The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

"I love you."

Emily's confession made Frederick tremble; her words echoed endlessly in his mind. The same heart he tried to kill long ago was now beating wildly and was out of control.

"Speechless?" Emily stroked Frederick's cheek as her eyes lowered. "What about you? Do you love me?"

"Why?" Frederick finally spoke.

"Hmm?" Emily tilted her head.

"How can you be in love with me? This isn't another illusion, is it?" Frederick couldn't believe it and shouted.

Emily was silent for a moment, still smiling. Suddenly, she slammed her fist into Frederick's face but held onto him to prevent him from separating from her. Her eyes narrowed as she said, "Was that an illusion? You dare take my feelings so cheaply."

Frederick recoiled and coughed; his yellow eyes focused on Emily. Her bright orange hair and eyes were like a warm lamp on this stormy night. He couldn't help but ask again, "But why? I left you and Oscar to cut off this relationship, so why are you in love with me?"

Emily sighed and hugged Frederick again. This time her face was flushed to the brim to her ear tips; the same occurred for Frederick.

"What can I say? Did it start when I helped bandage your wounds during the Night Raptor mission? Or when we went as a pair to hunt Blood Baboons while Oscar was in prison? I can't say, but I was so devastated and sad when you just left." Emily's embrace tightened.

"Every time your name was brought up, I felt a sinking feeling in my heart. I rushed to find you at the Floating Islands of Edin but had to leave because of circumstances. I only wanted to see you once in all this time."

"Emily…." Frederick could feel the arms wrapped around him, trembling.

Emily continued, "When I went through your memories, you don't know how happy I was to talk and laugh with you, even when it was just an illusion. How often have I wanted to interfere and comfort you when you were down? You never had anyone do that for you, right?"

She pulled away from his embrace and kissed him again. "I'm here for you. You can lean on my shoulders, and I'll listen."

Frederick cried. Tears began to flow uncontrollably, falling onto the ground. He tried to stop it, but his sleeves were getting wet to the brim.

Then a soft pair of hands brought him in close.

Emily brought Frederick to her chest, embracing him with tender love, and kissed his head. She could see the seven-year-old Frederick, who lived sadly under the cold gaze of his father, the ten-year-old Frederick, who watched from the sidelines at Teresa, and Gilbert, the fourteen-year-old Frederick, who lamented as Teresa fell.

All their images imposed together on Frederick in her soft embrace. She hugged him tighter, comforting all versions of Frederick.

Frederick continued to cry. When has anyone ever comforted him like this?

"Geez, if you cry this much, you'll drench this maid uniform, although it's just an illusion." Emily patted Frederick's head; her orange eyes relaxed with her smile. "So what about you? Do you love me?"

Frederick released himself from Emily's embrace and looked into her eye, noticing her fingers fidgeting around. It was obvious she was nervous about his answer. Frederick looked up at the stormy night sky.

He remembered the first time they ran into each other at the Mission Hall. The brash and obnoxious attitude she had displayed at their first conversation, followed by her caring treatment. The time when they hunted the Blood Baboons and how he thought she was cute. She even cut her hair in repentance for her actions, but Frederick still thought that was beautiful.

He remembered her sad face when he departed. Deep down, he felt guilty for Teresa and sought to chase after ghosts rather than the ones beside him. What sort of person would he be to break a girl's heart twice?

Suddenly, more images flowed into his mind. It was everything Emily had done during her time in the illusion. The way she carefully dressed him and combed his hair and the way she stood silently by his side with a soft expression.

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"I'm an idiot…." Frederick murmured.

"An idiot?" Emily chuckled. "Yes, you are."

Frederick also laughed, the first time he had laughed in a long while. "I'm an idiot for not realizing sooner. I was so overcome by the thought of revenge that you were right. I was like Gilbert, abandoning you and Oscar for my goals."

"Frederick…."

"But I can't do that anymore. Not when you're here for me." Frederick held Emily's hands and said, "I love you."

"Really?" Emily's lips trembled.

"I do. If you're willing to be with an idiot like me." Frederick smiled.

"Of course! I know you're a dunce to your core. But I love you all the same." Emily stood up with Frederick, their hands together.

This time Frederick brought his lips close and kissed her. The two embraced each other and were lost in their moment of love. The stormy clouds cleared up to reveal the dazzling stars of the night sky.

"Girl! You need to hurry!" Albert interrupted their intimate moment.

"Oscar!" Emily shouted. "We need to help, Oscar. Frederick, hurry up and kick Kan out of your body!"

