At that moment, Orion finally opened his mouth and spoke, "No, I don't." He wrapped his arms around Aerialia, burying his head against her bosom. "It's all just too... difficult," he admitted.
Aerialia took a deep breath and leaned in closer, her voice becoming earnest. "I know, I've witnessed everything, and from what I've seen, there's one thing that made it even more difficult for you: your mortal grasp on freedom and debauchery. True debauchery is about embracing life's pleasures and joys without shame, unshackled by fear and restraint. It isn't just about excess and indulgence, but about embracing the chaos and messiness of life and letting yourself live fully within it," she responded.
She continued, "Freedom isn't about running away from challenges or pain but choosing the path that brings you fulfilment and joy, even if it's not the easiest one. It's about having the courage to unapologetically be yourself, to follow your heart's desires without fear or hesitation. True freedom is not found in escaping your responsibilities and abandoning everyone you hold dear, so please, don't abandon everyone and everything."
"I won't," Orion responded, his voice resounding across his consciousness.
"I know you won't once I talk some sense into you," Aerialia responded, her expression tinged with happiness and sadness. She could sense Orion's consciousness weakening even more, which meant he would soon be entirely consumed by the Vylkr energy.
At this moment, there was little she could do; the only option she had was to sacrifice herself for his recovery. However, like any Vylkr warrior, Orion was so intertwined with the Vylkr energy that the only way to make him recover at this moment was to entirely rid him of the Vylkr energy, rendering him back to that of an ordinary mortal.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAs for whether he would be able to become a Vylkr warrior again, that would depend on how much of his body had been spared from the ravages of the Vylkr energy. Also, if Orion dies here, then she follows him as well.
After pondering for another solution for a while, Aerialia discovered none. With no other choice left, she gritted her teeth. Suddenly, her wings wrapped around Orion and expanded dramatically, multiplying in size several times over, disrupting the space within Orion's consciousness until the only thing that remained was her two enormous folded wings with Orion and herself within them.
As though sensing what was happening, Orion looked around him, his gaze settling on Aerialia in bewilderment.
"Don't say anything," Aerialia whispered, silencing Orion's words with a finger before wrapping her arms around him even tighter.
"I'll handle everything from here on," she added.
An incredible light emanated from her, spreading outward and taking shape as it formed a protective sphere around Orion's consciousness before expanding outward.
Outside, the small Crimson Greatsword mark on Orion's right hand shone brightly, and a wave of divine energy emerged, pushing and opposing the Vylkr energy.
It spread through his body, dousing the ferocious surge of Vylkr energy attempting to consume him. However, as the divine energy tried to mend Orion's ruptured veins and cracked skin, a flicker of white flame began to glow deep within his heart.
This was the essence of the half-true god, known as the Great God of Creation and Illusion - the manmade god, White Flame.
Although he could not become a true god, his essence still contained remnants of Primordial energy that responded fiercely to divine energy. Like a slumbering giant awakening from its sleep, the flicker of White Flame ignited with a fierce, cleansing fire that spread through his veins.
As though sensing what was occurring, Aerialia halted her actions in shock.She hadn't expected that trying to help and restore Orion back to a safer condition would cause the flicker of White Flame within him to react fiercely, seeingher asa threat.
Aerialia initially thought that the flicker of White Flame would only be helpful if Orion ever embarks on a journey to become a god, yet it turned out she was wrong.
It knitted his cracked skin together, mended his broken bones, and healed his ruptured veins, making them stronger and more robust than they were before.
Then, it subdued the overbearing wave of Vylkr energy, guiding it steadily toward his heart and brain, stabilizing them as Orion unconsciously completed the two Vylkr containers in both positions.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmOutside, Aurora gradually lost her strength as she observed the immense surge of Vylkr energy around Orion's body growing more potent, threatening to consume his entire being.
The Pixies, including High King Eldric and the rest of the Pixie Kingdom's most influential individuals, hovered beside her, observing the scene before them with a complicated gaze, unsure of what to say or do.
At that moment, a bright bluish streak of lightning shot out of the dense surge of countless inky threads of Vylkr energy, stretching outward until it reached the shore.
Witnessing this sudden scene, Aurora quickly picked herself up from the ground and gazed forward hopefully.
Meanwhile, the Pixies stared in disbelief and shock.
Another wave of bluish lightning streaks streaked outward on the outside, stretching across the Divine Essence Lake before dissipating once it reached the shore.
Moments later, the immense surge of Vylkr energy unexpectedly began to subside as several more flickers of bluish lightning crackled and spread outward. Orion was now covered in a brilliant bluish hue, causing the weakest among them to shut their eyes.
The others continued to observe as the intensity of the emerging bluish streaks of lightning around Orion increased, enveloping the entire Divine Essence Lake until it looked like nothing but a bluishsea of flickering lightning.
"ARRGGGHHH!!"
A guttural roar suddenly tore through the area around the Lake, echoing towards the heavens.
Within the bluish sea of flickering lightning, Orion finally regained consciousness. "…I will not give up!" he growled, forcing his body to endure unimaginable pain as the white flame healed and restored his body. Gradually, the agony subsided and was replaced by a fierce, unyielding strength.