267-The promise we made in a dream




 In your dreams--


 Arcana was walking through the forest.
 The girl's expression, which was always joyful, had a somewhat thoughtful wind today.

 As if scrambling through the plants and trees, Arcana was moving forward quickly through the forest, getting out of the range of her brother's demon eye (eye).

 As she did so, the figure of a man came into view before her.
 It's the demon race with purple hair and a cloak, Ceris.

''Hey. You're here.

 With a good look on her face, Celis greeted Arcana.

''Um.........''

 Arcana quickly broke off the words.

'Tell me about your magic. There is a magic that can escape from the dragon, right?

 What in the world had happened?
 Arcana asked for that magic more earnestly than yesterday.

'Of course I intend to. However, that is difficult to do here.

 Ceris holds out her hand to Arcana.

'You're going to have to leave Anos for a while, are you okay with that?'

 Arcana hesitated for a moment.
 However, she quickly makes up her mind and takes his hand.

 Satisfied, Ceris smiles.

'Shall we go?'

 A magic circle is drawn, and their bodies rise to the surface.
 With an unstoppable speed, Celis flies through the sky.

 After a while, a high mountain came into view in front of them.
 Celis reaches out to the middle of it, and a magic circle appears there.

 While floating in the air, Celis went to the center of the magic circle and quickly slipped through it.
 You should have entered the interior of the mountain, but you arrived at a stone room.

 Wide. It was a building so large that there was no end in sight.

 Standing columns and countless bonfires.
 There was a silver flame at the center of it that caught my attention.

 Arcana looked at it and shivered in fear.
 The room was tremendously hot, increasing in temperature with each approach to the flames.

''This is called the Bonfire of Judgment. It is said that if a person can throw themselves into this silver fire and endure thousands of torments, they will become powerful.

 Staring at the Judgment Bonfire, Celis says, as if it's obvious.

'With that kind of power, it would be easy to kill them all, let alone run away from the dragon.

But... but you'll die...?

You'll be fine. First, I'm going to teach you a spell to escape the dragon.

 Ceris put the necklace around Arcana's neck.

'What is this, huh?'

It's a spell that works magic.

 The top of the necklace had a clear crystal on it.
 Ceris draws a magic circle in front of her eyes.

Come on. Let's do it.

 As he was told, Arcana tried to draw a magic circle, but it didn't seem to work, however.

'I'll help you,'

 Celis holds her hand over the magic circle that Arcana is building.
 Then, using her magic power, she drew the magic circle on the crystal of the necklace.

 <It was a messenger summons (Retherde).

 Inside the crystal - the pearl of alliance, the magic circles are drawn and laminated one after another.

 Instantly, a huge flame rose up behind Arcana.
 Inside, the dragon's shadow wavered and swayed.



 With a loud roar, the fire of the summoning disappeared, and what appeared was a different dragon with a golden glow.



 Arcana backed away as if threatened, and then fell on her ass.

'There is nothing to be scared of, Arcana. You are the dragon's nucleus, which can be reborn in its womb even if it eats you. The dragon seeks the source, which should be the nucleus of the child it bears. That's why you've been targeted by the dragon all this time.

 With a look of surprise, Arcana looked at Cerys' face.

'You saw that invitation, didn't you? Isn't it about time you were reminded of that? The memories that Anos took away from you. The lies he told you.

"...I am...

 Arcana shook her head from side to side as if she didn't understand.

I'm sure you'll be able to break the spell of oblivion when you become a baby dragon. You'll remember soon enough. I've been running away for a long time because I felt sorry for you when the dragon was after you, but it didn't make any sense. If the dragon eats you, you'll just be reborn.

"...stop...

 With a frightened look on her face, Arcana barely managed to squeeze out her voice.
 But Ceris twisted her head, keeping a good look on her face.

'Stop? Why? I didn't lie to you. I'm willing to bet my life on it. When you are reborn, the dragon will no longer be trying to kill you. You won't have to keep running away. That's what you want, isn't it?

 Not even doubting her own good intentions, Celis said casually.



'Oh. Indeed, it's an unimaginable pain to have all the root sources mixed and united in the dragon's womb. This dragon has just been summoned and hasn't eaten a single root source yet. Yes, maybe after eating a thousand or so you will be reborn. It's only going to hurt, but you'll have to be patient until then.

