Chapter 13: Awakening-(3)

SERIS VITRA'S POV:"Caera!" I shouted, panic lacing my voice. She was in my arms, trembling violently, her agonized screams echoing through the room. I tightened my hold, desperately stroking her back in an attempt to comfort her, but it was no use—she didn't respond at all, her cries only growing more pained."Caera, please, look at me!" I called out, my voice growing more frantic. But there was no sign of recognition in her wide, fear-stricken eyes.It didn't take much to understand what was happening. After all, I'd endured this same torment myself. But Caera's awakening... it was too soon. I knew she carried more Vritra blood than most—nearly 40%—an amount even greater than Cadell's. But still... this timing was completely unexpected.Her screams reached a new crescendo, sharp and agonizing, when I suddenly felt something warm and wet on my hand—blood. I froze, watching in horror as her head twisted at an unnatural angle, and two obsidian-black horns, slick with fresh blood, erupted from her skull. The horns split and extended in three directions—forward, upwards, and backwards—sharp and menacing.A surge of mana fluctuated around her, and before I could even react, an ominous black energy engulfed her entire body, swirling chaotically like a living storm. The force of it slammed into me, pushing me backward."Caera!" I called out again, struggling to keep my voice steady, but the black energy only intensified, its presence suffocating and unyielding. My heart pounded wildly as I watched, helpless, while she was lifted off the ground, suspended several feet in the air by the swirling dark energy."Caera, are you okay?" I tried again, my voice barely a whisper against the roar of power surrounding her. But she didn't respond—couldn't respond—as the energy surrounded her completely, leaving me rooted to the spot, a horrible sense of powerlessness seeping into my very bones."Lady Nezera, what's going on?" Nessa's voice broke through the chaos, breathless and filled with alarm as she sprinted towards me. But I couldn't tear my gaze away from Caera's form, still cocooned in the swirling black energy.I wanted to respond, to explain somehow, but no words came out. All I could do was watch in mute horror as the dark energy swirled and crackled around her like a ravenous storm. Nessa's eyes widened in shock as she realized who was trapped within the dark vortex."Caera...?" she whispered disbelief and fear mingling in her voice. But the words hung in the air, swallowed by the overwhelming power surrounding Caera's body.The scene was terrifying—unnatural. The sheer potency of the energy was enough to make me draw a large portion of my mana to resist the pressure. Just when it felt like the suffocating pressure would crush us, the black energy began to wane, retracting into itself. Caera's body slowly floated down, descending back towards the ground."Nessa, hold on!" I shouted, forcing myself to move. Reinforcing my body with mana, I launched myself towards Caera the instant she was low enough, catching her before she collapsed. Nessa was right behind me, her eyes still wide with shock as she hovered anxiously at my side.I checked Caera's condition as quickly as I could. "She's unconscious... but she seems okay," I murmured, relief washing over me despite the lingering tension. Nessa's shoulders sagged slightly, the panic in her eyes easing just a fraction before it was replaced with a shocked expression as she muttered, "Horns...?""Later, for now let's get her to her room," I said, and Nessa nodded, as I carried Caera gently in my arms. I laid her down on the bed, the silence thick and heavy, our breaths still ragged from the ordeal.But the moment Caera touched the mattress, the same ominous black and red energy surged out of her again, coiling like a serpent around her body. This time, it brought with it a suffocating pressure—one far more intense than before. The very space seemed to vibrate with the force of it."Guh—!" I gasped as the crushing weight forced me to one knee. Nessa, too, was brought down, her face contorted in pain and confusion."what is this...?" she choked out, trembling under the oppressive force. I gritted my teeth, struggling to stay upright. The pressure was immense—overwhelming. Sweat beaded on my forehead and trickled down my face as I strained to maintain my balance.The energy around Caera wasn't just powerful—it was terrifying, radiating an aura of pure, unbridled death. Every instinct in my body screamed that moving, even breathing, would invite annihilation. I'd never experienced anything like it. Not even against the most powerful beings I'd faced—this energy was on an entirely different level.Even the Asuras would struggle against something like this... I realized, dread curling in my gut. What in the world was this energy? How was Caera linked to something so destructive and terrifying?"Caera..." I said my voice barely enough to be heard, as I stared helplessly at the girl I'd sworn to protect, one whom I have came to cherish the most in the world, as the deathly aura continued to weigh us down, threatening to crush everything in its wake.Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pressure lifted. The overwhelming weight that had pinned us down vanished, and I drew in a sharp breath, gasping as my lungs greedily sucked in the now-lightened air.I forced myself to my feet, my body trembling from the exertion. My gaze snapped back to Caera, and I noticed the dark energy that had enveloped her was retracting, spiraling into a single point—her hand. More precisely, it was being drawn into a sleek, obsidian ring now adorning her finger. That ring... it hadn't been there before.The energy disappeared entirely, and in that silence, Caera's body jolted as if shocked by lightning. Her eyes flew open, wide and frantic, reflecting a deep-seated panic."—Melantha!" she screamed, her voice filled with fear and desperation.The sound cut through the air like a blade, startling both Nessa and me. I leaned closer, concern flooding me as I grasped her shoulders gently. "Caera, it's alright. You're safe now," I murmured, trying to soothe her, but it was as if she hadn't heard me.Her gaze darted around the room, still half-lost in whatever nightmare had gripped her. It took a few more seconds before the wildness in her eyes began to fade, replaced by confusion and then recognition as she blinked up at me."Mama...?" she whispered, her voice hoarse, as if she had been screaming for hours.I nodded, keeping my hands on her shoulders in a steadying grip. "Yes, I'm here, Caera. How are you? Are you feeling well?""Y-yeah, I am fine." "Do you know what happened?" I asked, my tone gentle but laced with hope that she might have some answers.Caera took a deep breath and began recounting everything that occurred in the dream world, her voice gaining strength as she described the events in vivid detail. Both Nessa and I listened intently, occasionally asking questions to clarify. The more she spoke, the more shocked we became.When she mentioned the appearance of Melantha, the Queen of Valkyries, and the ceremony to awaken her nether energy, I could see Nessa's eyes widen in disbelief. And when Caera described the manifestation of the ring and the orb of dark energy bestowed upon her, I felt a shiver run down my spine."So, you have not only awaken your vitra blood but you've been... also blessed by the Queen of Valkyries?" Nessa whispered, as if speaking too loudly would shatter the fragile reality we were just beginning to grasp.Caera nodded slowly, glancing at the sleek black ring on her finger, its crimson inlay seeming to pulse gently in rhythm with her heartbeat. "Yes, that's what she said. She called it the 'Fragment of the Valkyrie Queen' and said it would guide me on my journey."A heavy silence fell between us as we tried to process everything. The implications of Caera's words were staggering. The presence of nether energy, the sudden transformmation, and now this... I found myself staring at the floor, lost in thought. Time and again, I sensed Caera's gaze flicker toward me, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't bring herself to voice it. Finally, I turned my attention back to her, my eyes searching hers for a clue."Is everything alright?" I asked gently, my brow furrowing in concern. "It feels like there's something on your mind that you want to talk about."Caera's gaze faltered, and she shook her head, a faint, uncertain smile tugging at her lips. "N-no, it's nothing," she replied, trying to sound dismissive. But her tone was unconvincing, and I could see the conflict in her eyes.I leaned forward slightly, my voice soft but insistent. "Caera, you know you can talk to me, right? Whatever it is, just say it. I'm here for you."Caera bit her lip, her gaze dropping to the ring on her finger. Her thumb traced its crimson inlay as if trying to draw some kind of strength from the small, unfamiliar object. There was a long, almost hesitant pause before she finally spoke, her voice soft and barely above a whisper."It's just that... Melantha said something else," she began, her tone wavering slightly. "Aside from the 40% Vitra blood... I also have Valkyrie blood. About 50%, to be exact."I stared at her, struggling to process this revelation. The weight of her words hung heavily in the air, making it hard to breathe. Beside me, I felt Nessa tense up in shock."What? You have Valkyrie blood?" Nessa exclaimed, her eyes wide with disbelief.Caera nodded slowly, her expression conflicted. "So, I was just wondering... who were my biological parents? Could it be connected to them somehow? Like... maybe one of them had Valkyrie blood too."Her words made my heart clench painfully. Biological parents. The mention of them made my thoughts drift back to a name I hadn't uttered in years—Senna. My childhood friend. The one who had entrusted Caera to me. But how did that fit in with the Valkyries? Senna had never mentioned anything like that. All I knew was that she'd been chosen to be a Wraith—a title that held its own tragic implications.Then there was Caera's father. He had been an unknown variable all this time, shrouded in mystery even to me. Could he have been the one connected to the Valkyries?I closed my eyes for a brief moment, trying to gather my thoughts. There was so much Caera needed to know—about the Vitra, the atrocities they committed, and how dangerous it was for someone like her to have awakened Vitra blood. She needed to be protected, to be kept out of their hands at all costs.Taking a deep breath, I finally looked Caera in the eye, choosing my words carefully. "Your mother... her name was Senna," I began softly, my voice laced with a mix of pain and nostalgia. "She was my childhood friend."Caera's eyes widened in surprise. "Childhood