Chapter 57 - Helios (Part 6)Helios's hand instinctively moved to a cealed on, his fingers curling around the hilt. His jaw ched, eyes narrowing. "Roxana, what aren't you telling me?" His tone was taut with suspi.

  Roxana turo face Helios, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She cocked her head to one side, a lock of hair falling across her face. "Oh, nothing much," she purred, her voice dripping with faux innoce. "Just that Ossa might have a few... surprises." As she spoke, grotesque shapes emerged from the mist behiheir growls rising in a menag cresdo. The creatures' forms twisted and writhed, all teeth and cws and malevolent i. Helios's eyes widened, pupils diting with shock. His sword slid free with a metallic hiss, the bde gleaming in the dim light. "Roxana!" he shouted, his voice sharp with urgency. He dropped into a fighting stance, muscles taut and ready. But Roxana merely smiled, her posture rexed and uned. Her eyes drifted closed as if sav a pleasant memory, long shes brushing against her cheeks. "You know," she mused, her tone light and versational, "I've always thought monsters make the best party crashers." The creatures lunged forward, cws extended and jaing. Saliva dripped from yellowed fangs as they barreled towards the pair. In one fluid motion, Roxana raised her hands, her smile never faltering. Suddenly, the air crackled with energy, the hairs on Helios's arms standing on end. A burst of deep purple light erupted from her palms, illuminating her face with an otherworldly glow. The monsters' howls turo shrieks of agony as dark fmes engulfed them, redug their forms to ash in seds. The acrid st of burnt flesh filled the air, thid cloying. Roxana opened her eyes, her smile now tinged with satisfa. She brushed a speck of ash from her sleeve with casual elegance. "See? I told you this pce wasn't as abandoned as you thought." Helios stood frozen, his sword still raised, staring at the sm remains of their attackers. His chest heaved with rapid breaths, eyes wide with a mixture of awe and exasperation. "You... you could have mentiohat earlier," he managed, his voice hoarse. "And miss the look on your face?" Roxana ughed, the sound bright and melodious in the eerie silence. She stepped closer, patting his cheek pyfully. Her touch was light, almost teasing. "Where's the fun in that?" Helios's face suddenly went bnk, his expression unreadable. In one swift motion, he seized Roxana's hand that was toug his cheek, his grip firm but not painful. He leaned in close, looming over her with his imposing presence. His ruby-red eyes bore into hers, intense and unwavering. "Roxana," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "Your power is impressive, but this isn't a game. ime, warn me before you decide to ie our surroundings." Roxana's eyes widened, her smile remaining intact but now tinged with something akin to respect. She quietly snatched her hand back, holding it close to her chest with her other hand. Her gaze dropped, and in that moment, bathed ihereal glow of moonlight filtering through the mist, she looked like a goddess desded from the heavens. With a sudden, graceful movement, Roxana turned and walked away quietly, her steps barely disturbing the eerie silence of Ossa. Helios let out a sigh that seemed to say "As expected" and followed her, his own movements careful and measured ireacherous ndscape.-Night; Fortress of Ossa- As Helios and Roxana approached the fortress, its imposing silhouette materialized through the mist. T spires of obsidian pierced the night sky, their surfaces gleaming faintly in the moonlight. The fortress walls, seemingly carved from a single piece of dark stone, loomed before them, stretg impossibly high. At the base of the structure, a moat of swirling, inky water surrouhe fortress. A narre, barely wide enough for two to walk abreast, spahe gap. As they crossed, the bridge creaked ominously beh their feet, the sound eg in the eerie silenbsp;Reag the main gates, they found themselves face to face with two Azone guards, their armor as dark as the night itself. Roxana stepped forward, her voice clear and anding. "I am here to see your leader. Grant us entry." The guards exged gheir expressions hidden behind ornate helmets. "We have no orders to admit visitors," one growled. Roxana's eyes narrowed. "I am the Princess of Kior, niece of your leader. You will let us pass." The sed guard scoffed. "Anyone cim a title. Prove it, or be gone." Frustration fshed across Roxana's face. With a swift motion, she pushed back her hood, revealing her face fully in the moonlight. Her hand moved to her cloak, pulling it aside to expose a brilliant sapphire neckce that seemed to glow with an inner purple fme. "This jewel of Kior should be proof enough," she decred, her voice tinged with impatienbsp;The guards studied the neckce, then nodded relutly. "Very well. We will take you to the head of ma. But know that you are watched." As they ehe true scale of the fortress became apparent. Vast halls stretched in every dire, their ceilings lost in shadow. Staircases spiraled impossibly, defying the ws of physics. The air hummed with barely tained magical energy. They passed workshops filled with are apparatus, bubbling cauldrons, and floating crystals. In one chamber, a miniature gaxy swirled above a table, stars winking in and out of existence. In another, shadowy figures danced across the walls, enag battles long past. Finally, they reached a grand door, intricately carved with ses of quest and power. The guards ushered them inside, where they found themselves in a spacious, dimly lit room. A massive window dominated one wall, a view of the misty ndscape below. Before it sat a high-backed chair, its oct hidden from view. Helios remained alert, his eyes sing for potential threats as they awaited the revetion of the Azone leader.