Entering a modest room, Adrian observed the intricate runes inscribed on nearly every surface.
From the corridors to the walls, the floor, and even the closed windows, the room was meticulously prepared to contain and manage Elena''s radiating divine energy.
Light elementals and divine energy were integrated seamlessly into the runes, ready to activate in case her power began to leak uncontrobly.
Adrian was somewhat surprised by the thorough preparation. He had assumed his aunt would still be busy overseeing the war efforts.
"Did you and aunt prepare everything beforehand, sis?" Adrian asked, his curiosity piqued.
"Hnn~? No… this was done just recently when is aw Elena''s situation manipting creation isn''t exactly my forte but I do manage to get things done…" came the reply.
A small doll appeared, creaking as it moved. It was his sister, Nya, who immediately turned her attention to the sleeping Elena. "I watched her through your eyes, so I was a bit worried that my assessment was wrong. But looking at her now, it''s a relief that nothing''s wrong with her."
Adrian nodded at Nya''sments, a sense of relief washing over him as well. He gently approached the empty white bed and carefullyid Elena down. Her breathing was steady, but she looked utterly exhausted.
After ensuring she wasfortable, Adrian turned his attention back to Nya. With a tender motion, he lifted his sister into his arms, her tiny form light as a feather.
"Thank you for your help, Nya," he said softly. "Your precautions were perfect."
Nya''s doll-like face managed a small smile. "It''s the least I could do. Elena is important to you, and by extension, important to us. We must protect her."
Adrian nced back at the intricate runes, appreciating their craftsmanship and the powerful magic they contained.
''She''ll be safe here'' he murmured, mostly to himself.
"What''s the situation there, sis?" Adrian asked, though he didn''t really want to return to the battlefield. He preferred to stay and watch over Elena until she woke up. However, if his presence was truly needed, he would dly go.
He had promised himself to kill every lost dove, but those were tasks assigned to his subordinates. Besides, there were more doves above and an entire pantheon in the heavens he could destroy when the time came. For now, his priority was Elena.
Nya''s eyes glowed slightly before she opened her doll-like mouth. "Everything is going as nned. Luwanal, the god of thunder and lightning, is already dead. No, he ceased to exist as he fought Fenrir. Meanwhile, Elizabeth, along with Schwi, Sasha, and the other demons, are taking care of the angels."
Adrian nodded, absorbing the information. "Good. It sounds like everything is under control. They can handle the cleanup."
Nya continued, "Elizabeth is particrly having fun with the two seraphs you might want be acquainted to.
Meanwhile the remaining doves are trying to escape, but our forces are ensuring that none get away.
Your subordinates are performing admirably."
Adrian sighed in relief. "That''s reassuring to hear. They''re strong and capable. I trust them to finish the job."
He nced at Elena, her peaceful expression offering him a sense of calm. Despite the war raging outside, this room felt like a sanctuary.
Adrian gently stroked her hair, feeling the warmth of her divinity pulsating beneath his fingers.
"Are there no retaliations from their side? Surely the goddess would notice immediately the moment Luwanal died," Adrian questioned.
After all, gods and their souls were directly connected to their pantheon, so if a god suddenly ceased to exist, all the primordials of that pantheon would know almost immediately.
Nya shook her head in response. "No. It seems they are too afraid to act as Fenrir is still there surveying the battlefield."
"I see..." Adrian murmured, understanding the logic.
It made sense. It was the most rational move on their part. Even if the goddess sent down one of her elites or probably even her entire pantheon, none of it would have mattered in front of a beast of the apocalypse like Fenrir.
Fenrir''s entire destiny was to bring down an entire pantheon.
Of course, that didn''t mean Fenrir would automatically win in a fight, but there was more to lose than to gain when fighting that big bad wolf.
Adrian''s thoughts drifted back to the pantheon above. If the gods were smart, they would remain in their realm and not risk a direct confrontation.
They knew Fenrir''s power and the chaos he could unleash.
Fighting him would be a gamble with their very existence at stake.
