Stellar Echo: Heart of the Myst-Chapter 155: VOL 2 - 100: An older sister.

"Understood." Zoe nodded at Elara's strategy and turned to look at the others, at which point she asked seriously.

"Does anyone have any questions or suggestions?"

Seeing that everyone shook their heads, Zoe quickly nodded and continued speaking.

"Then we'll follow Elara's strategy. Although it's risky since you'll be left without protection, I believe it's our best chance. What we need now is the group's location, so Frank, we'll be counting on you."

"Don't worry, direct disciple, I'll do my best." Noticing all the direct disciples' gazes fixed on him once more, Frank quickly answered in a firm voice, prompting Zoe to speak in a grave tone.

"Then let's move out!"

At Zoe's command, the group of five rapidly advanced through the air toward the enemy group, stopping only upon reaching the edge of the fog. There, Zoe tightened her grip on the hilt of her katana and turned to Frank, asking seriously.

"Frank, how far away are they from us? The more precise you can be, the better."

"There's a way to be more accurate, but it drains Lirio quite a bit, and it can only be done a couple of times a day at most." Frank quickly answered with a serious expression, placing his left hand near his shoulder, where Lirio hopped gracefully. Zoe asked after thinking for a moment.

"If he only tries once, can he remain active?"

"Yes, although it'll be a little tiring for him. After a second attempt, he'd be out of commission, and a third would drastically reduce accuracy and force him to disappear and rest." Frank replied swiftly, causing Zoe to respond gravely.

"Let's do it. We have to take that risk."

"Give me a moment, direct disciple."

After speaking, Frank raised his left hand to his forehead and closed his eyes, at which moment the newborn spirit stretched out adorably to touch its contractor's head, causing a small light to flare. Shortly after, Lirio plopped into Frank's hand, moving oddly as though hyperventilating.

"Done, I've got the exact location. They're roughly 600 meters straight ahead, but keep in mind that's where they were at the moment Lirio sent me that information, and the group is on the move. We've only got one more shot at this." Frank explained, producing a rough mana-air construction shaped like a map in his hands, far more rudimentary than what Elara had conjured earlier.

Meanwhile, the direct disciples looked at Lirio in Frank's hands and confirmed he indeed appeared a bit tired and sleepy. Nonetheless, Zoe quickly spoke, showing gratitude.

"Don't worry, Frank, he's done more than enough. I have some things at home that'll be good for spirits, so rest assured this sacrifice won't go unrewarded, regardless of what happens." Zoe thanked Frank, who quickly bowed and commented seriously.

"It's a pleasure to help, and I'm truly grateful that the direct disciple considers me."

"Then everyone, I'll see you in the palace..."

After nodding at Frank, Zoe took a deep breath and spoke while closing her eyes, causing the air around her to stir slightly. A few moments later, she opened her eyes again, exclaiming with a piercing gaze.

"Attack!!"

At Zoe's command, a large number of runes filled the fog, and a magic circle formed over Ethan, who started sweating profusely while gulping down mana-recovery potions one after another. Meanwhile, Elara and Frank began readying their own spells.

"We've got them!"

Just as planned, the mist spread at incredible speed, catching the enemy off guard. Zoe dashed forward at full speed atop the fox spirit. Right then, Ethan cried out, his voice strained, and the dense fog before them lit up faintly, revealing the silhouettes of nine people. By estimating the figures' size, they quickly determined the exact distance, allowing Elara and Frank to unleash their mightiest spells.

"Sol Invictus!!!"

With at least a dozen magic circles around her, Elara proclaimed in a commanding tone, causing a colossal blaze of fire to appear. The flames swiftly gathered into a gigantic sphere—a kind of artificial sun—radiating tremendous heat as it began to grow at an accelerated pace.

"Óvindr's Wrath!!!"

With hundreds of runes whirling like a tornado, Frank shouted at the top of his lungs, summoning a massive tornado that rose into the air, crackling with ominous lightning. It rapidly ascended toward Elara's "artificial sun", devouring it like a snake swallowing a star. The slicing wind tornado transformed into a cataclysmic fiery tornado, seemingly able to destroy anything in its path.

But just then, Ethan opened his eyes wide in disbelief before looking off in another direction. His expression darkened drastically, yet he immediately shouted with urgency as the runes around him began to multiply rapidly.

"It's a trap!! There are two groups!! I need help distracting them with illusions; the second team is racing over here!!!"

"Damn it! Luminous Rebirth!!!"

Letting out an enraged cry, Liliana cast a powerful healing spell on Ethan and simultaneously messaged Zoe to pull back. At that moment, Elara shouted in equal fury, her magic circles suddenly shining like glaring spotlights.

"Disciple Williams, secure Zoe a way back! Frank! We're going all out; let's try to whittle them down!!!"

"Understood!"

Frank responded immediately as the runes spinning in a tornado grew brighter and sped up, making the fiery vortex intensify both in speed and power. At that same instant, Ethan spoke hurriedly.

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"I'm on it, but we need to run. I can only hold them for another 20 seconds!!!"

Along with Ethan's shout, Elara and Frank's combined spell reached its destination, triggering a breathtaking explosion that shook the cave violently. Ferocious shockwaves crashed into their barriers, destroying them one by one. Meanwhile, Lirio, still perched on Frank's shoulder, let out a fatigued squeal, prompting the young man to shout gravely.

"The first group is retreating from the fog!!"

