CHAPTER 156: SURVIVAL!

The silence that followed was heavy and aching, the kind of silence that didn’t just exist between breaths, but between worlds.

The faint hum of mana still whispered through the air like the echo of a fading song, and the fractured remnants of the Abyssal void drifted above like ghostly embers, dissolving into nothing.

Celeste clung tightly to her mother, trembling, her body still scorched and cracked in several places. Her flames had gone out entirely, and for someone born of Ancient Demon Fire, that emptiness was more terrifying than death itself.

"Mom... I..." Her voice broke, the words dissolving into shallow, shaky breaths, "He... we couldn’t, "

Ysvara’s hair brushed against Celeste’s forehead as she held her close. Her hands, warm and gentle despite their divine power, rested on her daughter’s back. The faint glow of her wings illuminated the darkened earth in soft, serene hues of moonlight.

"Shh," the Demon Queen whispered softly, "It’s over, my flame. You did all that was asked of you. You stood where others would have fallen."

Celeste buried her face against her mother’s shoulder, unable to stop the trembling.

Her flames had always burned with pride and defiance, she was the Demon Princess, a prodigy of destruction, but now, they felt cold. Hollow.

The fear that had burrowed into her heart in that void hadn’t yet faded. She had seen first hand the difference in power between herself, and not only some members of her own generation, but the truly powerful in the world, and it shook her.

Ysvara felt it too, the residual taint of the Abyss still clinging faintly to her daughter’s soul. Her expression softened as she pressed a kiss to Celeste’s forehead, whispering an ancient Demon incantation, a song of cleansing and remembrance.

A faint shimmer passed over Celeste’s body, and with it, the traces of darkness melted away. Her breathing slowed. Her grip loosened.

"See why I tell you to always focus on your training," Ysvara murmured.

Celeste closed her eyes, "...I thought we’d all die there."

Ysvara smiled faintly, brushing a stray lock of silver from her daughter’s face. "And yet, you didn’t. That is the difference between courage and despair, my sweet flame. You chose to stand."

A few paces away, Kael stood at the center of what was once a battlefield, the air still vibrating from the sheer power he had unleashed.

His eyes swept across the surviving group, Albedo, Lucian, Lilian, Morgana, Miranda, Fade, and the other students who were beginning to stir.

Every one of them was battered, bruised, and half-conscious, but alive.

"You’ve done well," Kael said at last, his deep voice resonating like thunder through the chamber. He wasn’t smiling, Kael rarely did when it wasn’t related to his family, but the faint pride in his tone was unmistakable. "Most mortals crumble before the will of the Abyss in mere seconds. You lasted long enough for my Queen and I to intervene. That is no small feat."

Lilian, still kneeling, gave a bitter chuckle. "Lasted, sure... but not without losses." Her eyes darkened, the memory of Valerian’s death replaying behind them. Even though she didn’t like him, such a gruesome death shook her.

Kael’s gaze softened, if only slightly. "Death in the Abyss is... not always the end. His essence may yet be retrieved if the Abyssal Crown did not consume it entirely."

Lilian’s head snapped up at that, bloodied hair falling across her face. "You mean he might still?"

Kael raised a hand, cutting her off gently. "Do not cling to that hope. The Abyss consumes, but it also remembers. There are ways, but they require patience, and power none of you yet possess."

The Demon King glanced upward as a distant tremor rolled through the atmosphere. A moment later, streaks of light tore through the haze, teleportation channels ripping open like thunder cracks.

Through them stepped figures, bloodied, worn, but unmistakably familiar.

Professor Arannis emerged first, his elegant Elven robes in tatters, his once-immaculate silver hair matted with blood and soot. One arm hung limp at his side, the other clutching a shattered staff that still pulsed faintly with residual mana.

Behind him, Saphira walked out, an annoyed expression on her face as her eyes burned with barely held back fury. Raphaeline exited behind her with a similar expression, both of them probably thinking of their old friend who once again slipped through their fingers.

Kayle was there as well, her once-radiant armor dulled, the golden light that usually surrounded her barely flickering. Her lips were pale, but her gaze was steady as ever.