-In the Leader's Study; Night in Ossa- The Azone guard announced, his voice eg in the cavernous room, "My dy, a girl g to be your niece seeks audience." Roxana stepped forward, her posture regal despite the journey's toll. "I have e, Aunt," she decred, her voice steady but with a hint of challenge. A moment of tense silence followed, broken only by the faint hum of magical energies permeating the fortress. Then, a voice emanated from the chair, low and devoid of warmth. "Leave us," it ahe guards bowed slightly and swiftly exited, the heavy door closing behind them with a resounding thud. Slowly, the high-backed chair rotated. The woman revealed had hair of a deep, burnt e, casg over her shoulders in intricate braids. Her face, framed by this fiery mane, bore pierg dark blue eyes that seemed to hold turies of knowledge and power. Her rested on her fist, arm propped on the chair's ornate armrest, giving her an air of casual authority. Her expression was a mask of trolled anger, eyes narrowed as she regarded her expected visitors. The ers of her mouth turned down slightly, hinting at displeasure or perhaps disappoi. Helios remained outwardly calm, but his muscles tensed imperceptibly, ready for whatever might unfold in this tense reunion. The air in the room seemed to thi, charged with unspokeions and the weight of history between aunt and he tension in the room greable as the aunt's gaze shifted to Helios. Her eyes narrowed, voice ced with trolled anger as she spoke in Japahe nguage of the Kiorians. "Soba ni iru sono otoko wa dare da?" Transtion: "Who is that man beside you?" she asked, her trolled anger evident in her narrowed eyes. Roxana replied coolly, her posture remaining regal despite the hostility radiating from her aunt. "Koroshin no futago desu." Transtion: "The twin of the killer." The aunt's face turned ral, though her eyes betrayed a hint of curiosity. She crossed one leg over the other, leaning forward slightly in her chair. Her fingers drummed on the armrest before she spoke again. "Naze kare wo tsurete kita no? Soshite, nani ga kimi wo kare to tomodai saseta no?" Transtion: "Why did y him along? And what caused you to befriend him?" Her eyes glinted dangerously, her face taking on a menag aspebsp;Roxana stood her ground, her lifting slightly as she responded. Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of determination. "Kare wa watashi ga ryuu no honoo no chikara wo motsu kodomo wo umu tame no shokubai ni naru deshou. Watashi wa sono jouken wo mitasu koto ga dekiru to kakushin shiteimasu." Transtion: "He'll be the catalyst I'll use to give birth to a child that will bear the powers of the dragon fmes. I'm aware and I am fident I meet the ditions to give birth to a child capable of such a miracle." The aunt's eyes widened in shock, her posure crag for a moment. She half-rose from her chair, her voice rising. "NANI WO ITTERU NO? Ryuu wa-" Transtion: "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE SPOUTING? Dragons are no-" Roxana interrupted, her voice firm. "Watashi wa sono jouken wo mitasu koto ga dekiru to kakushin shiteimasu." Transtion: "I'm aware and I am fident I meet the ditions to give birth to a child capable of such a miracle." The aunt gritted her teeth violently, sinking bato her chair. Her fingers gripped the armrests tightly as she spoke, her voice strained with barely tained frustration. "Demo, sonna ni nagai jikan matenai! Keikaku wo hajime, kougeki wo tateru, Azones wo kunren shi, jouhou wo atsumeru hitsuyou ga-" Transtion: "But we 't wait that long! We need you to begin the pn, strategize the attacks, train the Azones, gather information and-" Roxana cut her off again, her voice level but firm. "Domino kara tasukemasu."Transtion: "I will help from Domino." The aunt's patience was clearly wearing thin. She leaned forward, her eyes fshing with anger. "Dame da! Dominion ni anata no shigoto wo sukoshi demo shiraretara ikenai. Hisoka ni yattemo, itsuka wa baresou. Wareware ga dore dake okure wo totte iru ka wakaru? Moshi Alizah ga saki ni kougeki shitara dou suru? Anata wa sonna ni eagerly ni karera no shokuji ni naritai no?" Transtion: "You ot! We 't let the Dominions know of your work to the slightest. Even if you do it secretly, you will be caught one way or another. 't you see how far behind we are? What will we do if the Alizahs attack first? Do you wish to bee their meal so eagerly?" Roxana remained calm, though her hands ched slightly at her sides. "Dakara koso, ryuu no ko wo umu koto de warera no shouri wo yakusoku shiyou to shiteiru no desu." Transtion: "That's why I have been suggesting bearing a child of the Dragon so our victory is promised." The aunt's face torted with a mix of anger and frustration. She stood abruptly, her voice rising to a near shout. "Demo, sono ko wa dou naru? Anata ya sono ko ga tashika ni ryuu no honoo wo motsu ta hoshousuru no? Mou anata no orokana kangae ni wa kyoumi ga nai. Ien dake ataeru. Moshi umareta ko ga hontou ni ryuu no honoo no mochiushi nara, yorokonde sodatete. Sou de nakereba, umanakatta you ni Ossa ni modotte kuru koto. Ka saigo no kotoba da. Anata no jinsei nado dou demo ii. Anata wa watashi no tsubasa no shita ni ari, watashi no meirei dake ni shitagau beki da. Sou de nakereba, anata no kawaii kyoudai-tachi wo tsugi no shokuji ni shiyou." Transtion: "But what about the child? What guarantees or promises us that you surely or that child will surely bear the dragon fmes, huh? I don't care anymore about your foolish little ideas. I'll give you 1 year, and if the child born is actually a dragon fmes owhen gdly raise it, if not, do not even dream about it aurn to Ossa like you never gave birth. That is my final warding you. I don't give a shit about your f*g life or whatsoever, you are under my wing and shall listen to me only and act as I and, or else, I will have your sweet little siblings as my meal." Throughout this heated exge, Helios remained silent, his muscles tense and ready for a. Though he couldn't uand the words, the aunt's increasingly aggressive body nguage and tone made it clear that her iions were far from benevolent. His eyes darted between Roxana and her aunt, prepared to intervene if necessary.To be tinued...