 It's as if Celis can't talk to him, and Arcana's expression becomes tinted with despair.

''........help........''

 Smiling, Celis laughs.

'I know, I know. I know, I know. I will save you from this. You can't live in fear of a dragon anymore.

Help me, my brother.

'Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

 Arcana's cries were drowned out by the dragon's roar, its jaws swallowing the young body.
 Ceris looked at the golden alien dragon that ate the girl with satisfaction.

'Anos won't recognize this place. And compared to the Bonfire of Judgment, the pain of being eaten by a dragon is nothing compared to the pain of being eaten by a dragon. This leads to the land of judgment that the gods will bring down. They will inflict pain that is not of this world. Just think of it as a rehearsal for that.

 Smiling, Celis laughs.

'You were born to be that way.

''--Hmm. How dare you say whatever you want to your two sisters.

 Ceris turned around, his gaze sharpening.

 With a pish, the sound of space creaking could be heard, and the area in front of him burst into flames in pitch black.
 The jet-black sun, the geo-glaze, is shot out as if to break through a magic door, and hits Ceris directly.

''Heh.''

 Ceris staked out her anti-magic and stared in front of her.
 From within the black flames, the one who emerged was Anos.

''You've learned to use some pretty strong magic. But your magical eye is still a long way from being able to assess the strength of your opponent.

 Celis defends Anos's from close range with her counter-magic in a matter-of-fact manner.

You can't save her. That's why I'm going to save her.

 Celis pointed her left hand at Anos and unleashed her  A purple bolt of lightning broke through his anti-magic and tore his body apart.

 Anos's expression distorts grimly.

''Okay? You don't have to worry about anything, Anos. She will be reborn. This is why it is useless to continue the fight.

...........................

 With his demonic eyes, Anos stared at Ceris.
 With such an expression tinged with anger and filled with hatred.

''What is it?''

"...I'm telling you to move...!

 The magic power concentrated on Anos's demon eyes.
 His eyes turn annihilatingly purple, as if a part of his sleeping root source is awakened.

 Instantly, Anos' magic power increased and a huge magic circle was drawn.
 A shot out from the center of it and pushed Celis's body out of the way.

 Slightly, the man's eyes widened.

''Heh. You pushed me away with all your strength. You're very good at that. But you know what I mean. Your Gio-Glaze cannon can't hold a candle to me.

Finally on your feet, you f*cking idiot!

 Behind Celis as she was pushed out, there was a bonfire of judges behind her.

'....Good grief. You think you can get through such a hand--''

 Shaking off the jet-black sun, Celis ducks into the air.
 A moment later--

'Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!

 As if aiming at it, the head of the golden alien dragon rushed forward and popped Celis.

''Na--''

I've been enjoying playing tag with my dragons for a while now. I've learned a lot about how to distract them.

 Celis tried to control her posture with her flight, but Anos put another shot into the air to stop her, the Gio Glaze.

"I don't know who you are, but if you like the Land of Judgment so much, you should go alone.

 

''Good grief.''

 Realizing that she couldn't get out once she was in, Celis stood in that silver blaze and slackly lowered her arms.

'Well, okay. That's not a bad result for this one.

 As he said this, his body was completely engulfed in silver flames and disappeared from this place.

''Guuuuuuuuuuut!''

 A heavy bass roar rang out, and the golden xendragon's eyes stared at Anos with a guileless stare.

'Don't bark. I'll make it easier for you now.''

 Along with the drawn magic circle, Anos' right hand turns jet black.

''


 Bathed in the golden breath that was spat out of him, Anos dove into the bosom of the different dragons and stabbed the black into its chest.

''Give it back,''

 Gouging through both the stubborn scales and the tough skin, Anos reached into the dragon's womb.
 Then, sure enough, he grabbed it.

'Did you think I'd let my sister be eaten by a lizard?

 With a gulp, Anos pulls out his hand.
 A great deal of blood poured out of the body of the different dragons with a cry of apocalypse.

 With a lurch, the dragon's massive body tilts and falls to the ground with a loud crash.
 In Anos's hands, there was a battered Arcana.

 <Using the magic of , he wraps her body in light.

 However, Anos's gaze grew grim.
 There was no sign of the wound healing.

 Perhaps it's because she was forcibly taken out of the womb on the way to reincarnation, but the root of Arcana is being eroded every minute.