"Dammit, he's right! Somehow they're dealing with my illusions and getting away!" As soon as he heard Frank's words, Ethan quickly focused in that direction and spoke gravely, leading Elara to stomp on her magic carpet in frustration.

"Shit!"

Meanwhile, Liliana kept sending every kind of healing spell at Ethan, who was sweating profusely and looking pale. But just as Elara was gearing up for a suicidal charge, Zoe returned, riding the fox spirit, parts of her clothing burned and torn, and bearing some superficial wounds. She announced, visibly resigned.

"They completely outplayed us. Let's pull back. We've lost this round."

Zoe's defeated words brought weary, complicated looks to everyone's faces. The group let out exhausted sighs—everyone but Liliana, whose expression brimmed with resolve. She spoke with a firm tone.

"We haven't lost yet. Hurry to the palace; I'll buy us the time we need."

"Wait, Liliana. If we run now, we can still come back for another attempt. If that bitch is here, it's because as long as we still have the staff, we can try again. There's no need to do this." Elara quickly argued, but Liliana shook her head decisively.

"While that's true, you all know perfectly well that bitch won't let us leave so easily. Who knows how many of us will manage to get out of here—if any. Besides, where can we run? We're stuck in this cave, and though there must be a way out, none of us know it.

"Plus, you all know that bitch well: it's very likely she'll come at us with everything, aiming to score as many casualties as possible before going into the palace. She'll leave people behind to finish us off. Worst of all, if we lose, who knows how long we'll have to put up with her ridicule and that of her underlings. We won't have a moment's peace in the fraternity hall after this. So go on; I have my ways to keep her here long enough."

While she spoke, Liliana pulled a glass bottle from her storage ring. Inside it was a liquid that looked like a rainbow's very essence, vibrant with shifting colors, even causing the surrounding Myst to ripple slightly.

"""Is that?!"""

Zoe, Elara, and Ethan widened their eyes in astonishment at the sight of the bottle in Liliana's hands. Liliana smiled kindly, gazing at it.

"Exactly what you think. It's a magic-empowerment potion—though only a diluted version—it'll give me enough of a boost to keep that bitch here for a while."

"You don't have to waste such a valuable resource. We can still fall back to the chamber where we arrived and fight a last stand there, using the terrain to our advantage. And if it doesn't work out, so what? If that bitch taunts us a bit, we're not delicate flowers who can't handle a setback."

Staring at the unmistakable emblem on the bottle, Zoe spoke with a complicated tone, then looked into Liliana's blue eyes. Liliana beamed almost heroically and replied in a relaxed, cheerful voice.

"Hahaha, I know, but I still feel like I have to do this. Besides, it would be a waste if I didn't use the potion my master specifically gave me for the tournament, so go on—think of it as an older sister paying the debts of her foolish little brother."

Before anyone could say another word, Liliana downed the potion in one gulp, making her mana surge around her in an overwhelming wave. At the same time, a beautiful halo of light formed over her head, and coupled with the wings on her back, it granted her a holy, immaculate aura.

"Go!! Divine Pulse!"

As she cast one final healing spell on Ethan, Liliana shouted loudly and then turned her back on them. The group watched with conflicted expressions as new spheres of light appeared behind Liliana, forming a circle. Several magic circles manifested above her, unleashing all kinds of mana constructs—swords, spears, halberds, etc.—along with six prismatic shields that began rotating around her protectively.

"Let's go!!"

Seeing there was no turning back, Zoe gave a troubled command before racing off on the back of the magnificent white fox, leaving Elara, Ethan, and Frank to exchange uncertain looks. After a long sigh, they took to the air behind Zoe in silence.

Once the group departed and the mist dissipated, Liliana flew at full speed to intercept the attackers, clutching her staff tightly as she inwardly reveled in the incredible power coursing through her. Even so, thoughts of her master and her "younger brother" slipped into her mind.

Initially, Liliana felt her master was casting her aside—that now, with that monstrous fool around, all the affection her master had shown her would vanish. She grew deeply envious of Erik—of the special treatment he received—feeling he mattered more to her master than she did, or even more than Desmond, the first disciple.

Yet what truly tormented Liliana was fully realizing the fool's colossal talent. Not even Desmond—revered across the galaxy—could compare to him. That awareness placed her under tremendous pressure, day by day corroding her self-esteem as she confronted the fact that, no matter how hard she tried, Erik far surpassed her, and sooner or later, her master would discard her.

Those thoughts plunged Liliana into a spiral of hatred in which she viewed Erik as an adversary stealing away her once-happy life. Desperate to regain some peace of mind, she searched fanatically for any flaw in that "monster". While Desmond was undoubtedly a genius, Liliana knew that in the worst case, she could at least match him. But up against Erik, she felt like an ordinary person facing a legendary prodigy.

Time itself, however, proved Liliana wrong. Though she once struggled to see it, her perspective on the world—and on the bond between her beloved master and that foolish Erik—shifted drastically during their journey from the university. She realized that her master's affection for her hadn't diminished in the least, and a prime example was the potion she had just drunk. Even though it was merely a maximum Ascended-level potion, its value could rival that of an entire planet.

The exorbitant cost wasn't just due to the extremely rare and costly ingredients, nor the extraordinary skill required to craft it. What truly magnified its worth was the emblem on the bottle, proving it was crafted by possibly the Arcane Order's finest alchemist, Master Eldurdóttir—something possibly more valuable than the potion itself.

***

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