Chapter 39

Rydel kept practicing his new abilities for the next week in the forest. He and Naveena had tried against other dangerous opponents, always being careful to have a way out. There were some closer calls than others, but in the end, they managed to win every time.

He came home to find his parents in silence inside the dining room.

“What’s going on?” He asked in confusion.

“I’m finally ready to challenge the Second Trial.” Thalia said with determination. She took out a painting from her spatial ring.

It was about the last war. Rydel was depicted in the center, he had donned an armor as black as the night, his wings unfolded in splendor. His black eyes gazing at the eyes of the abominable Serpent covered in golden fire.

Under him, an enormous green wolf growled with rage. Its menacing claws were ready to rip apart its enemies with madness.

“Wow! How were you able to paint this scene so accurately from so far away?” Rydel couldn’t contain his curiosity.

“I got glimpses of the battle when we were fleeing, so I was able to see the Serpent. The rest are a recreation based on you telling me how it was.” Thalia was quite proud of his work, she quietly added. “The intense emotions that I felt while waiting for you were the catalysts that allowed me to break through my Daodrop to the peak.”

Rydel came next to her and hugged her.

“Thank you, remember that I’ll always come back.” Rydel promised.

Edyrm was gently watching this scene, he didn’t want to interrupt their moment.

“Are you ready for a breakthrough then?” Rydel said.

“Yes, I need to take advantage of the momentum. I’ll be right back in an hour.” Thalia winked at them.

She didn’t waste more time, she sat down with utmost concentration. After a few seconds, a blue haze covered her head.

Rydel and Edyrm expanded their divine senses to the entire house. They didn’t want anyone to disturb Thalia at this important moment.

Rydel and Naveena sat next to each other, each minute was more excruciating than the last.

Edyrm had a look of worry, he had faced the Second Trial before and he knew how difficult it was to surpass it. There were only two Ascended in their entire clan, keeping in mind how mortal elves lived for 500 years and Ascended for 10 thousand years, it was easy to imagine the ratio of success. Moreover, not everyone was lucky enough to come back alive.

Thalia’s expression was placid and serene. They didn’t know how she was faring, when people entered The Trial their mind was disconnected from their body. Even the ripples of her soul were stable, everything seemed that it was fine.

The clock continued ticking.

Rydel and Edyrm’s stomachs twisted in worry as the time approached the hour mark, Naveena’s tails rapidly swishing in the air.

The blue haze dispersed around Thalia’s head. She didn’t move. She fell flat to the ground.

Edyrm gazed at them.

‘Don’t move.’ He warned them before monitoring Thalia’s condition.

Seconds passed in tense silence, until she suddenly took a big breath, everyone relaxed at that moment.

She didn’t open her eyes as her body abruptly changed; Her skin turned soft as silk, unblemished by any marks or scars; her hair turned even more lustrous, the blue color was kept as the predominant one, she gained light streaks of the rest of colors of the rainbow.

Her height grew in a proportionate manner until she was even taller than Rydel, she had always had long legs but this change accentuated this trait even more.

Finally, she opened her eyes. She looked around the room, gazing at everyone. At first, she didn’t recognize where she was until something clicked in her mind.

“I’m back!” She shouted in joy.

She went to Edyrm, hugged him, and lifted him until they were at eye level.

“I have missed you.” Thalia purred the words.

“Who are you? My wife isn’t someone as beautiful as you.”

“Is that so? Maybe you should leave her, handsome.” Thalia eyed him from top to bottom.

“Stop flirting! I’m still here!” Rydel couldn’t stand it anymore, he had the feeling that if he didn’t stop them right now, things would have escalated.

Thalia came back to her senses and threw Edyrm off to the side.

“My little firefly.” She emotionally said, lifting and hugging him too.

“Mom please stop, it’s embarrassing.”

“Nonsense, you were lucky to be taller than me for a while. It wasn’t fair.”

Height was a very important matter between elfkind. The more you evolved, the taller you became. The race also indicated the base potential of an elf, and without exceptions, the average height of each race was based on this.

That’s why Lady Allyna was a head taller than Galather, even though both were Ascended. High elves were the tallest race in the Afrein Peninsula.

Also, even the ugliest of elves were beautiful by human standards. This didn’t mean that elves only appreciated the most beautiful among them, quite the other way. Just that height was added in this classification.

It didn’t matter if they were males or females, both appreciated a partner that was higher than them. It was seen as a matter of pride as they were scoring someone out of their league.

“How are you feeling?” Edyrm said from a corner of the room.

“Incredible, and dead tired. I got stuck in a part of The Trial, I had spent a total of 10 years inside.” She calmly replied.

“That long?” Rydel was shocked.

“Yes… My will wavered lots of times. Sometimes I thought that it wasn’t worth it, that it was best to just give up.” She reminisced before continuing. “But in my heart, I didn’t want to. There are too many precious things that I want to protect.”