friend?" she repeated, her voice barely audible."Yes, childhood friend. We used to spend most, if not all, of our time together. We were adopted daughters of two highblood families—chosen because of our latent Vitra blood," I explained, the memories of those days flickering in my mind like distant echoes. "We even attended the Academy together. Everything seemed fine... until we awakened our Vitra blood."Caera leaned forward, her gaze intense. "What happened?"I swallowed, pushing aside the flood of memories that threatened to overwhelm me—memories of experiments, of training so brutal it nearly broke me. We had been turned into tools, molded to become weapons for the Vitra's agenda. The thought of Caera enduring anything like that was enough to make my hands tremble with barely suppressed rage."When I awakened my blood, I was taken to Taegrin Caelum and separated from Senna," I continued, forcing my voice to remain steady. "I don't know what happened to her after that. She disappeared—vanished from all records, as if she'd never existed. And then, years later... I came to know that she was chosen to be wraith when she reappeared, just long enough to entrust you to me before she vanished again."Caera's expression shifted, a mixture of confusion and sadness, crossing her face. "Wraiths? And she... she left me with you?"I nodded slowly. "Yes. But she didn't tell me anything about Valkyrie blood or your father. She just asked me to keep you safe, no matter what." My voice wavered slightly as I recalled the desperation in Senna's eyes during our last encounter. "Caera... Know that Senna only wanted the best for you and to keep you away from the Vitra. From all of this.""B-But... What happened to her? Why did she leave me?" Caera's voice cracked, the raw hurt in her tone making my chest tighten painfully.I took a deep breath, knowing the answer wouldn't ease her pain but hoping it would at least give her some semblance of understanding. "She had to, Caera. For your safety, she had no other choice." I spoke softly, each word heavy with the memories of that painful past. "She must've realized the significance of your Valkyrie blood and what it meant. If the Vitra got their hands on you..."I paused, struggling to keep my voice steady as dark images of the Vitra's cruelty and manipulation flashed through my mind. "They would've used you as a tool for their own ends, like they do with everyone who holds a unique power in their eyes. Your potential would have made you a prize—something they would've fought to control. Senna couldn't let that happen to you. She knew she had to protect you, even if it meant staying away."Caera's gaze dropped, her shoulders shaking as she processed my words. "So... she abandoned me because of what I am?" The bitterness in her voice was like a knife to my heart."No, Caera." I leaned forward, gently tilting her chin so she would meet my eyes. "She didn't abandon you because of what you are. She left to protect who you are. You were never just some bloodline or power to her. You were her daughter, someone she loved more than anything. Leaving you... must've been the hardest choice she ever made."Caera swallowed, tears welling in her eyes, though she fought hard to keep them from spilling over. "Then why didn't she come back for me? Why didn't she—""I don't know, Caera." My voice cracked, hating that I couldn't give her the answers she deserved. "Maybe something happened. Maybe she was forced to stay away. But I do know that she cared. She made sure you were safe—that you were hidden from the Vitra's reach. She sacrificed everything to keep you free from their grasp."Nessa placed a hand on Caera's back, her expression gentle. "Your mother must have believed in you, Caera. Believed that you would survive, grow, and become strong. That one day, you'd be able to protect yourself and choose your own path."Caera sniffled, a shaky breath escaping her as she looked down at the ring on her finger once more. "But how am I supposed to do that when I don't even know who I really am?" she whispered, a faint tremor in her voice."You're Caera," I said firmly, squeezing her hand. "Who you are isn't defined by your bloodline, or by the powers you've inherited. You're more than that. You're strong, determined, and capable of forging your own destiny. And I promise, we'll find out more about your past—together. You won't have to face this alone."Caera blinked up at me, her eyes wide and vulnerable. After a long moment, she nodded, a small, fragile smile tugging at her lips. "Okay... thank you, Mama.""Always," I murmured, pulling her into a gentle embrace. "No matter what happens, I'll be here for you."Nessa moved closer, wrapping her arms around both of us, her warmth a quiet reassurance. "We're in this together, Caera. We'll uncover the truth and face whatever comes our way."As we stayed like that, huddled together in a shared silence, I felt a surge of fierce determination. Whatever the Vitra had planned for Caera—whatever they were hiding—I would make sure she never fell into their hands. This was my promise, not just to Senna, but to Caera herself.I'd protect her. No matter the cost.~~A/N: Just wanted to let you know that while this was happening, Sylvie was born at the same time in Elenoir. Now whether it has any connection to story plot or not is a secret. Anyway, vote if you enjoyed reading it, hope to see you in the next chapter.