Chapter 372 - The Birth of the Chosen One (2) (unedited)
(Regaleon"s POV)
I was wearing my fire armor since the start of the battle. Gladiolus was the same, wearing his water armor. He was a worthy opponent, unlike in the past where he was still fighting with his mother"s will like a puppet.
Now, Gladiolus was fighting of his own accord. He has chose to fight with his own beliefs rather than blindly fighting for his mother. The Gladiolus now is much stronger than before, giving me a hard time in fighting him.
We exchange blow by blow, not giving any opening to the other. Tempest and Virgil were also fighting in their own way, it was fire versus water.
If you look at it closely, fire attribute is weak with water attribute. Even if I was in such a disadvantage, I did not let this weakness hinder me. I have already put my fire armor in it maximum capacity that can make water boil and evaporate with contact. This also gave Gladiolus a hard time fighting me. We were at a stalemate when a loud voice screamed. It was a voice I knew of very well.
"REGALEON!!!" Alicia screamed at the top of her lungs.
Alicia, my love is now calling me. I cannot just stay here and make this go on.
"Master, let us do that." Tempest said to me telepathically. "I am certain that we can do it successfully. We have a bond that is longer than theirs."
I knew what Tempest was pertaining to. It was a power where the familiar and the master can merge with one another. This kind of power is something that can only be achieved with time and an unbreakable trust with master and familiar. So far we can maintain the merge for five minutes, which I think is a right amount of time to defeat Virgil and Gladiolus.
"Then let us do it." I replied.
Tempest circled around me while I ready myself with what we are planning to do. I have to concentrate really hard just to match the power level that Tempest has. If it fluctuates even just by a little, the merge will not be successful.
"What are they doing?" I hear Gladiolus ask in curiosity.
"Master, watch out!" Virgil swoop in and carried Gladiolus away before our merger.
The merge made a strong blast in the surroundings. I can feel the intense power radiating all over my body. When I opened my eyes, I can see my whole body blazing with fire like I was the sun.
"Master, we only have five minutes." Tempest reminded me.
"I know." I replied and then moved in an instant.
My speed doubled and as well as my strength. The fire I blasted was huge. Virgil was able to evade the attack and the fire blast went towards the open sea that made a huge hole on the sea bed. The water gushed in and covered the huge hole.
"I only need one clear shot." I said and moved swiftly once more.
"I cannot see him." Gladiolus said with anxiousness. "He is too fast!"
I used my speed to confuse both of my opponents and made gigantic fire bombs. These were all hurled towards them.
"Watch out!" Gladiolus told Virgil.
Virgil was able to evade the huge ones, but they did not expect that I have made smaller once as well. Those smaller ones was able to come close to them and I detonated them at my command.
"Ahhh…" Gladiolus was struck hard while Virgil was disoriented.
Gladiolus fell From Virgil"s back and was now unconscious. His water armor was able to help absorb the blast from my small fire explosives and he obtained burns that are not lethal around his body. With this, I knew I won our last battle.
Virgil regained his senses and caught the unconscious Gladiolus before he fell on the water. I looked at him for the last time, and Virgil had the expression knowing that we won the fight. I nodded at him and darted to the place where my wife is.
"Ahhhh!!!" I heard Alicia"s screams when I was near. I saw her lying on the sea bed with Anatalia.
I canceled my merger with Tempest and landed safely down. Tempest was reverted back to his falcon form after exhausting all of his magical powers after our merge. I as well have exhausted every bit of my magic powers in our fight.
I quickly ran towards my wife"s side and held her hand instantly.
"My love…" I caressed her forehead gently. There were beads of sweat all over her forehead and I gently swipe them off with my hand.
"Leon… my love." Alicia opened her eyes and looked at me lovingly. "You"re here..."
"Yes, I am here." I kissed the back of her hand and firmly held it. "I will not let you go again."
Alicia smiled but then her faces distorted in pain.
"Ahhh…" Alicia screamed out loud and squeezed my hand hard.
"I can see it… the baby"s head." Anatalia said with an excited voice. "Push Alicia. You can do it." She encouraged.
