Chapter 447: The daughter's return.
Stella opened her eyes wide. The weapon in her hand disappeared in a flash of light and returned inside her core.
"That weapon... So you've become a Remnant, too."
Seeing Catharsis, the weapon Varellia had been entrusted with by her mother, in the hands of Stella was a clear enough confirmation.
She wore a long, white lab coat like her mother, with the only difference being their height. Stella was taller.
"Is this the same little girl that clung to Orion constantly? I cannot believe it..."
Titania blinked repeatedly, yet when she went to confirm the woman's identity, she fell in shock.
"Stella Feales... There's no doubt about it."
Henrietta pondered as her friend frowned.
"What else did you see?"
"Those titles..."
Titania was looking at the list of information concerning Stella.
"Remnant of Progress. Blessed by --------. Daughter of a Hero."
At the second title, even Heto frowned.
"I do not like that second title. Who purposefully hides their identity from me?"
While the Remnants were discussing this matter tensely, Orianne and Reon approached the young adult, who was completely lost.
When Henrietta and Titania noticed them passing by, they tried to stop them, but she retracted that idea as she understood her mistake.
'Why are we afraid of Stella?'
Genuine confusion took over. That emotion transferred to Titania like wildfire, suddenly realizing what they had done.
"Stella, right?"
"Y-Yes."
The girl's shoulders jumped slightly at the two unfamiliar people's approach.
"Introductions are due. My name is Reon. Reon Feales."
"And mine is Orianne Diom."
Stella's eyes looked lost for a moment.
"I am Stella Feal- Wait!"
Reon smiled lightly at her reaction. She looked very similar to Orion, as under her coat, a similar outfit to Orion was on full display.
"I- I know you. Reon and Orianne... I remember Orion talking about those names."
Shyly, the girl took a step forward.
"You are Orion's parents? But how? Am I dead?"
She heard Orion speak about them. The crystals were also a reminder of their existence, but she couldn't remember everything from her younger days.
Orianne laughed loudly.
"That's what we thought earlier, too."
Looking carefully at the crimson-haired woman, Stella noticed deep and red lacerations on her arms, legs, and one on her neck.
"Those injuries."
Instinctively, Stella gently took her hand.
A white light began to cover both Stella's hand and Orianne's entire body.
"Oh."
Letting the girl do her thing, Orianne noticed her wounds close up, and her exhaustion vanished.
"This magic... Light magic?"
While the Remnants all looked confused beyond belief, Reon observed carefully before giving his opinion.
"You've inherited our son's magic."
With a small nod, Stella answered him. When she looked at him, she noticed the same injuries on him.
The instant she finished with Orianne, she held her hand flat in front of her, waiting for Reon to touch her hand.
With a smile, Reon did just that.
Feeling the warm light invade his body, a gentle power washed the injuries and aching of his body away.
"That confirms it."
When the light disappeared and Stella took a step back, the two parents looked at each other.
"Yes, that's our granddaughter."
Without giving Stella time to get ready, Orianne jumped at her and pulled her head into her bosom.
"Your growth isn't normal. We remember you being a little cutie, but look at you now. A grown-up, young woman with a charm rivaling Amelia has replaced that timid girl."
Reon walked next to his wife with a serious expression, but his voice was still warm enough to not make Stella freak out.
"Would you mind telling us what happened?"
Her eyes barely able to see outside of Orianne's breasts, she looked confused. Then, as she pondered Reon's words, she nodded.
Orianne let her go before grabbing her hand. She pulled Stella behind her and made her sit on the step below the altar.
While walking behind her wife and granddaughter, Reon gave a sharp look at Henrietta.
'We need to listen.'
The message was received by the Remnant, who nodded in response. Quietly, the three Remnants stayed at their spot while Stella began to talk.
"I have a question."
Stella looked toward Henrietta.
"What is it?"
With a neutral expression, Henrietta waited for the question.
"How long was I gone?"
This was a question she was prepared to face. A question that would have never left her mouth if she had returned as a child.
Looking down for a brief moment, Henrietta answered.
"Three weeks. Since Orion and Miasma fought on Eogis, it has been three weeks."
"Just three weeks?!"
Stella opened her eyes wide and looked at the blonde Remnant with shock.
Then, she relaxed and nodded.
"Now that you say that, I remember hearing about time flowing differently in the elemental realm compared to this place."
"I've been stuck in there for seven years."
With a faint smile, she looked at her hands.
Next, she explained everything that she went through.
Meeting the ghost of Varellia, her mother. She learned about the Remnant of Progress' duties, the Valkyries and their weapons, and the gigantic elemental she awakened.
...
"That's..."
Henrietta looked at Titania and Heto with a face of pure shock.
"I understand why that second title doesn't please you one bit."
Titania frowned and looked inside the vortex above the monument.
"He has been awakened. Is it a good thing... or a bad thing?"
Behind them, Heto pondered before looking at them with an answer satisfying enough for them.
"I don't know exactly what or who you are talking about, but if it gave its blessing to this fine lady, why are we questioning which side it is on?"
"That is a valid question."
A relaxed nod was given by Titania.
"..."
