Chapter 298 - Whispers in the Dark (2/2)

Li felt a tug of familiar warmth on his arm. He felt himself floating upwards, through the abyss of water, the voice below rapidly fading.

”I'll have a daughter,” said Li.

Li found himself staring at his hands. The wooden palms were pressed together, and he felt them exerting force, like he had crushed something in between them. The plant life that curled around his hands and arms that had wilted started to grow back, the grey, black shades of death fading away as green life returned.

”Papa, you're back!” said Tia.

Li looked back to see Tia rubbing her eyes as she got off from the ground, a tiny crater behind her, like she had been blown back into the earth.

”Are you alright, Tia?” asked Li as he turned, ready to heal her.

Tia answered by flapping her wings and sailing into his arms, showing that yes, she was as healthy as could be.

”Was I…was I gone long?” asked Li.

”No.” Lira came into view, her hair blown back messily. ”Only for a minute. You dipped your hands into the rift, closed it, but the moment before it fused shut, something held you in place. A fairly large shockwave blasted us back, but it did not take you much longer than a few seconds to overpower the last remnants of that accursed rift.”

”Good,” said Li. He felt Tia snuggle into his leafy c.h.e.s.t. ”Good.”

”And now, look at that.” Lira pointed to the sky with her torch, smiling.

The fog started to clear up. The azure blue skies became visible, and instead of the thick white veil of fog, the only whites that floated now were large, fluffy clouds. The light of the sun shone once more, its warmth washing over Li and Tia.

”With the rift sealed, this land is now free of its tainted air,” said Lira. She sighed and sat down with her legs straight. ”And now, my duty is done.”

”Wow,” said Tia. She pointed down. ”Look at that, papa! From you!”

Li traced where her finger pointed to see that the cracked, battered, barren and destroyed earth, once covered in various shades of scorched black, now started to find itself painted over in smatterings of green.

Then flowers. All kinds of flowers of all colors. The scale of the regrowth was massive, and Li felt surprised – this was far more extensive and faster than what his usual passive presence could do.

Within minutes, the landscape had just as much green and vibrant colors as it did blackened rock. Waves of life infused energy echoed out from Li, each ripple planting and growing more and more life.

Remnants of the power he must have used to close the rift. To oppose Noctus and his whispers.

”It has been over a hundred and fifty years since this land has ever borne the fruit of life,” remarked Lira in awe. She sat up cross-legged, dispelling her arcane armor so that she could run her b.a.r.e fingers over the growing grass, her scarred and calloused finger hovering over a sunflower. ”It is good to see it return before I fade away.”

”Are you going?” asked Tia from Li's arms, worried.

”Yes, but I know you will see me again, so worry not, little dragon. In time, my true self will come back to this world. Hopefully, your father will have done all the heavy lifting and gotten this whole mess with the Darkness sorted out.

And I still have until midnight to enjoy myself, so I am in no hurry to say any goodbyes.”

”Hopefully,” said Li as he shifted back to his human form, willing the Vukanovi back now that there was no threat. ”But that does not mean you should expect to get out of helping any. If your help is needed, that is.”

”It is never a bore to fight for a good cause,” said Lira. She c.a.r.e.s.sed the golden petals of the sunflower. ”No nobler and grander fight is there than that to protect all life. And it is good to see you fight for the same cause.”

Li nodded, smiling at Tia as she occupied herself in wonder at the growing nature around her. ”Yes. Nothing nobler.”