 Anos stared at Arcana's entire body with his demon eyes.

''........How did you know.......?

 Ugh, Arcana opened her eyes and said to her brother.

'You left this behind when you went out.

 Anos takes out a letter written by Arcana from the magic circle.

''Tomorrow's birthday, I'll give you the one thing my brother wants most, so you'll have to wait and hope for it,''

 Anos says as he continues his recovery magic and looks for a way to heal her with his magic eye.

'I thought you might be reckless about something. I marked her with magic so that she would know where to go.'

 Sure enough, he disappeared from the range of the Demon Eye, so he quickly chased after it.

''I'm sorry, big brother...''

 'Never mind,' said Anos, patting her on the head.

'It's okay, Arcana. We'll get you out of there, I promise.

 Anos uses his Anti-Magic Healing (Enschelle) spell to pour all of his magic power into his sister.
 He was slowly being drained, but his sister's wound was not healed at all.

 The root of Arcana was still slowly being eroded.

 He bites his back teeth and puts more magic into his magic.
 His expression was tainted with frustration.

The first thing that comes to mind is the fact that you have to be a good friend. I'm fine now....

 Arcana said, acting forcefully but as stoutly as she could.
 You could tell by watching that Anos was taking a lot of pressure off.

As usual, you're a terrible liar.

 Anos is using enough magic power to cut down on his own roots.
 He did not try to relax that power even for a moment.

''........I didn't realize for a long time.......''

Don't talk. You're hurting me.

 At Anos' advice, however, Arcana laughed sadly.

''........So it wasn't your brother who was being chased by the dragon, it was me. My brother was protecting me all along........

 Arcana pleads desperately as the strength leaves her body.
 It's as if she realizes that the end is near.

''.........I wanted to be strong.......I wanted to be strong.......when I can escape from the dragon by myself, then my brother won't have to worry about me anymore.......''

 With sad eyes, Arcana looked at her brother.

''........I know. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. You can't go to the castle because of me, so you have to study on your own, so................

 Tears welling up in her eyes, she says

'I wanted to tell you that it's okay now... I wanted to tell you to go and be okay on your own... I wanted to give you a gift, my brother...'

 The tears spill out of her eyes as she bursts into tears.

"But I........was a liar........

I don't need that. All I need is a pretty little sister, that's all I need.

Because...!

 Drops of tears trickle down from Arcana's eyes.

.........because I'm not my brother's sister.......

 That, too, was on the invitation that Arcana had stolen.
 It was probably despair, which pushed her back.

''I'm not really.......my brother........''

"Arcana.

 Quietly, Anos said.

'Forgive me. You are not strong enough. I can't help you.

''Well ... yes ...''

I use silica magic. But I'm still not very good at root magic. I'm not sure where and when you'll be reborn and what you'll remember. I'm not sure where and when you'll be reborn and what you'll be reborn into, or if you'll even be able to remember. I don't know if you will succeed.

 Arcana nodded as if she was ready.
 Then he laughed as best he could while gulping down tears.

'It's fine. You will be able to find out more about the fact that you are not the only one. I'm not afraid to be alone. I'm not afraid to be alone.

Let's get you a present at the end.

...What do you want...?

 Arcana asks curiously.

'Be my sister.'

 The tears he had held back spilled out of Arcana's eyes in a flutter again.

'I won't tell you not to forget. Remember. You will remember. You are my sister. It is true that we are not blood related. But the time we spent together was not a lie.

 Squeezing the crying Arcana, Anos draws the magic circle of .

''........Brother........''

 As if to shake things up, Arcana raises her voice.

I'm sure that this time, when I'm reincarnated next time......I will definitely, this time, become strong. I'm coming to see you. I won't lie this time, I promise I won't lie.......

 Anxiously, Arcana fearlessly directs the words to her brother.

''Trust me, can you...?''

Yeah, I believe.

 <The magic of is activated and she disappears with the light.

"Be sure to come and see me. No matter what you reincarnate as, you are my only precious sister.

 Anos grabbed Arcana's outstretched hand.
 The hand slipped through quickly and she disappeared completely as a grain of light.

 He turned his sad eyes to the void.

''........This time, I won't let you cry.......''

 Exuding frustration and determination, Anos swore to his sister who had disappeared.

'No matter what happens, I will be strong enough not to lose it, and I will wait for you. Arcana.