Evil

Heart Skipped a Beat

A/N 2021: Old book I wrote. I came back after seeing a shit ton of comments. Ruins the surprise but whatever, better than being accused of shit I didn't do.

No she doesn't end up with a guy. It isn't queer baiting. I don't queer bait. I tried doing a fakeout.

Not wishing to waste time, I used the same suicidal method as I had with the first to quickly finish them off and enjoy this break I wished to take.

Collecting the third and final item, Dragon's Breath, I, walked out nonchalantly with Sage, as if it had simply been a casual walk in the park and not some crazy battle of life and death between two people of powerful calibre duking it out to the death.

Instead, I had come out completely 'uninjured', not a single tatter on my dress, let alone a wound,"How did you do it?" We walked towards the entrance at a comfortable pace.

"Hm?"

"How did you become this powerful?" He asked quietly,"I've been practicing since I was four and I've just barely managed to clinch third rank with the resources from the clan and aid from my father and the elders. You're what, no older than seventeen?"

"Sixteen." I answered softly. "Technically", I was already in my late thirties' on Earth and "technically" this girl I had inhibited was ten and "technically" this body had aged six years due to that water from the fountain of youth or whatever. With so many technicalities, I just went with what seemed reasonable—Sixteen, following my body's age. Ten would be insane and so would thirty-eight.

"Sixteen and you're able to defeat rank 6s like they're nothing," I laughed bitterly internally as I listened attentively,"Look at me, I'm just some pathetic son of my powerful and respected father. Some genius I am. Not to mention the thousands of rank 4s, there are hundreds of thousands of rank threes on this continent alone and millions more out there!"

If only I could dear Sage!

Had it not been for those bombs the kosmimarians so generously gifted me, I'd have given up on the notion of doing so long ago. The battle with the automaton had left a sense of alarm against rank 6 magisters within me.

"There is a phrase: Failure is the father of success," I quietly answered,"If you choose to live in a place of safety, not even daring to step out of your comfort zone, your progress will be slow. Only through trials and tribulations can one grow stronger. Isn't that what stories of heroes of the past say?"

"I suppose so."

"Unfortunately, you are of the righteous path. You are restricted in many ways unlike the lawless demonic or neutral paths. You are duty-bound and have to follow rules. That doesn't mean you can't grow stronger. It simply means you must find your own way to grow. Be independent." I patted his shoulder as we finally got out.

"Ehh? Out already? That's fantastic! Shall we go eat?" Gale clapped his hands together.

———

Dusk.

"Lucy, could ya help me out with something."

"Mm?"

The three items I picked out were imprints. The most convenient items. Unlike bulky swords, shields and armour or easily damaged things like jewellery, imprints allowed me to have my hands free while having more strength.

The first imprint used was the Sunheart. Just in between my two assets and below the blue heart, a imprint of a dragon coiled around a sun, glowing a dim gentle gold rested. It had a single but powerful use: It could store the heat from the sun and in matter of nanoseconds, release it all in one blindingly terrifying burst of fire.