Returning his focus to the room, Adrian felt a wave of exhaustion. The effort to heal Elena had taken more out of him than he realized.
Yet, seeing her resting peacefully was worth every ounce of energy he expended. He gently stroked her hair, her presence grounding him amidst the turmoil.
Adrian smiled and began to take off his suit.
"Adrian?" Nya wondered what was going on, but as she watched Adrian approach the bed and gently hug Elena into his chest, she understood and nodded.
"Do you wish to sleep?"
"Yes," Adrian replied. Right now, he did not want to do anything else.
The constant worry he had felt for what could have happened to Elena during the months he was away had been eating at him ever since he woke up with his newfound soul and powers.
He had always thought it was his fault that she was kidnapped, so when the relief came and Elena was finally in his arms, he really didn''t want to let go of her.
Nya nodded at her younger brother''s request and opened up a portal nearby. "Well then, I''ll leave you two alone. And don''t forget, Adrian, two days from now the other girls will soon wake up. It would be better if you finally master controlling your powers by then, as it would be a hassle exining everything to them."
"Got it..."
With Adrian''s confirmation, Nya vanished into the portal she had just made.
Adriany down beside Elena, pulling her close.
The warmth of her body and the gentle rhythm of her breathing soothed him, easing the tension that had gripped him for so long.
He kissed her forehead tenderly, feeling a wave of love and protectiveness wash over him.
Elena, still asleep, snuggled closer to him, a contented smile ying on her lips. Adrian watched her for a moment, his heart swelling with emotion.
He had been through so much to get to this point, and now, with her safely in his arms, he finally felt a semnce of peace.
As he closed his eyes, the weight of his exhaustion began to take over.
His thoughts drifted back to the battles he had fought, the enemies he had faced, and the sacrifices he had made.
But all of that seemed distant now, overshadowed by the simple joy of being with Elena.
In the quiet of the room, surrounded by the protective runes and the gentle glow of divine energy, Adrian allowed himself to rx.
His body sank into the bed, his arms wrapped securely around Elena. He knew there were still challenges ahead, but for now, he could rest.
Resting right next to Elena, Adrian hugged her deeper and more tightly than ever, unable to hold himself back.
Despite the ongoing heat her body gave off, he closed his eyes, reflecting on the immense relief and love he felt having her in his arms.
Yet, amidst this moment of peace, his mind wandered to the challenges ahead.
He would soon have to exin everything to the other girls.
Aria already understood what he was, but the others were still in the dark. He hoped for the best but knew that wasn''t the most appropriate approach.
He understood the meaning behind his sister''s words about controlling his powers better.
The best way to exin everything to them would be to pass on his memories instead of exining everything from the start, as he had done with Lilliana recently.
However, considering the risk, he felt quite apprehensive.
But now, it was greatly needed.
Adrian knew that mastering his powers was essential.
If he could convey his memories urately and safely, the girls would understand his journey and the battles they faced.
This method would forge a stronger bond and eliminate any misunderstandings.
But the thought of transferring his memories, exposing the raw truth, and possibly overwhelming them weighed heavily on him.
''I''ll trainter. For now, I just want to be with my love,'' he resolved.
Closing his eyes, Adrian allowed himself to drift into a wondrous dream, entwined with Elena. In his dream, they were free from the chaos of war and the burden of their responsibilities.
They walked through serenendscapes, hand in hand, basking in the simplicity of their love.
The dream offered him a glimpse of the life he desired—a life where they could be together without fear or conflict.
In the real world, the gentle rise and fall of Elena''s breathing reassured him.
The warmth of her body, the steady beat of her heart, and the softness of her skin all anchored him to this moment.
Despite the tumultuous events that had transpired, this was where he found his strength. The love they shared was his sanctuary, a source of unwavering resolve.
As the hours passed, Adrian remained vignt, ensuring Elena wasfortable and safe. He watched over her, his heart filled with a fierce determination to protect her from any harm.
…..
"Oya~?" Loki eximed, genuinely surprised by the sudden appearance of a portal next to him.
