dognovel Chapter 668 Origin
Chapter 668 Origin
After everyone was seated, Shcherky slowly stepped forward, carrying a brass kettle with its edges polished to a shine. The ancient shamanic patterns engraved on the kettle were faintly visible in the dim light, swaying gently with her movements.
With a slight tilt of her wrist, the cool tea slowly slid down the side of the cup into the white porcelain teacup.
When the tea was poured in front of the skeleton knight, he gently raised his well-defined hand and waved it.
“I have not eaten or drunk anything for over a thousand years, so there is no need for you to worry.”
John picked up his teacup, took a sip, and the faint aroma of herbs and wood slowly spread across his tongue. The smooth texture slid down his throat, and the fragrance was not as strong as that of ordinary tea. Instead, it carried a delicate floral scent that gave him a slight boost of energy.
John put down his teacup and turned his gaze to Flora, his expression instantly becoming much more serious.
He leaned forward slightly, placed his hands naturally on his knees, and said sincerely:
"I have come here to earnestly request your magical assistance in enhancing the strength of my army."
"The power of the apostles is too strange and overwhelming. Ordinary soldiers are like ants in front of them, powerless to fight back. If we cannot strengthen our combat power in advance when we officially fight them in the future, we will be put on the defensive, or even be wiped out."
He paused and added:
"Helderland and the people of this continent have already suffered too much. I cannot let them fall into the slaughter of the apostles again. I must fight for even the slightest hope."
Flora listened quietly, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes seeming to ease slightly at the sound of her words, only to furrow again quickly, a faint sorrow settling between her brows.
She gently shook her head, her voice soft yet tinged with undeniable weariness, each word seeming to have taken a great deal of effort:
“I understand why you came, and I appreciate your care for the people and your responsibility to the people.”
"It's just that I've used too much magic over the years and forcibly crossed the barrier between the Netherworld and the mortal world several times. My Netherworld body, that is, my soul, has been damaged beyond repair in these repeated crossings."
As she spoke, her breathing was slightly unsteady, and her figure seemed even thinner beneath her thin, dark witch's robe, as if a gust of wind could blow her over.
“Now that my lifespan is coming to an end, even maintaining my own existence requires the consumption of my remaining magic power. I am afraid that I will no longer be able to return to Hilderan with you, let alone cast spells for your army.”
After the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room became somewhat quiet for a moment, with only the steady breathing of everyone intertwined in the air, adding to the solemnity.
But Flora quickly looked up, her gaze landing on John with a mixture of certainty and expectation, as if she saw in him the hope of breaking through the darkness:
"However, I always believe that you can defeat the Hand of God and those apostles."
“You are different from ordinary people. You are someone who exists outside the law of cause and effect. The threads of fate can hardly bind you. This is your luck and your mission. The fate of ordinary people has already been woven by the hand of God. Only you can open up a new path in this predetermined trajectory.”
She nodded slightly, her tone becoming increasingly certain.
"Moreover, I can clearly sense that there is a huge amount of energy hidden in your body. That power is powerful and pure, and it has a different quality from that of the Netherworld. It is the same energy source as the strange phenomenon in the sky of the present world that I saw a few days ago."
"Although we do not know where this power comes from, it is naturally able to restrain the evil things of the Netherworld. Even the dark power of the Hand of God would probably be weakened in front of it. This is your greatest source of confidence."
She paused, slowly raised her hand, and gently patted Shierqi's shoulder beside her. Her gaze turned to her apprentice, a gentle warmth appearing in her eyes, and her weariness seemed to dissipate somewhat.
"Although I cannot go in person, my apprentice Scherki is intelligent and resilient. Over the years, he has been diligent in his studies and asking questions, and his magical skills are already solid."
"Her talent in using magic far surpasses even mine when I was young. In a few years, once she has mastered the last forbidden technique, she will be able to graduate and stand on her own. At that time, having her go with you will surely be a great help to you."
"Her potential is far greater than you imagine."
Upon hearing this, Shierqi abruptly raised her head, her face full of resistance. She shook her head repeatedly, her eyes instantly reddening, and glistening tears welled up in them. Her voice carried a childlike stubbornness and grievance:
“I don’t want to leave. I want to stay by your side, Master, to be with you and help you manage everything here. I haven’t learned enough of your magic yet, and besides, your health…”
As she spoke, she subconsciously gripped Flora's sleeve, her knuckles tightening slightly, as if afraid of being separated from her master at any moment.
Flora reached out and gently stroked the top of her head, the warmth of her hand passing through her hair, soothing her apprentice's restless heart.