Behind them came a handful of professors, some leaning on others, their mana cores visibly unstable from overuse. The battle had clearly taken its toll.

"By the gods..." Arannis exhaled, his voice trembling as his gaze swept across the battered students. Relief flooded his tired features. "You’re alive."

Kael inclined his head respectfully toward the Elf. "Barely. Seems like you also had quite the battle, Professor Arannis, but we appreciate the effort."

Arannis gave a weary chuckle, his usual poise replaced by raw fatigue. "That’s putting it lightly, the Abyss is getting far too cocky recently, we’ll need to rethink our strategies,"

Ysvara turned her gaze to him, her tone both kind and firm. "You did well Arannis, Were it not for your interference, none of these children would have survived long enough for us to intervene."

The Elf bowed weakly. "Your Majesty honors me, though I must admit... this was beyond any of us. The Abyss should not have been able to manifest so freely within this realm."

Raphaeline approached quietly, kneeling beside Albedo. Her expression was softer than usual, her sharp violet eyes shadowed with worry. "You look like hell."

Albedo gave a faint smirk despite himself, "You should see the other guy."

Raphaeline’s lips twitched, not quite a smile, but close. "You’re lucky your body’s still holding together. Whatever you’ve done to reinforce your physique has definitely worked like a charm,"

Celeste finally pulled away from her mother, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. "Father," she said softly, looking at Kael. "What... was that thing? The Crown?"

Kael’s expression hardened, "A fragment. A will that has detached from the Abyss’s main consciousness. It’s... seeking anchors. Hosts. If it had fully manifested, even Ysvara and I would have had difficulty purging it."

Arannis frowned, his brows knitting. "Then why here? Why now?"

Ysvara folded her wings, her expression unreadable. "Because the Abyss is restless. The seals are weakening faster than expected. Someone... or something... is feeding it from within, and the Abyss also is constantly searching for talented youngsters. A group of students like this is a perfect target for their actions.

Silence fell again.

The implications were heavy. If the Abyss was learning, changing... it meant everything they thought they knew about it was no longer true.

Kael broke the silence, his tone firm. "We will handle the investigation. For now, these students need rest."

Ysvara nodded. "The Garden will serve as a temporary refuge. Its magic has stabilized. My attendants will arrive shortly to tend to their wounds."

Arannis sighed, his shoulders sagging with relief. "Thank the stars... I’ll coordinate with the surviving staff. We’ll—"

He stumbled.

Before anyone could move, Saphira caught him, her arm slipping around his back as the Elf nearly collapsed. His mana had burned out completely, he’d been holding himself upright purely on willpower.

"Arannis!" she hissed, "You stubborn old fool, you’ve pushed too far again!"

Arannis chuckled weakly, even as blood trickled from the corner of his lips. "Wouldn’t be the first time, my dear. Besides... I had to make sure my students were safe."

Ysvara raised a hand, a silver light washing over him, "Rest now. You’ve done your part."

The Elf tried to bow, failed, and finally allowed himself to be guided down by Saphira.

Lucian, still sitting in the dirt, exhaled shakily. "I never thought I’d see the day where the Demon King and Queen saved our lives."

Celeste shot him a faint glare through her exhaustion. "You should be honored."

He smirked faintly. "I am. Just... trying to make sense of all this."

Kael folded his arms. "You will, in time. But understand this, what you faced today was not the end. It was a warning."

Albedo met his gaze evenly. "Then we’ll be ready when it comes again."

The Demon King’s eyes glowed faintly, approving, "See that you are."

As Kael turned away, a faint rumble echoed from the horizon, the lingering shiver of a world still recovering from an otherworldly wound.

Ysvara brushed Celeste’s hair once more, her voice quiet. "Come. Rest while you can. The next storm will not wait long."

And as the students sat amidst the fading glow of the restored Garden, their hearts heavy yet unbroken, Albedo looked once more toward the horizon, where the last trace of the Abyss’s light faded into nothing.

But deep within that nothingness... something watched back.

The Crown’s voice, faint as a dying whisper, echoed in his mind, "You defy well, little soul. Let us see how long you can keep your flame."

Albedo’s eyes narrowed.

"Forever."