On the other side of her, Henrietta still kept a frown. She looked over her shoulder and answered Heto.
"We're talking about the Remnant of Magic."
Suddenly, Heto opened his mouth in an 'O' shape and appeared to have understood the matter.
"The progenitor of elementals, if we want to be more precise."
Reon and Orianne, who listened next to Stella, appeared focused on the discussion.
"So, that gigantic being was the creator of elementals?"
A long sigh escaped Henrietta's mouth.
"That thing is even larger than Velridar was... if it were to return to this world..."
Titania crossed her arms.
"You can expect chaos to ensue. This thing isn't human. It doesn't understand any of the concepts that make up our world."
"It's not a Primordial for nothing."
Heto, who had stayed away from the entire world's matters since becoming a Remnant, learned that many other troubles weighted over Triazils.
"What makes me curious is the fact that Varellia made contact with the elementals without any of us noticing."
"You're right. She wouldn't have been able to leave a recorded message for her daughter if she hadn't done that before dying."
Titania and Henrietta were discussing something concerning Varellia, a woman they greatly appreciated.
"Did she... No..."
Then, an absurd idea crossed Titania's mind. It took a second for Henrietta to think the same.
"That is most likely the case."
Turning her gaze to Stella, Henrietta smiled.
"Stella."
"Yes?"
Finally feeling at ease, the young adult looked at Henrietta with the same smile.
"Welcome back. The others were heartbroken after your disappearance."
At that, Stella's face crumbled.
"What about..."
"Tetra and Amelia?"
Orianne frowned, while Reon closed his eyes with a mourning grimace.
"..."
The smile on Henrietta's face vanished.
"Tetra's soul is gone. Her body is still preserved for a reason I do not understand. She's breathing slowly but will not respond otherwise."
Her anguished face became less pronounced as she turned to Heto.
"For Amelia... She's still unconscious. Heto, could I ask you to look at her current state?"
The tall man nodded with a fair smile.
"Of course."
Stella looked down at her hands.
"If I had been a Remnant at that time, maybe Orion would have been..."
Orianne and Reon each grabbed her hands.
"He is not gone forever. This place wouldn't stand otherwise."
"!"
Hearing Reon's words, Henrietta jumped. Reon smiled while noticing her expression of pure shock.
"Your face tells me you weren't expecting me to understand my son's power."
"Well..."
Reon stood up.
"This realm. It is a close replica of what I've done to the bracelet. Both of them were maintained by Orion's magic output."
"Just like you, who siphoned his magic overload through a soul link, the bracelet absorbed his magic to maintain its storing functions."
He looked toward Titania before crossing his arms.
"Orion is our son. He possesses the knowledge we passed on, even though he doesn't realize it. He is smart, but still immature."
"If not for us meddling with his future, he would've been a very fine person. We forced the idea of vengeance for a reason I finally understand."
This time, Henrietta became the subject of his intense gaze. She couldn't help but look away, as she was the cause of this topic.
On the side, Orianne was hugging Stella while caressing the top of her head without caring for the conversation.
Throwing accusations left and right, Reon finally went to the matter at hand.
"Henrietta. When Orion returns..."
She gulped.
"What do you think will happen?"
Reon's eyes shone a bright white light as lightning coursed through his magical veins.
Eight wings of pure plasma stretched behind him, crackling wildly.
"E-Eight wings?!"
Henrietta exclaimed as the memories of six wings returned. There were two additional wings attached to Reon's back.
"The battle against Elliott was quite effective, but Stella's healing was a great help in stabilizing my overloaded magic. This is undoubtedly the highest stage that I and Orianne will be able to attain."
"Do you think Orion will return without having dealt with Miasma? Once Orion returns, I can guarantee that our son will be someone else."
The lightning magic vanished in a low flickering as he turned to Orianne.
"The manipulation of fate doesn't affect him anymore. He will walk his own path, learn what is truly important, and miss his family more than anyone."
"Orion's truest, most pure form as a person will return to Triazils."
"When the time comes, I hope you are ready for what's to come."
Orianne nodded before adding something.
"The ones who killed the Valkyries will be nothing in front of him."
Simply imagining someone as grand and powerful as the person described made the three Remnants shudder.
Not in terror, but exhilaration.
*Cough*
Finally, Titania coughed to recover from the state she was in.
"That is some high regard you hold for Orion."
With a smile so warm it could relax anyone, Orianne hugged Stella tightly.
"He is our son. Of course, we do."
Reon suddenly walked in front of Orianne and Stella before stretching his hands toward them.
"I think we've talked enough. I believe it's time we see the others."
Knowing that his wife couldn't hold herself anymore, he turned to the Remnants.
"Alright. This way."
Henrietta nodded, feeling her nerves relax. Still, inside, she was unable to stop herself from imagining a different, even more powerful Orion.
'If only it were true... Where did you end up going?'
Leading everyone to the Agathion faction's home, the sun began to settle down in Horizon.
Henrietta, Titania, and Heto managed to revive Reon and Orianne, while Stella returned to their realm thoroughly changed.
An entirely different battle was awaiting them, as Amelia was lost in her deepest mind palace, unable to wake up.