Her voice softened further, carrying the expectations and reluctance of an elder for a younger generation:
“Silly child, this is a trial that every wizard must go through. Only by stepping out of this secluded dwelling, seeing a wider world, and facing real dangers can you truly grow and transform the magic you have learned into the power to protect others.”
"I was all alone back then, venturing out on my own, which is how I accumulated the experience I have today."
She sighed softly, a hint of melancholy flashing in her eyes.
"Besides, my time is running out. You can't stay by my side forever. You have your own mission to complete. His Majesty John needs your help, and the suffering people also need your help."
Seeing the way the master and apprentice cherished and relied on each other, John coughed lightly.
A crisp cough broke the silence in the room, successfully attracting the attention of the two people.
He then raised his hand and gently lifted the little luminous figure sitting on a stool somewhere beside him. It radiated a soft halo, like a firefly in the dark night, flickering and floating lightly above his palm, carrying a warm aura.
"This little guy might be of some help with your recovery."
He wasn't really sure if the little light figure would actually work on wizards, but seeing Flora's weak appearance and remembering the little light figure's previous effects on mortals, he decided to give it a try.
After saying that, he nodded slightly to Xiao Guangren.
The little luminous figure seemed to understand his words, its light flickering slightly as if in response, before slowly drifting towards Flora.
Finally, it jumped steadily into Flora's arms, its small, glowing body clinging tightly to her arm.
In the instant they embraced, Flora clearly felt a warm and pure energy flow into her body through her arm. The energy was gentle yet powerful, like melting snow in spring, slowly flowing through her limbs and dispelling the weakness and fatigue that had accumulated in her body over the years.
What shocked her even more was that the energy did not stay in her body, but instead surged directly into her damaged body. She subconsciously closed her eyes and carefully felt this unfamiliar yet familiar power. It was as if it had a life of its own, full of vitality, and slowly seeped into the cracks in her soul, filling the voids left by the overuse of magic.
The once empty and cold depths of my soul gradually felt full, and the pain that had gnawed at me for years slowly dissipated under the embrace of this energy.
She could clearly sense that the cracks on her body were being repaired little by little. Although the process was slow, it was exceptionally firm. With each patch of repair, she felt her body become lighter, and her previously depleted magic power seemed to be showing signs of revival.
Time passed by, and only the steady breathing of everyone and the occasional faint glow emanating from the little light figure remained in the room.
After an unknown amount of time, Flora slowly opened her eyes, a look of disbelief flashing across them, followed by an undisguised joy.
She could clearly feel that her body was much lighter than before, and the fullness in her body made her feel power again after a long time. The fear that was on the verge of dissipating also completely vanished.
She carefully picked up the little light figure in her arms, and under the astonished gaze of Scherki, who almost dropped the teacup beside her, she trembled as she supported herself and slowly stood up.
Her movements were somewhat stiff, as if her joints, which had not been used for a long time, were making subtle noises. Every movement was unfamiliar, but her body, which had been able to sit still for many years, finally regained the strength to stand.
"Master, you are amazing!"
Shcherky stood up abruptly, the chair scraping against the floor with a screeching sound. Her voice was full of surprise and disbelief. Her hands instinctively reached out, as if to help her, but afraid of disturbing this hard-won moment. Her fingertips trembled slightly, and tears could no longer be held back, sliding down her cheeks.
The skeleton knight also rose, his gaze fixed on Flora beneath his bone helmet:
"Flora, it's been so long since I've seen you stand up. The last time was probably ten years ago."
Flora looked down at her hands, then gently shook her arms, feeling the long-lost power within her, and a long-lost relaxed smile appeared on her face.
"Even I am surprised. Now, my body is much fuller. Although it has not recovered to its peak state when I was young, it has returned to the level of ten years ago."
She gently moved her neck.
"This energy is so magical, it seems to have been created specifically for humans."
Her gaze then turned to the little luminous figure in her arms. At this moment, the light inside the little luminous figure had become very dim, almost transparent. Its body, which was originally about the size of a fist, was also shrinking little by little, as if all its strength had been drained away. It appeared weak and powerless, and could not even float. It could only lie quietly in her arms.
Flora felt a warmth in her heart, but also a pang of guilt. She quickly and gently placed it on the wooden table beside her, her movements as tender as if she were handling a rare treasure. At the same time, she subconsciously held her breath, stopping the energy from flowing into her body.
She could clearly feel that Xiao Guangren's life force was rapidly fading away, and if this continued, this lovely little guy would probably disappear completely from this world.
She gazed at the frail little figure on the table, her eyes filled with gratitude and tenderness, and silently murmured:
"Thank you, little one."