"You can do it my love." I squeezed the hand that I was holding on tightly. "I am just right by your side."
"Yes…" Alicia smiled with strain and screamed once again. "Aahhhh…!!!"
Then a burst of light came out from around us. The pillar of light from before shone brighter than ever before. It was a blinding light that lasted for a few seconds.
"Uwaahhh…uhuhwahh…uwahhh!!!" I cry of a baby was then heard after the light faded.
I looked at Anatalia who was now holding a baby in her arms
"Congratulations Leon, Alicia. It is a baby boy." Anatalia said with a bright smile in her face.
I can feel tears starting to fall on my cheeks. I wiped it off and looked at the tears on my hands. I cannot explain the feeling that I am going thru right now. It was a mixture of shock, bewilderment and happiness all at the same time.
I took off my coat and placed it around our little bundle of joy. Anatalia placed the little one on my arms and it stopped crying after feeling my warmth.
"The little one recognizes you as a safe zone." Anatalia said with a smile.
"Is that so…" I looked at my little one with unexplainable joy that was about to burst inside me. I smiled when the little one opened his eyes and looked directly at me. "He has my eyes. My love, look at our little one." I murmured.
But then Alicia gripped my hand that was still holding her. She still looked in pain.
"Anatalia, what is wrong with her?" I asked in a worried tone.
Anatalia quickly examined Alicia and had shocked eyes. "T-There is one more…" She exclaimed.
"What do you mean one more?" I asked frantically.
"There is one more baby!" Anatalia shouted. "Alicia, I know you are tired but you still have to push."
I looked at Alicia who was already pale. Her eyes were half closed and tiredness was evident on her face.
"My love, just one more, okay?" I whispered in her ear. "Just one more push." I encouraged her.
Alicia nodded faintly and gripped my hand with her last bit of strength.
"Ahhh…"Alicia was pus.h.i.+ng with her last ounce of strength.
"That is it… here he comes." Anatalia said and another cry was heard.
"Uwahh…wahhh…uwuwahhh…." The baby cried healthily like the first one.
"Oh my, it is a girl." Anatalia said and handed the little one over to me.
Both babies were huddled inside my coat. They were holding each other"s hands and looked at me with bright eyes.
"This little one has your eyes my love." I said.
"L-Let me see them." Alicia said with a raspy voice and tried to sit up.
"Careful now." I helped her up and placed the twins in her arms. I cradled the three of them in my arms.
"They are beautiful." Alicia said while tears were falling down her eyes.
"Thank you… for giving me these bundle of joys." I kissed her in the forehead affectionately. I used the last ounce of my white magic I have to restore Alicia"s vitality.
Just before we can drown ourselves with this happiness, the ground started to shake violently.
"W-What is this? An earthquake?" Anatalia looked firghtened.
The water around us started to get unstable and I was frantic, knowing that we are still at the bottom of the sea. The water can gush in on us in no time.
"Tempest, can you change?" I asked in a hurry.
"I am afraid I have not rested enough." Tempest said. I was thinking of another way when we heard Virgil"s voice from above.
"I will take you to safety." Virgil said while swooping down.
Gladiolus was now conscious and came down from Virgil.
"I am here to help." Gladiolus said and stretch out his hand. I looked at it for a while then decided to take it.
"Remember your word." I said with a cold tone.
"I know." Gladiolus replied. "I lost and so I will keep my word. I am here to help the chosen one as his guardian."
I gave Gladiolus one of the twins while Anatalia carried the other one. I carried Alicia in my arms and then we climbed on top of Virgil. He flew up just in time when the water gushed in until we came out of the water.
"What is happening?" I asked out loud when we saw the water on the open sea started to become shallow.
"This is my last gift to you." I hear the Almighty One"s voice in the air. "I will restore the lost land of Atlantia."
The half of my key and the other half in Gladiolus" possession floated out. The two halves merged into one key and in flew down to where we just were, the grave of the Almighty One. After some time, we can see the sea"s surface started to vibrate hard and we heard something rumbling from below us.
"I-I think the water is subsiding." Anatalia said in wonder.
We saw the sea bed surfacing from the depths of the sea. The land of Atlantia is starting to resurface.