Edyrm had his eyes on fire.

“You know that you aren’t ready yet. It isn’t a problem, I’ll devote myself to helping you take the next step too.” Thalia said with love.

“You have to evolve your Daodrop, it’s going to take a long time. If not you’ll be the weakest Ascended.”

“It doesn’t matter. I want both of us to take this step, it wouldn’t make sense otherwise.”

Edyrm looked up at her eyes and nodded.

***

Thalia and Edyrm spent the next week with each other, mostly in private. Rydel didn’t want to interrupt their couple moments, so he left them alone.

The next week was uneventful, he went to the forest a couple more times, but he didn’t want to risk having any injuries.

Eventually, the day of the date arrived.

Rydel was wearing a clean and fancy robe. He went to Shael’s temporary residence and lightly knocked on the door.

He heard fast-approaching steps until a gorgeous Shael opened the door. She was wearing an elegant green dress that accentuated her toned body.

She wasn’t wearing any make-up, but Rydel wholeheartedly believed that it wouldn’t do her justice. He was drawn to her casual smile and her big upturned eyes.

“You are beautiful today.”

“Am I not beautiful the rest of the days?” She lightly asked while sidestepping him.

“Of course, it’s just that you are more beautiful every time I see you.”

“… That’s a bit corny.” Shael playfully smiled.

“What can I say, it’s normal to be inspired next to your muse.”

“Are you going to be like this during the whole date?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t stop being so handsome if that’s what you are asking for.” He shamelessly said.

Shael rolled her eyes and didn’t bother to respond to his antics anymore.

“Did you already choose the place?”

“As a matter of fact, I did. It’s a bit far away, but it’s the perfect place to have a picnic.”

It was on the outskirts of the village, at the east. It was a place without many houses next to them and they didn’t need to worry about any beasts, as it wasn’t in the wild zone of the forest either.

They didn’t hurry to go there, they made small talk to get to know each other better along the way. Rydel toned down his flirting a lot, it was enough to say a few pick-up lines, but he didn’t want to be intense either.

Besides, even though Rydel appreciated her beauty, he needed to get to know her more before trying anything dumb. He didn’t care much about the law that forbade high elves from having relationships with any other races.

However, he wouldn’t risk everything for someone he didn’t have chemistry with, or if he didn’t love her. He knew that it was his hormones thinking for him more than anything else, she was the first woman elf of his age that he had seen outside of the village after all.

He had a little crush on her, but nothing else.

They arrived in a clearing, they were surrounded by vibrant flowers and small innocent animals.

“You have good taste, it’s a lovely sight.” Shael complemented.

Rydel soon took out several dishes from his spatial ring. He presented different cuts of meat along with vegetables and plants cooked in myriad ways.

“Did you cook all of this?” Shael was surprised, everything looked delicious.

“Of course.” Rydel said with pride. “Cooking is a hobby of mine, it’s quite fun to test different flavors, and to always look for the perfect recipe. Besides, I also recollected all the ingredients. I assure you that everything is fresh and perfect.”

“That’s impressive. I haven’t tried to cook before, I like eating, but it’s usually done by my maids in the manor.” Shael took small bites of different plates.

Rydel looked at how her eyes brightened every once in a while and appeared downcast when she didn’t like the combinations.

“How is life in the capital?”

“It’s fine, I guess. People are nice.” Shael unsurely responded.

“That’s all?” Rydel asked incredulously.

“What do you mean?” She curiously asked.

“How old are you?”

“I’m almost 16 years old.”

“After living for 16 years in the capital all you have to say about it is that the people are nice?” Rydel blurted.

“W-well, it’s not like I can come out very often, I’m busy training.” Shael blushed a little.

“What’s the purpose of training if you don’t enjoy life? I was going to ask you for this favor, but it’s decided then.” Rydel said with resolution.

Shael looked at him in confusion.

“What did you want me to ask?”

“Did you think that I was going to reveal my secrets for only a date?” Rydel snorted. “I have a very favorable impression of you, but I wanted to spend a bit of time together before asking this. Now, however, it isn’t an option anymore.”

“Can you just elaborate?” Shael said with a hint of anger. She didn’t like for her opinion to be excluded because of his whims.

“I wanted to ask if I could accompany you to the capital on your way back.”

“And to live in my manor?” Shael raised an eyebrow.

“Cough, yes. However! I can’t stand to see you living such a boring life of perpetual training. There I won’t have my parents’ supervision. No need to thank me.” Rydel’s eyes shone like stars.

“Shameless!” Shael couldn’t stand it anymore. “That’s just your excuse to have free lodgings and protection in the city.”

“Don’t worry. It’s only a minor price to pay for my help.” Rydel waved away her concerns. “Besides, I made you this.”

Rydel took out a small box, it was sealed shut with a formation.

“You are going to love it.”