As he observed the doll-like figure emerging from it, he tilted his head slightly, hovering above a map-like monitor projecting the entire continent below.
"You''re here early, Nya. Is Adrian and Elena okay now?" Considering the presence, he felt entering the castle a while ago was Adrian''s, he assumed Nya would stay by her brother''s side,forting him.
"Yes… Adrian wanted to take some rest together with Elena," Nya exined, taking a seat in an empty chair nearby.
"I see, so they''re already back to baby making, huh? The youth are seriously energetic these days, eh~?" Loki quipped with a mischievous grin.
"... He wanted to rest," Nya replied, her expression unchanging.
"Pfft~ hahahaha! I know, I know. Man, you really can''t take a joke, huh, Nya?" Loki waved his hand dismissively,ughing hysterically at Nya''s overly serious answer.
He then whisked his hand in the air, projecting a scene on the screen before them.
"So, our forces have fallen back?"
On the screen, a scene unfolded showing the demonic forces they had sent deep into the empire suddenly retreating, pulling back almost all the way to the border once more.
"Hehe~ I didn''t expect this either, Nya. I thought the damned lizards were just going to stay neutral, but I guess they''re properly joining now."
Up above in the skies on the screen, hundreds of dragons could be seen assisting the humans, working together to wipe out the demons.
Although this wasn''t exactly a surprise considering the imperial family''s connection to the previous Dragon Lord, it was still quite the hassle.
Dragons weren''t opponents to be underestimated, and their active participation in the battle wasn''t something they had anticipated.
"How much are the losses, Loki?"
"Well, at the moment, we''ve lost over 200,000 demons, at least. Including the angel ves we sent, we''ve basically lost almost 300,000 if we round it off."
"I see…." Nya''s expression remained stoic, but there was a hint of concern in her eyes.
The sheer number of losses was staggering, and the involvement of the dragonsplicated their ns significantly.
Loki continued, "The dragons joining the fray changes the dynamics. Their strength and coordination with the humans are proving to be a formidable challenge. We need to reassess our strategy."
Nya nodded, her mind racing through various scenarios. "We''ll need to bolster our defenses at the borders and reinforce our troops with more powerful entities.
The dragons'' aerial advantage is significant, but we can counter it with our own aerial units and anti-air defenses."
Loki smirked. "I was thinking the same. I''ve already ordered the deployment of our wyverns and gargoyles to intercept the dragons. We''ll also enhance our ground troops with more resilient units to hold the line."
Nya''s eyes glowed slightly as she reviewed the battlefield. "We should also consider deploying some of our elite units.
The Valkyries and Nightstalkers can create havoc behind enemy lines and disrupt their coordination."
"An excellent idea," Loki agreed. "We''ll also need to keep an eye on their movements.
The dragons'' presence might be a precursor to something bigger."
As they discussed their strategies, Nya couldn''t help but think about Adrian and Elena.
Despite the dire situation, she trusted that her brother would rest and recover.
His newfound strength would be crucial in the battles toe.
As they continued their discussion, Loki suddenly spoke up. "Should I send Fenrir there next?" he suggested, his smile widening with a hint of mischief.
Nya shook her head. "No. Fenrir''s presence would only add more energy to the causalities on the goddess''s side and might interfere with our initial ns."
"Okay~" Although Loki wanted to let his little cutie pie have some more fun, he let it go. He knew Fenrir was fairly satisfied fighting someone of simr power to Thor.
Even if Luwanal was like a Walmart version of Thor, a god of storms was still a god of storms.
Luwanal might not have been up to par, but his existence as a god made him somewhat worthy enough to be killed by Loki''s beloved child.
Loki could only wish that J?rmungandr and Hel were here as well.
A holy war like this would''ve been a very good reference for the future Ragnarok that was next toe after this.
He envisioned the chaos, the destruction, and the ultimate fulfillment of their destiny.
The thought of Ragnarok filled him with a sense of anticipation and excitement that was hard to contain.