Age of Adepts

Floating City Reisin Garden.

The situation had become increasingly dire.

News from the north revealed that a starbeast had attacked Truth’s Light.

Though they had managed to dispose of the enemy thanks to the Arcane Emperor’s clone, the scattered invaders had still inflicted unimaginable losses and calamity onto the Arcane Empire.

Rural villages and cities fell one after another. Human settlement after human settlement was slaughtered and put to the torch. Morrian didn’t have much time left.

“My grandfather is calling me to leave already. I just want to ask you one last time. You…are you sure you don’t want to come with me?”

Lucia slowly stopped smiling and shook her head solemnly.

“Lucia, I…I take back what I said before. I won’t use this quota to force you to do anything. You…you will be free. Come with me. I won’t make you do anything you don’t want to do. I just want you to come with me. Is that okay?” Soren said with much difficulty. His face was twisted in pain. It was obvious that it had taken tremendous resolution to arrive at this decision.

Lucia was stunned for a second. She then smiled beautifully.

She took a step forward, caressed Soren’s face, and willingly offered her first kiss.

Just as Soren was overwhelmed with joy and tried to embrace her, Lucia took a firm step back and escaped his arms.

“Leave, Soren!” Lucia’s little face was blushing from the kiss. It was an enchanting sight, “This kiss will be my farewell gift. We might not be able to see each other ever again, so…I hope you leave without any lingering attachments. I hope you continue to work hard for the future of the Empire and the legacy of the arcane civilization!”

“No…Lucia, I…I can’t leave you here!” Soren clearly couldn’t accept the reality before him, having fallen from a mountain of bliss to the depths of the abyss. Even his voice was hoarse.

“I won’t leave!” The embarrassment faded from Lucia’s face as her eyes took on an unusual and sacred light, “My life belongs to the arcane! Even if death is staring at me the very next moment, I will not stop moving forward. That was my oath when I chose to become an arcane apprentice. It is also my lifelong pursuit. Even without this calamity, we were destined not to be together! I hope you can understand me.”

Soren’s expression was pained and sorrowful.

After a long pause, he finally stepped aside.

Lucia stared at him deeply and hurried back on her way.

Tears rolled down Soren’s cheek as he watched that beautiful yet determined figure disappear into the distance. It felt like a thousand knives in his heart.

An old arcanist had appeared beside Soren some time ago. He silently looked in the direction Lucia had disappeared, unconcealable loneliness and agony in his gaze.

“She is a good girl. Unfortunately, she does not belong to you!” The old man said casually in a melancholy tone, “If I had no attachments like her, I might have made the same choice. Sadly…”

The old man lowered his head and brooded in silence for a moment. Once he had recovered from his emotions, he lifted his head once again.

“Let’s go, Soren! There is no more hope here. The task of rebuilding a new Arcane Empire in a different world is not an easy one either. Your future does not lie here, but far away elsewhere. The glory of the arcane, the honor of the family. We are old now. You will have to be the one to pass on and carry forward this legacy of ours. So, get your spirits together and grit your teeth. Live strong, for the Arcane Empire, for the Jonas household.”

Soren’s body trembled slightly.

After a long pause, he finally wiped away his tears. He turned towards his grandfather and nodded, “I understand. Let’s go, granddad.”

Then, the two of them vanished in a flash of white light.