Wizard World Irregular

Princess Ramona summoned an Ice Golem that was over four meters tall, and ordered it to attack Joanne.

Ethan’s sister smirked before tendrils of darkness rose up from behind her, and formed a Dark Walker.

A Mage who had succumbed into the power of Darkness, and gained its secrets at the cost of their humanity.

The Dark Walker waved its hand, and countless shadowy hands pressed against the Ice Golem in an attempt to suppress it.

“Don’t lose, Ice Golem!” Princess Ramona ordered, as she supplied her summon with more of her magic power.

The four-meter tall Ice Golem’s size increased by two more meters and broke away from the shadowy bindings that Joanne had summoned to hold its body.

“Just like its Master, you just use brute strength,” Joanne said in a teasing tone. “When you grow up, I’m sure you’ll look like a Gorilla!”

“What’s a gorilla?” Princess Ramona asked.

“Someone who looks like Ethan.”

“… Then it's very handsome then?”

“Pffft!”

Princess Ramona, who hadn’t seen a Gorilla in her lifetime, ordered her Ice Golem to crush Joanne’s Dark Walker.

Ethan’s sister had to admit that, in terms of raw power, Princess Ramona’s Ice Golem was stronger than her Dark Walker.

However, strength wasn’t everything.

Using her shadows, Joanne attacked Princess Ramona directly, while the latter was focusing on the battle of the Ice Golem and the Dark Walker.

The shadowy hands grabbed Princess Ramona’s feet, and raised her upside down, making the young lady scream, as she held down on her skirt, which was now showing her legs.

“You cheater!” Princess Ramona shouted. “Put me down!”

“Heh~ if this was a real battle, you would have already lost,” Joanne replied with a smug smile on her face. “This is the wisdom of your elders. Make sure to learn from this mistake, so it won’t happen again in the future.”

“What Elder?!” Princess Ramona, whose face was now flush with both embarrassment and anger, as she held onto her skirt shouted back. “You’re just two months older than me.”

“I’m still older, so that’s that.” Joanne smirked. “Do you surrender or not?”

“You cheater!”

“Stick and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.”

Ethan watched this battle from a distance with an amused look on his face.

One of the reasons why Princess Ramona was desperately holding on to her skirt, while being hung upside down by Joanne was because the young man was watching their duel.

She wanted to win, so that Ethan would praise her, but her opponent used a trick to put her into this situation, making her feel very embarrassed.

“Your sister is good,” Illumina, who was also watching the sparring battle, commented. “She knew that she wouldn't win in a direct confrontation of strength, so she attacked the summoner directly.”

Ethan nodded. “I have a feeling that Joanne will do anything in her power to win.”

“Which is how things should be,” Illumina said. “Only those who are truly strong can fight fairly because they don’t have to worry about the tricks that their enemy would use. They are strong enough to brush off everything that the enemy would throw at them.”

Ethan glanced at the beautiful lady beside him, and asked her a question.

“Illumina, what do you know about the Fomorians?” Ethan inquired. “In the present, they are looking for the Stone of Destiny to choose their next king, so that they may once again return to the surface world. Can you tell me more about them?”

“I know very little about the Fomorians,” Illumina answered. “They are not a direct threat to us Mermaids because the battles they wage are always on land. Even so, they are a race of monsters that are known for their strength and cunning.

“Granted, not all Fomorians are evil, but the majority of them are. I only know that they fought against the Tuatha De Danann, and were banished from the surface world. However, not long after this incident, the Tuatha De Danann also disappeared from the world, leaving only their history behind.

“Some believed that both races were just biding their time before they once again returned to the world. However, in my eyes, the most scary of all races in the world are humans. They are short-lived, ambitious, and greedy.

“These qualities forced them to improve at a very fast rate, which is several times faster than the races who have long lives. Perhaps, because they can’t live past a hundred years, they try to achieve everything they can in their lifetime.

“We have much to learn about the Humans. Even the Progenitors, and Colossi think that there will come an age when the Humans will become the most dominant race in the world.”

The Mermaid Princess then glanced at Ethan with a mischievous smile.

“You live alongside Humans, but you’re not truly Human, right?” Illumina inquired.

“I don’t know,” Ethan answered. “I believe I am Human. But, nowadays, I don’t really know what to believe. When Erass fought me, he said that I was part Demon, part Celestial, and part Fae. But, I believe that I also have a Human part.

“One of the retainers of my family, an Old Catkin, said that my Grandfather was once Human. So that means I still have a bit of humanity left in me.”

Illumina raised her hand, and cupped the side of Ethan’s face.

“It doesn’t really matter what you are,” Illumina stated. “It is who you are that is important.”

The Mermaid Princess then reluctantly pulled her hand back, and placed it over her chest.

“According to you, the power of Magic is the power of imagination,” Illumina said softly. “The mind gives it form, words make it manifest, and its power is taken from the heart, which supplies your body with life.

“This is also the same for your origin. You may be part Demon, part Celestial, and part Fae, but what is important is what you feel right here.”

Illumina lightly tapped her chest.

“Power is neither good, nor evil. It depends on who wields that power that is important. So, it doesn’t matter what you are. It is what you do in this life, which will ultimately be part of the strands of history, making iti so others remember you for the actions that you performed.”

Illumina paused before glancing at the two girls, who were still having a battle of words, making her smile.

“The world is vast and yet so small at the same time,” Illumina stated. “Whether it is from the past, the present, or the future, all of these are connected in the grand scheme of things. My mother told me that there is no such thing as coincidence in this world.

“And, after meeting you, I am inclined to believe her words. Ethan, I don’t know when or under what circumstances we will meet in the future. But, no matter what, and no matter who you are fighting, whether it be Fomorians, the Tuatha De Danann, the Elves, the Dwarves, the Beastkins, Halflings, Merfolk, Humans, or the other races of the world, know that I will always be on your side.

“Even if the world becomes your enemy, I alone will not. So, during the time that you will be staying here in the Lands of Alastor, won’t you spend it with me?”

Ethan looked at those beautiful eyes that were only looking at him.

This decision wasn’t a hard decision because he also wanted to know more about the Mermaid Princess, who had tied her destiny to him.

“Okay,” Ethan replied. “But, promise me one thing.”

“What is it?”

“When I’m gone, make sure to look after Ramona, so she won’t be too lonely, okay?”

Illumina shifted his attention on the princess, who was now running after Joanne in an attempt to make her pay for the embarrassment that she had suffered in her hands earlier.

“That girl likes you very much,” Illumina said. “I’m sure that she will be extremely sad when you are gone. Very well, I will accept that condition. Do you want her to be the Queen of this Kingdom?”

“I don’t really care if she becomes the Queen or not. I just want her to be safe and happy. I can’t always be here to protect her.”

Illumina looked at the young lady sadly and sighed in her heart.

“It’s a shame that Humans are short-lived creatures,” Illumina stated. “If not, I’m sure that her wish to find happiness would be granted with time.”

Ethan didn't say anything because this was already something that he had accepted when he and Lily were about to leave the City of Zentris.

Princess Ramona had begged them to stay, but they couldn’t do that.

Perhaps, this was also one of Ethan’s regrets.

Maybe, he was sent to the past, just to once again see the Princess, who wished to be with him and Lily forever.