Chương 336: Epilogue 10. Worthy

Silent Amber Cicada, second child and eldest daughter of Kite and Dragonfly, took a steadying breath as she straightened out her robes. A glance at a mirror hanging to her side revealed that - yes - the mane of unruly curls she had inherited from her mother was still kept at bay by the numerous hairpins set to the task, each with a small crystal dangling from them.

Being the child of the Pathbreaker and the Flower Blooming in Flames, both names echoing all over the northern parts of the kingdom and beyond, had not started weighing on her until she was nearing adulthood and she realized the example the pair had set.

Her father especially, although she suspected that her mother would make her own splash should she reach gold rank; the children of the orphanage on their lands almost worshipping Dragonfly after all the training sessions and tutelage she had offered over the years and had spread her name after reaching adulthood and finding their place in the world. But today, Cicada's nervousness was not due to anything directly related to her parents.

This was a moment of proving for her and her alone, and her feelings on the matter were apparently rather obvious to her companion.

"While I do encourage a young mistress of your standing to remain composed and poised, I do believe that you can treat yourself to relaxing just a little, Cicada," Auntie Glint said as she lounged on a nearby divan in her draconian form while two young female servants carefully cleaned her scales.

Most of the capital knew her as Heavenly Star Glinting in the River of Fate, Bejeweled Guardian of Heavenward and patron of crafters of all things fine and shining, but to Cicada and the others she had been Auntie Glint for as long as any of them could remember.

"I… Know, Auntie. I just… I hope I'm worthy."

"The heavens at least seem to think that you are, given the power that has awakened in you. One might even call it fate," Glint replied sagely before thanking her servants and dismissing them, floating over seemingly carried by a long and flowing shawl of shimmering water that almost took Cicada's breath away even after having known the dragon for her whole life.

"But more importantly, know that you are at least worthy to me, Cicada. Now only one remains to whom you need to prove yourself. We might as well head over now. She has awakened from her nap, and seems most energetic."

A short walk through a few adjoining rooms of Auntie Glint's opulent compound had them emerge into a secluded garden dominated by a majestic pond where Cicada's magical perception - still rather new and unusual to her, having been an iron-ranker for but three months - revealed hints of plentiful arrays of all kinds that would help keep anyone inside concealed, comfortable and safe.

As if that was not enough, an armored draconian - one member of Auntie Glint's harem - stood guard inside, the silver-ranked man throwing Cicada a suspicious glance even though he had seen her numerous times over the years. She was about to greet him, but a tiny splash from the pond interrupted her as a small carp with shining pink scales streaked with blue shot out of the water, carried upon a small cushion of liquid.

It - or rather she - almost crashed into Glint before swerving to the side, making several laps around her mother before snuggling up to Glint's scaled cheek. As she did, Cicada also noted two tiny crystalline nubs above the carp's eyes, hinting of the same crystal as Glint's magnificent antlers.

"Hello there, little gem. Had a good nap?" Glint asked, but the carp had already noticed Cicada and floated over. It looked most curious but a bit more apprehensive as its small eyes and pair of wiggling, mustache-like tendrils took her in, and Cicada thought that this might be her chance.

"I greet the Young Mistress," she said, bowing deep to the small carp as she spoke.

"My name is Silent Amber Cicada, second oldest child of your mother's bonded companion. I possess the crystal, water and light essences, leading to the refractory confluence. Through the generosity of your mother, an awakening stone of the dragon has led to me awakening the opportunity to bond a familiar, and I would be honored if you would consider me as a candidate. My aim is to be an adventurer and to work hard to reach the heavens!"

Silence reigned after Cicada, heart beating, finished the presentation she had prepared and rehearsed, leaving her standing there still bowing. Eventually though, it became too unbearable to simply remain standing as such, and she carefully looked up at the carp who in turn still regarded her with a quizzical expression.

"Is this the one you had in mind to bond the honored heiress?" came the gruff voice of the draconian from across the yard, his disapproval causing Cicada to blush even despite herself.

"Her father would be less than pleased."

"I believe that First Consort Monsoon well knows that I and I alone will be the one whose opinion here matters besides little Glitter's own," Glint replied haughtily, turning one golden eye to regard the other draconian who seemed to realize his mistake as his green scales visibly paled.

"Your scheming nature does not become you in this regard, Consort Emerald. Use those talents where they are actually appreciated, lest you risk becoming the subject of my displeasure."

"O-of course, Mistress," the draconian managed to choke out before straightening again, staring straight ahead as if he wanted to spontaneously manifest an essence power to completely vanish from sight.

"Do not care for the words of fools, Cicada," Glint then said, turning to her with a much kinder look in her eyes.

