Chapter 19

The days in the cold region is not easy as they thought it would be but they are slowly adapting to it. After four days at some point, they could be a little comfortable but this applied to the Apostils and the remaining three are still a little uneasy and by eating only cold food this is getting hard for them.

Rian: “How in the world did the six of you guys adapt to the cold so quickly and you guys are not even using mana.”

Elijah: “How would we even know?”

Ken: “I have a theory to answer that question.”

Everyone except Ken: “Tell us what is it?”

Ken: “Well you guys know about how we six became a part of the Nephelic race.”

Rian: “Oh so you mean all of this to activate your hidden resistances and make you strong but why did we three come here? We are humans.”

Ken: “Well I think it is due to u being blessed with the dark mana of Lady Raveena and you guys will get it way earlier because you are from a village that worships her.”

Rian: “I see.”

Ria: “So what you are saying is that we were sent here to awaken our dormant abilities which help us adapt to any type of situation.”

Ken: “Yes you are right and if I am correct I think this won't be that easy and we need to prepare for something because I don’t Jin to let us have an easy time.”

Everyone except Ken: “Ok we will be on guard.”

After that the remaining days were passing quickly and they were on the last day and there is only two hours left for them to leave this world and go out there.

The one thing that was going through all of their minds was the one single thought “-we need to eat some hot food as soon as we get out of this place. I am sick and tired of this place and that stupid cold food.”

They were reaching their limit and even though they adapted to it. They were getting sick of this and annoyed.

They were packing their essentials and they were closing the camp when they heard a booming sound. Before anyone could turn around Marcus was launched into the air by the punch of whatever creature they were facing.

They all turned around to see a creature standing tall around eleven feet tall and with a very bulky body covered in snow-white fur.

Elijah: “Marcus are you ok.” he went running to check on Marcus.

As Elijah was going to check on Marcus the giant creature raised its hand to strike at Elijah and he did not notice that the hand was nearing him but suddenly they all heard a voice “--Dance around the spirit of the atmosphere, lady of Darkness. Show this child your endless benevolence, and envelop us with the song of the night. Surround us become a great barrier of darkness and protect me and my allies–” Soon a barrier exuding black-colored mana erupted around Elijah and stopped the blow of the mighty creature.

They all turned toward the voice and it was Mika who used this new chant she learned from Raphtalia to save Elijah. As soon as Elijah was about to thank her she had fallen to her knees and panted in exhaustion. Ria immediately healed her.

Ken sensing there was no time immediately cast a huge firestorm toward the creature which suddenly stopped then all of a sudden they all heard the unmistakable voice of Jin Kizaraki.

Jin: “This is a test I am conducting and take it seriously. The objective of the test is to defeat the creature here known as yeti without any spells which cause the generation of heat.”

With those words being said his voice disappeared and they were all on edge because this was a truly dangerous situation. They all started to use the chants they thought would work against Yeti but their efforts were in vain.

The group: “Ice lance, water blade, earth dome, soul freeze.” None of their attacks were working and the beast seemed to have an endless supply of energy.

Ken: “Guys I have an idea but you guys need to protect me for a while and we need to heal Marcus. Also, Ria and Mika get ready to use the best buffing skill you got at my signal.”

Ria and Mika: “Ok. We will do our best.”

Ken: “--respectfully speak to you, my God that can break through anything, lead me from the precious heaven. Give my petty body the divine power of your grand body. Rescue them the light of purification, the lance of crushing evil. Sweep sword of suppression, the sacred lance of conquest. It arrives here now with my order. Descend from heaven, rule the earth--”

Defending was not easy for the group in this situation but it went well, and when the spell activated a lance made of pure white energy descended from the heavens and pinned the yeti.

When this happened Ken smirked and and put on a triumphant smile.

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What made him this happy find out in the next chapter.

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sorry for the small chapter and as an apology here is a small one shot 

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Title: Fading Echoes

The rain fell in a steady rhythm, casting a melancholic veil over the city streets. Grey clouds hung low in the sky, mirroring the heavy hearts of its inhabitants. Among them, a man named James walked with a slow, purposeful gait, his footsteps echoing his solitude.

James had always been a dreamer, a seeker of beauty in the simplest of things. But life had a way of altering the paths we tread. His wife, Lily, had been his muse, the light that illuminated his world. They had met during college, two souls drawn together by shared passions and aspirations. Their love had flourished like a wildflower, untamed and full of life.

