Chapter 1630: Chapter 1630
"Ahem, well... aside from the many you've scared, the rest are dormant," the Elder said. "The Lady of the Lake freed herself from Phobos's abuse, but she remains greatly weakened. She's recovering. Eventually, she will emerge again, and this Realm will regain its life and spiritual energy."
"I see... how long will that take?" Maria asked.
"Hmmm, if she recovers quickly, perhaps a hundred years," the Elder said. "If she takes her time, it could be three hundred years, maybe a little more or less."
Maria and her family fell silent, staring at the old frog. He spoke of absurd timeframes, as if they could fend for themselves without their ruler's protection for so long.
"Okay, we can't let that happen," Maria said. "Celes, Alma, Emeraldine, come with me. Let's visit the Lady of the Lake."
"W-Wait, what?! You want to meet her? She's recovering! Please don't bother her!" the Elder panicked.
"We're not going to bother her. We'll help her heal faster, right?" Maria asked.
"I mean, we can try!" Alma nodded. "I don't know how, though..."
"Me neither, but I feel something within me might help," Celes said, glancing at his tiny hands.
"I know how to heal Spirits," Emeraldine said. "With Celes and Alma's high quantities of Water Attribute Spirit Energy, we could weave a powerful spell or formation to heal the Lady of the Lake instantly, but we'd need an immense amount of Lifeforce..."
"Oh, I have that Paladin Sacrifice Skill. I have plenty of HP," Maria said. "Maybe I can help with that."
"Yes... I think it could work," Emeraldine nodded. "As long as the Lady of the Lake doesn't have an immense amount of HP herself."
"Y-You're serious about this?!" the Elder gasped. "I... well, if you're truly willing to go this far... I can show you the way to her. But you must keep it a secret from outsiders, okay?"
"Sure," Maria nodded. "Our lips are sealed, right?"
"Yeah, of course!" Alma nodded.
"I don't know why I'd ever reveal that!" Celes said.
"Hm," Emeraldine nodded in approval.
"See? They're all trustworthy, aren't they?" Maria said with a smile.
"I... suppose," the Elder nodded. "Very well, come with me. We'll need to swim in the dark blue waters. Do you know spells that create bubbles?"
"Of course, let me make one!" Celes said, creating a bubble and diving underwater.
"Mom, I'll be back in a few minutes!" Celes called.
"Okay, dear! Maria, please take care of him," Nia said.
"Of course, honey, don't worry," Maria said, patting Celes's head. "He's like my son at this point, hehe."
With the Elder guiding them, they reached the lake's darkest depths. Using his magic, the frog tapped into something invisible. ThΙͺs chapter is updated by N()velFire.net
It was a glowing path of spiritual energy.
"Go where the Spirit Road guides you."
Following his words, Celes led the way along the Spirit Road, moving deeper into the lake's depths and entering an underwater cavern with some oxygen.
As they crossed it, they reached a large open area, a secret glowing spring of transparent water sparkling with divine light.
"Oh wow, the water is sparkly..." Celes said. "It's not dark like before!"
"Yes..." the Elder nodded. "This is where the Lady of the Lake sleeps, in this secret spring's depths."
"...I can see her, she's right there."
Celes stepped forward, sensing the great spirit queen sleeping under the spring, his eyes filled with sorrow.
"I can't see her, but I know she's there."
Alma walked toward the spring, and both used their magic to walk over the water.
Emeraldine held Maria's hand as they stepped onto the water, while Maria floated like a ghost.
The Elder stayed behind, knowing he could only pray.
Celes, Alma, and Emeraldine stopped in the middle of the spring. Maria looked down, her eyes glowing with spiritual energy.
"Oh, there she is..."
She saw her, a giantess of flowing azure light, eyes closed, sleeping soundly underwater.
She seemed exhausted, her form barely visible.
"Now, let's create a healing formation. It should be enough," Emeraldine said.
She guided the formation's creation. Everyone used their Spirit Energy as ingredients, forming a circle around the sleeping Lady of the Lake and filling it with Spiritual Runes.
Then, they connected their contracted Spirits to the formation, letting them infuse it with as much Spirit Energy as possible.
While Emeraldine, Celes, and Alma stayed inside the formation with the runes rotating, Emeraldine held Maria's hand.
"Now, Maria, can you give me some of that pure lifeforce you use to heal others?"
Maria activated her skill, imbuing purified lifeforce as her HP slowly decreased.
The formation glowed with azure and golden light, turning into rivers of ethereal energy combining spiritual power and lifeforce.
Slowly, the energy flowed into the Lady of the Lake, her transparent body becoming more visible.
Maria saw her HP drop from 100% to 90%, then 80%, then 70%, then 50%, and then a dangerous 30% before it stopped.
"Wow, she had more HP than I thought."
To everyone's awe, the Lady of the Lake slowly opened her glowing azure eyes. Her voice was melodic, delicate, and adorable.
"Where... huh? Hm..."
She sat up in the spring, glancing at the four small people before her, all slightly exhausted.
"Well, it worked..." Maria sighed in relief. "Welcome back, Lady of the Lake. Wow, you're a beauty."
"Hm?" The Lady of the Lake tilted her head, looking around. "Who... who are you? How did you get inside my secret spring? Ah... I recovered? Has it been a hundred years already?"
"No, my lady," the Elder swam toward her. "These people not only slew the god invading your domain, but they also healed you... it hasn't been a hundred years."
"...Really?" The Lady of the Lake looked surprised, her innocent eyes fixed on Maria. "I can see... the formation you used... Oh my... I am so... so in debt to you! I can't believe it... I'm so sorry for my lack of manners, I just woke up..."
"It's fine, you're surprisingly chill," Maria shrugged.
"I'm glad you're awake, Lady of the Lake... wow, you're really big!" Alma said. "I'm a little tired... Ah, right, I am Alma."
"And I am Celes," the boy said. "We healed you! It wasn't easy, but we had to do it so this world wouldn't be defenseless for so long."