her body when Xenon entered the room. If memory serves her correctly, he will sit down beside her and talk about if she's alright.

Just as she expected since it already happened, Xenon sat beside her and said, "Luciella, is there something troubling your mind?"

It sounded exactly from before, Luciella was having some sort of dé jà vu.

"...repeat everything... be careful of the star," Luciella whispered under her breathe.

"Hm...? Did you say something?" Xenon asked.

"I understand everything now. The reason why the empress is assassinated and the reason behind her last words at that time... I, alone, understand her message." Luciella said directly at her head.

The star Empress Marieyle was talking about is Xenon's Stargazer and that he's an impostor.

She easily figured the mystery. The reason the empress requires Luciella to repeat such a mistake was that she predicted she'll die from her and discovered the Magus could reverse the time.

Empress Marielye said they cannot change the future, though no one said they cannot change the past. The empress wanted to make sure it will happen by sending a secret message before her dying breath.

Xenon's going to touch her forehead to see if she's sick but Luciella didn't let it happen and swipe away his hand, "Luciella...? What's wrong?"

"Who are you? Xenon can sense someone's temperature without physical contact." Luciella cracked the perpetrator.

She didn't waste any more time and held the Shard of Nature to perform Magus Incarnation. Even if she didn't know it before, she's able to visualize the process of the embodiment.

Her mage garment turned into a green dress imbued with the very essence of nature. The change of her clothes is indeed just an extension of vision she wanted to display once the incarnation fully takes over her being.

It was the time Xenon laugh hysterically, and he exposed himself to be a different person when his form changes into a cloaked man. Luciella surmises he's the Dark Entity's true body that murdered Empress Marielye.

"Intelligent lady... I'll give you props for figuring out my veil. But what can you do?" The perpetrator provoked Luciella. She's calm and unfazed.

Because she already perceives what would happen next, and the actions she will take shall change the cursed fate she refused to accept.

"What can I do? I will surely beat you up without a doubt!" Luciella exclaimed her heart out.

The man fixed his mask while laughing hysterically. He revealed daggers from both his hand ready to strike down Luciella, "You are a funny little lady! I'll bathe on your blood after slaughtering you right here and now!"

Not even a shadow to cast upon, Luciella believes he must also be the killer who assassinated the Emperor of the Balakh Empire.

He faded completely under the shade of darkness. Luciella even with her Magus Incarnation, couldn't detect where he's currently hiding.

Light is the only hope that guides her path, Luciella's sense of justice is extremely strong she's ready to commit sin just so she could protect the empress, everyone, and most of all, Laken who's fighting against the fate he always denied.