They built a life together, their laughter and dreams intertwining like ivy. James pursued a career in photography, while Lily flourished as an artist. Their cozy apartment was a gallery of their shared journey, each corner a testament to their love.

But time is a fickle companion. A diagnosis no one expected shattered their world. Lily fell ill, a shadow of her former self. Days turned into nights at the hospital, with James clinging to hope like a lifeline. He documented their journey with his camera, capturing the rawness of their emotions through his lens. Each photograph told a story, etching their pain and love onto film.

Months turned into a year, and Lily's condition deteriorated. James stood by her side, his heart breaking with each labored breath she took. He watched as the vibrant colors of her artwork faded, mirroring the fading light in her eyes. They shared silent moments, their unspoken words heavy with the weight of their impending separation.

One rainy evening, as the drops pelted against the windowpane, James held Lily's fragile hand. The room was filled with a palpable stillness, a prelude to the inevitable. Lily turned to him, her gaze soft yet filled with a desperate urgency.

"Promise me something, James," she whispered, her voice barely a breath.

Tears welled in his eyes as he nodded, unable to form words.

"Promise me you'll keep capturing the beauty around you," she continued. "Even when I'm gone, find the moments of light in the darkness."

James choked back a sob, his grip on her hand tightening. "I promise, Lily. I'll carry your spirit in every photograph."

Lily smiled, a fragile yet radiant expression that etched itself into James' memory. Her hand went limp in his, and the room fell silent.

In the days that followed, James was a man adrift. The apartment that had once been filled with love now echoed with emptiness. He immersed himself in his photography, each click of the shutter a bittersweet tribute to the life they had shared.

He returned to the places they had frequented, finding solace in the familiarity of their memories. The park where they had their first date, the café where they shared quiet moments – every corner of the city whispered their story. And through his lens, he captured the essence of their love, a love that transcended time and space.

As the years passed, James' work gained recognition. His photographs were a symphony of emotions, a visual testament to the human experience. His subjects ranged from joyful celebrations to heart-wrenching moments of loss, a reflection of the dichotomy of life itself.

Yet, with each success, a pang of emptiness tugged at his heart. He had kept his promise to Lily, but the ache of her absence never truly waned. He lived in the shadows of their memories, unable to fully move forward.

One day, while wandering the city streets, James stumbled upon a gallery showcasing his work. As he walked through the exhibit, each photograph a mirror to his soul, he noticed a young woman standing before a particular image. Her eyes held a mixture of wonder and sorrow, a familiar combination.

Approaching her, he watched as her gaze remained locked on the photograph – a rainy scene of a couple embracing beneath an umbrella, their smiles a beacon of hope.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" James asked, his voice gentle.

The woman turned to him, tears shimmering in her eyes. "It's like a captured moment of pure emotion."

James nodded, his heart heavy with the weight of his memories. "Sometimes, the saddest moments hold the most beauty."

She offered him a small smile, a reflection of understanding. "Do you believe that even after we lose someone, their essence lingers in the world around us?"

James felt a lump form in his throat, Lily's face appearing before him like a fading echo. "I believe that the love we shared becomes a part of who we are, shaping the way we see the world."

The woman extended her hand, introducing herself as Emma. They stood together in the gallery, two souls connected by shared experiences of loss and love. And as they talked, James felt a glimmer of something he hadn't experienced in a long time – a connection, a sense of being understood.

Months turned into years, and James and Emma's bond deepened. She was a writer, her words a poignant reflection of the emotions he captured in his photographs. Together, they embarked on a journey of healing, finding solace in each other's presence.

One rainy afternoon, as they sat on a park bench, James turned to Emma. "Lily used to say that rain held secrets – stories of joy and sadness, all woven within its drops."

Emma smiled, her eyes reflecting the deep understanding between them. "And you, James, have the gift of capturing those stories for the world to see."

James looked out at the rain, his heart at once heavy and light. He felt Lily's presence in the gentle touch of the raindrops on his skin, in the echo of her laughter carried by the wind. She had become a part of him, a whisper in every photograph he took.

As they sat in the rain's embrace, two kindred spirits bound by loss and love, they knew that even in the midst of sadness, beauty could be found – a beauty that transcended time and connected souls across the canvas of life.