The color drained from Grace’s face as she heard Cyran’s words. The sliver of hope she had been clinging to was now on the verge of shattering completely because of his revelation.
She could almost picture her father consuming that elixir of immortality, only to transform into something monstrous.
The vision crushed her beneath a wave of despair and helplessness. Judith quickly kneeled to support her, and her eyes reddened as well.
Dustin watched in silence, offering no words of comfort. He knew some realities had to be faced head-on. Cyran looked at the distraught Grace and sighed.
“Young lady,” he said gently, “it’s not that I would deny your devotion to your father, but fate is cruel. To harness the essence of the Void-Tyrant Dragon is like drinking poison to quench your thirst. In the end, it would only hasten its escape from the binding seal.
“When that happens, countless lives will be lost and everything you hope to protect will vanish. This is the weight of great karma, a sin far too heavy for anyone to bear.”
He paused, then his gaze swept over Dustin and the others before continuing, “I, along with Thymaleon, Mirage, and another, am the guardian of this island’s binding seal. Our duty has been passed down through generations to prevent the dragon from breaking free.
“Though your intrusion here was unintentional, it has still intensified the binding seal’s instability. Heed my advice and leave now before you venture into the heart of the island.
“The spiritual herbs you’ve found on this island may help treat ordinary ailments if purified properly, but to think they can reverse death is sheer delusion.”
His warning was earnest and carried serious consequences, exposing the ultimate secret of Elysium Isle and the cruel truth behind the elixir of immortality.
Should Grace persist on the path that could trigger catastrophe for a slim chance at saving her father? Or should she abandon her final hope for the greater good, leaving with the bitter weight of having failed her duty to him?
Her head drooped slightly, and her shoulders trembled as an unprecedented internal struggle raged within her.
The memory of her father’s kindness, her mother’s dying words, the hopes of a nation resting on her shoulders, and Cyran’s description of the Void-Tyrant Dragon breaking free and destroying everything-all of it collided in her mind.
Dustin stood quietly beside Grace. He didn’t urge her to decide, knowing this was a choice only she could make.
After a long silence, she slowly lifted her head. The tears on her cheeks hadn’t yet dried, but her eyes gradually became clear and resolute.
She looked at Cyran, her voice hoarse but carrying the strength of someone who had finally broken through her doubts as she said, “Sir, I understand your advice.”
She took a deep breath and continued slowly, “As a daughter, I can never forget my duty to save my father. But as a princess, I must put the welfare of all people first.
“If my selfish desires unleash this evil and bring suffering to countless lives, my father would never forgive me, even if he recovered, and neither could I. I would rather die than live with that guilt.”
She struggled to her feet and added, ” Thank you for showing me the truth. I am willing to give up the search for the Dragonblood Fruit.”
The moment she said those words, the weight on her shoulders lifted. However, it was replaced by a grief even heavier than before.
“For one so young to understand righteousness so clearly is truly rare,” Cyran said. A flicker of admiration and relief passed through his eyes.
But then his tone shifted, layered with a new, unspoken meaning “However… Your father may still have a chance with his condition.”
Grace’s head snapped up, and a faint spark of hope reignited in her eyes. Cyran looked toward the heart of the Vitalis Pool, where the spiritual energy was most dense.
He said slowly, “The water at the pool’s core is concentrated with the natural essence of the world. It naturally possesses the effect of cleansing impurities and nourishing vitality.
“While they cannot truly bring back the dead, they might offer a sliver of hope of extending life or treating chronic ailments. However…”
His expression darkened. “The central zone is the binding seal’s most vulnerable spot, a place where the Void-Tyrant Dragon’s consciousness can probe. It is extremely dangerous.
“And remember, I am not the only guardian of this seal. Thymaleon was defeated by you, and Mirage’s illusions were broken. Though they’ve temporarily retreated, we don’t agree on how to handle this situation…”
Cyran left the sentence unfinished, but his meaning was clear. The path ahead remained fraught with danger and uncertainty.
Grace wiped her tears away, her resolve hardening into something unshakeable.
“Even if there is only a sliver of hope, I would walk through a den of dragons and a valley of demons to grasp it. Please show us the way,” she said.
Cyran looked at her, then at the unwavering Dustin. With a flick of his staff, he pointed toward the Vitalis Pool, where blue and crimson waters swirled together.
“To reach the core, you must cross the Featheredge Deep. Upon its surface, no feather floats, and no bird can fly. Only by using your own pure spiritual energy or special magical artifacts can you temporarily part the waters and create a path. And beneath the waters… your true trial awaits.”
His words hit them hard, leaving a weight that wouldn’t lift. The terror of the Void-Tyrant Dragon, the disagreements among the guardians, and the slim hope at the core of the Vitalis Pool made the burden of their decision feel even heavier.