"But do consider who you are standing before. Little Glitter here is but a year old, and while that is much different to her than - say - a human child, it is still something you should consider when making such an important request. Think this through somewhat, and try again." This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Cicada - still blushing, another tendency inherited from her mother - straightened at her words and started furiously thinking even while part of her panicked as little Glitter's attention started wandering in the silence as the carp started playing among her mother's crystal antlers. Then she understood - or at least she hoped she did - and thus started channeling her mana.

Months of training had familiarized Cicada with the process somewhat, but it still sent a shiver of excitement through her as her crystal staff appeared in her hands. The conjuration was as tall as she was, capped with a circular head that felt reminiscent of her father's favored weapon although it lacked the chiming rings.

But then another one of Cicada's powers activated, streams of water appearing around the weapon to form sash-like tendrils that followed the head of the staff like streamers as she started carefully moving it along the patterns of a now well-drilled staff kata. This immediately caught the attention of little Glitter, who happily swerved away from her mother's crystal crown of horns to instead follow the staff around while playing with the tendrils of water.

Then Cicada let her third essence and confluence come into play, conjuring normally protective balls of light whose glow broke into the full spectrum of colors as the inside of the garden was turned into a rainbow landscape, much to the obvious and thorough delight of the little carp. Cicada couldn't help herself, losing her composure as she started laughing as Glitter played with such enthusiasm as she too lost herself in the merriment.

She didn't know how long they ran along the edge of the garden, skipping and dancing like she had back when she was a much more carefree child. However, the end came a bit abruptly as Cicada lost herself enough to accidentally trip and fall face first into the pond, which Glitter only seemed to enjoy even more. As such, she was completely drenched in water both manipulated and conjured for the next few minutes before the little carp finally ran out of energy, swam into Cicada's lap and promptly fell asleep.

"You too have much of your father in you, I see," Glint then remarked, having stood silently and witnessed the whole spectacle.

"As long as you manage to stop and think, there is always wisdom to be found."

"I… This isn't how I imagined this would go," Cicada murmured, still a bit embarrassed but also happy as he stroked the little fish as if she was a sleeping kitten.

"Do… Do you think..?"

"I believe that it might be time to do your ritual and find out," Glint replied, gesturing to an open space in the garden.

"At least little Glitter has now gotten to know you, your path and your heart a bit better, Cicada. The magic of the ritual will convey the rest in a way she will understand."

"I… Of course," Cicada said, carefully cradling the sleeping carp over one arm as she emerged, Glint being kind enough to guide the water away from her body so that the dripping wouldn't disturb the ritual that came with her familiar power. Cicada still took her time as she used one hand to draw it out and place the appropriate reagents, happy for the practice she had done before now that her other hand was occupied.

"Father and you never did a ritual like this though? If you don't mind me asking?" Cicada asked while she worked, Auntie Glint standing nearby to inspect the growing circles.

"No, we did not. He has told you about the scales, I assume?"

"He has, although I have none at the moment."

"Well, consuming one seems to give my kind the power to offer a bond of our own. Very convenient, but not as powerful as that of a true essence power. Going this route will probably be more beneficial to little Glitter in the long run, should she wish it, and should she accept she will be further empowered by your growing essence power. She might not even need the scales to develop like I did."

"I… See," Cicada replied thoughtfully. Soon thereafter, she was finished, and then sat down in the middle.

"Should I wait for her to wake up?"

"I don't think that necessary," Glint replied, now seated upon a nearby mound of pillows which had - through some grace of discreet servants - somehow appeared in the garden.

"Go ahead, child." Following the instinctual knowledge, Cicada did just that. Her mana started feeding into the circles which lit up. As the awakening stone of the dragon had bonded to her water essence, it would call upon most serpents of the water eligible to serve the role of familiar, and it seemed that Cicada would not have to wait for a reaction.

Glitter awoke a mere few seconds after the light started glowing from the circles, zooming into the air to curiously inspect them before she stopped, seeming to listen to something that none but her could hear. Cicada stood frozen, holding her breath as the little carp that would eventually become a dragon then looked toward her, golden eyes meeting hers for a few agonizingly extended seconds.

Then, seemingly without another care in the world, Glitter floated up and bumped her little forehead against Cicada's before floating a bit to her side to continue to play with the crystal staff. But to Cicada, that little bump suddenly awakened something entirely new, the ritual seeming to latch onto her soul as it flashed once more before winking out. Sensation and emotion started flooding into her through a bond that had not been there a moment before.

Excitement, curiosity, joy; all those emotions and more could be felt even though they were not Cicada's own, although she soon found herself mirroring them to the fullest along with relief as a smile broke out on her lips.

"Well," Glint said, rising and gliding over to the now bonded pair.

"It seems like my little Glitter, gem of my house and first of my line, shall be in your care as well from now on. Thank you, daughter of my bond. I look forward to seeing you both grow."

"Th-thank you, Auntie Glint," Cicada replied, still mesmerized by all the emotion and impressions flooding from the little carp. She did manage to finish though.

"I believe that I shall be in her care as well."