As Mira and her companions soared away from the collapsing city, the landscape below was a vision of destruction. Brightclipse City now lay in ruins. The colossal icy tornado, fueled by Elenei's miniature sun, had unleashed an apocalyptic fury that left nothing but desolation in its wake.
Mira's expression was stoic as she led the group away. She knew the fall of the Lionel Family and the devastation of Brightclipse City would send shockwaves throughout the continent.
Allies and enemies alike would be reevaluating their stance towards the Battle Maiden Sect, but only on the surface. The higher-ups of other powers wouldn't care about some random family with only 2 Mortal Shedding Realm Elders.
This was the reality of the cultivation world.
Behind her, Linnea clung to her daughter Hana, tears of relief and sorrow intermingling. The trauma of her captivity and the destruction of the city weighed heavily on her, but the warmth of her daughter's embrace pushed all that aside.
Rhydian, in her human form, carried Dominique, who looked back at the destruction with wide eyes, a mixture of awe and fear evident on her young face.
'I knew Mother was ruthless, but… wow.' She kept glancing at Mira, wondering what her thoughts were, but she only saw indifference. '...No wonder she never took me on her adventures.'
However, this opened her eyes a bit to the true face of the world. It was a heartless place. Without sufficient strength and willpower, one could easily be swept up in the chaos.
Dominique clenched her little fists as her gaze hardened. 'I don't want to be mere collateral damage in a battle between giants! I'll train hard and reach Mother's–No! I'll surpass Mother!'
Without even looking at her, Mira could sense the change in perspective and nodded in satisfaction. 'That's my disciple. I knew I hadn't chosen wrongly.'
"Ummm… Th-thank you, Miss…?" Suddenly, Linnea spoke up.
"Mira."
"Then, Miss Mira," Linnea smiled awkwardly, unsure of how to deal with this terrifying woman. "Thank you for saving me and taking care of my daughter. I don't know how I can ever repay you."
"It's fine." Mira waved her off. "I already got what I wanted in exchange."
"..."
Linnea's expression froze. She quickly turned to her daughter, who immediately looked away.
"...What did you do?" Her rough and hoarse voice only made her question seem scarier.
"I-I gave her the Hidden World technique."
"She's also my test subject." Mira chimed in, making the situation worse. Linnea nearly fainted in fright and anger.
***
It wasn't until they reached the next city that Hana was able to calm her Mother down and explain the misunderstanding. While Linnea partly understood what was going on, it would still take a while to clarify everything that happened from the time they were separated.
The group made their way toward an inn, quickly booking a few rooms without issue. Hana and Linnea headed to theirs, while everyone else had their own, except for Dominique.
Mira and Dominique sat on the bed in their room, leaving the others to their own devices.
However, it was only now that Mira thought that maybe repaying her favor to Hana first wasn't the smartest idea.
'What should I do now?'
Originally, she figured that Hana's mother was most likely dead, so she hadn't bothered planning for if she was alive.
'It's a little uncomfortable to head back to the Sect after just a single day. Once Aelina finds out I destroyed a city, I doubt she'll let me leave again.' Mira frowned, wondering if there was a way to sneak in, but shook her head. Nothing in the Sect escaped Aelina's gaze, especially not her presence.
'Then, does that mean I have to travel with extra baggage?' Her frown deepened.
In the quiet room, Mira sat pondering their next move, her gaze somewhat distant. Dominique, perched on the edge of the bed, watched her mother with curious eyes. She sensed the unusual hesitancy in Mira, a rare sight for the usually decisive woman.
"Mother, are we going to visit Aunt Maria next?" Dominique's question cut through the silence, her voice filled with a mix of excitement and concern. She hadn't seen Maria in a while.
Mira's eyes flickered with a brief moment of uncertainty before she masked it with a neutral expression. "I'm not sure yet," she replied, her voice betraying a hint of reluctance that didn't go unnoticed by Dominique.
"Is something wrong?" Dominique inquired, tilting her head. She never saw her mother hesitate about anything, let alone visiting her lover.
Mira let out a sigh, "...It's complicated," she finally said, brushing off the topic. "Alright! That's enough of that. Let's focus on something more important."
Dominique waited, her eyes fixed on Mira.
"We should head to the Northern Continent," Mira declared after a moment of contemplation. "With my affinity for ice, it's the best place for me to train and strengthen my abilities. And it's far enough from Aelina's immediate influence."
Dominique's eyes widened in surprise. "The Northern Continent? But isn't that..."
"Dangerous? Yes," Mira interjected, her gaze turning sharp. "The seas that separate the continents are known to be treacherous, despite the many unknowns surrounding them. The Northern Continent itself is a land of extremely harsh climates and strong beasts. From what I've heard, just living to the next day is difficult for most people. But it's precisely because of these things that make it the perfect training ground."
Dominique nodded slowly, absorbing Mira's words. The idea of such an adventure thrilled her, but she also felt a twinge of apprehension.
"What about Linnea and Hana?" Dominique asked. "Will they be coming with us?"
"That's the complication," Mira muttered, her brow furrowing. "They're nothing more than useless baggage, but..."
"We can't just leave them on their own." Dominique finished that sentence. She seemed extremely firm about her decision. Mira could tell that the little girl was going to fight her on this if she refused.
However, Dominique understood the dilemma. Hana and Linnea were just too weak. Someone will always have to protect them.
"We'll figure it out," Dominique said confidently, trying to reassure her mother.
Mira gave a slight nod before a small smirk tugged at her lips. "You'll figure something out. She's YOUR friend."
Dominique was stunned before she fell into thought. 'Mother's right. Hana is my friend, not hers. She's my responsibility.'
lightsnοvεl Suddenly, the thought of hellish training crossed her mind, and a similarly sinister smirk graced her lips.
Leaving the girl to her thoughts, Mira stood up and walked to the window. Her gaze drifted to the starry sky, her mind already planning the course to the Northern Continent. She knew little about that distant land. It was like a blank slate, one that she'd eventually dye red.
"Prepare yourself, Dominique," Mira said, her voice resolute. "Tomorrow, we'll head out to gather information."
Dominique nodded firmly. "I'm ready, Mother."
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