"Os!" Frederick exclaimed. "No problem!"

Frederick's Ein surged, sending ripples through this illusion world. The trees bent, and the leaves scattered as the grounds twisted like clay being molded. "Kan, the deal's off. Stop hurting my friend!"

The illusion world rumbled, the trees distorted more, and developed faces on their trunks. There were so many faces of various people, from the young to the elderly.

"No, Frederick. Your body is mine!" The trees uprooted and charged at Frederick.

Emily summoned her staff anima and swung it like a baseball bat, making many home runs with the trees. "Elder! Do you feel it weakening?"

"Yes, the chains are loosening. Your friend must keep it up, and we'll have driven Kan out." Albert replied.

A crash of thunder resounded in the illusion world as the ground quaked. Frederick clenched his teeth and shouted, increasing the output of his Ein. He was forcibly driving Kan out of his Exolsia Core.

"Bastard! I said I would kill Gilbert for you!" Kan was not as strong in holding down Frederick because the hatred in the core was being overwritten. As a last-ditch effort, he manifested Teresa in front of Frederick.

"Fred…." Teresa's voice shook Frederick for a moment.

"Teresa…."

"Frederick! It's not her! Don't be distracted." Emily focused her Ein on her staff and scattered a bunch of animals that now tried to attack them.

"Don't listen to her. You said you loved me! Was it all a lie?" Teresa shouted.

The storms raged on as Frederick stared at this specter for a moment. He blinked his eyes to regain his composure.

"No, it wasn't. The feelings I had for you were real, and I can never forget you." Frederick said.

Teresa's face brightened up, but Frederick's next words made her scowl. "However, I need to move on. I have people waiting for me."

Frederick turned to Emily, who was fighting off the monstrosities.

"I was the worst of us all, Teresa. I did to them what Gilbert did to us and was about to do what you did to me. But they stood by me and never gave up on me. I will spend the rest of my life atoning for how much I hurt them."

Teresa's expression grew more twisted. This was all wrong!

Teresa screamed, "What about revenge?! How can you sit still while Gilbert is out there?"

"I still hate him," Frederick admitted. "But I realize now there are far more important things than worrying about that asshole."

Teresa cried out, and she became a horrific monster

"I. know you're not the real Teresa, but I want to say farewell. I will live for myself and Emily and Os now. You can rest now." Frederick stomped his foot. His green Ein washed over the illusion world, cracking the sky and the borders.

"NOOOOOOO!" Kan's screams echoed and distorted until the illusion shattered.

Emily and Frederick floated about above the green core that was now freed from the chains. Frederick's hawk anima soared freely and screeched loudly.

"Good! Kan is out! Let us return and finish this once and for all." Albert's soul was cracked in several places, but his excitement was not dampened.

"Emily." Frederick held onto Emily's hands with an apologetic expression. "Let's go to Os."

"Yes!" Emily teared up. "We'll fight together."

…….

"Hah hah," Oscar stood up as his grip loosened on the buckler; it was cracked all over and on the verge of breaking apart. However, he snorted at his weakness and clenched harder. "Is that all you got?"

"Bastard…." Kan's teeth chattered and ground together. "What the hell is this? How do you have the Prinstyct and the power of Reis?! What kind of madman are you to try to learn those at this stage?"

Even though he possessed the body of a Greater Apprentice Exalt like Frederick, Kan was still the remnant of a Knight Exalt. The supplement power he provided should have ended Oscar long ago.

But the boy's physical power was beyond his expectations, and his attacks were countered or dodged save for those carried out with great effort.

"I don't need the worries of a Wraith." Oscar took up his stance. "Come!"

On the borders of the room were swirling mixes of purple and black Ein that constantly tried to destroy each other. Abe and Kan were interlocked in a battle of creating and dispelling illusions; neither was gaining the upper hand.

"GAAHHHHH!" Kan screamed in anguish and staggered around, nearly dropping to the floor. "Frederick! YOU!"

"Fred?"

"Oscar! This is the moment! Kan is being forced out. They're doing it!" Abe exclaimed.

"He's coming back?"

"DAMN YOU!!!"

A swirl of black Ein released like vapors pouring out of every pore on Frederick's body.

Once all the black Ein was gone. Emily suddenly woke up with Albert on her shoulder. "Oscar!"

"Emily! Does that mean Fred is back?"

"Here…"

Oscar flipped his head at the source of the voice.

Frederick was lying on the floor, breathing heavily and groaning at the pain of the grievous wounds on his body.

"I'm back, Os."

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