Elemental Magnetic Star

Chapter 99 A New Beginning

Flame Wave was originally sulking in the study when someone reported that Jade Thistle had come to visit. He was impatient to deal with her at this time, and after sending the messenger away, he felt even more irritable. Deciding to take a ride alone on his white falcon to Pine Mist Mountain to clear his mind.

Summoning the white falcon, it suddenly became alert and then excitedly flapped its wings, leading Flame Wave to a small courtyard he had never known existed.

The small courtyard made it difficult for the white falcon to stretch its wings, but Flame Wave felt as if he sensed something. After calming the excited bird, he quietly approached, wanting to hear what the unrelated people were talking about, wanting to see how that woman could come and go as she pleased.

Fortunately, she didn't deny knowing him. So, was she here for him? It didn't seem like it.

Flame Wave was inexplicably annoyed by Raina Grace's panicked expression, and the watchful eyes of two others nearby were bothersome.

"Come here!" he commanded.

The three people gasped and then looked at each other as if hoping to see from the others' faces that Flame Wave wasn't calling them.

Flame Wave couldn't help but laugh: "Raina Grace, I'm calling you!"

"Raina Grace, you're being called!" Gold Shine quickly nudged Raina Grace.

In front of everyone, Raina Grace slowly walked over, feeling as if she was the one who should enter hell if not her, and finally asked boldly, "What is it?"

Flame Wave was taken aback. You're asking me what it is? "Come with me." He grabbed her wrist, not giving her a chance to refuse, and dragged her away.

Flame Wave chose Pine Mist Mountain as their destination. This place was the most serene and also left Flame Wave with the greatest confusion and questions.

"Tell me, why did you run away as soon as you saw me that day?"

"I don't know, I was just startled and ran away involuntarily." This was a question Raina Grace had also asked herself but had no clue about. "When I first arrived in the Sky Domain, I thought about looking for you. But besides your name, I knew nothing else, so I didn't know where to start."

A string of "I don't knows" seemed to absolve herself completely? Flame Wave found his baseless irritations laughable. But looking at the girl's innocent eyes, it seemed he couldn't really blame her for anything.

"Startled and then disappeared without a trace? You didn't even hear me calling you?" he asked, frustrated.

"Your gaze was terrifying," Raina Grace honestly replied. Somehow, since seeing that look in Flame Wave's eyes, she had been somewhat resistant to meeting again. However, after talking for a bit now, the familiarity from before seemed to return.

"How was it terrifying?" Flame Wave decided to get a clear answer, as he had never before cared so much about how others saw him, but now he wanted to hear what the girl had to say.

"It was, it was..." Raina Grace didn't know how to describe it, timidly glancing at his eyes as if afraid some monster might leap out, and quickly looked away. "Like the fire of hell, no, a gaze from the abyss... in short, it was the madness burning in despair, and a deadly attraction that drags people down..."

Although the girl's description was disjointed and inconsistent, Flame Wave understood that she had seen clearly his thoughts at that moment, even mentioning some desires deep in his heart that he himself hadn't noticed.

In that case, she indeed had reasons to be afraid and to run far away.

But now, since she had reappeared before him, he decided not to let her leave again.

However, this sensitive little thing needed to be handled carefully to not scare her again. Flame Wave was willing to be patient and take his time with her.

"By the way, was it the Azure Phoenix that brought you here? Does it live on Pine Mist Mountain?"

"You know about the Azure Phoenix? Yes, it's currently residing on Pine Mist Mountain."

Raina Grace shared the story of the Azure Phoenix with Flame Wave, as well as her experiences in Verdant Thistle Forest.

As she slowly recalled and narrated her past, Raina Grace's heart finally became as calm as water, and the days gone by unfolded like a scroll of paintings with varying shades, revealing the magnificent mystery of Verdant Thistle Forest, the ancient pride of the Terra Grove tribe, the towering Ancestor Tree reaching into the clouds like a secret passage between heaven and earth.

The Azure Phoenix, now a beautiful and powerful spirit, its emerald feathers shining brightly, but how did it struggle to survive against all odds in the beginning? And the humans, the free tribes, the devout and persistent priestess who died embracing hope, the scheming chieftain who continued in decay, the simple and passionate Flicker Shadow who found strength and belonging in the jungle...

Flame Wave had never imagined Raina Grace's experiences in Verdant Thistle Forest were so extraordinary and intricate. His heart fluctuated with her story, feeling a mix of loss and turmoil.

He had always prided himself on his complex and broad experiences, believing that all the stars in the sky could not adorn his world because it was deep and vast, silencing everything and everyone that entered.

But listening to Raina Grace's story, he felt an intense immersion, even a deep protective desire and a ridiculous jealousy stirring within him. The tumultuous emotions surged in Flame Wave's heart, like a wild fire growing more intense. All this could not be hidden, nor needed further words, yet he hoped to express it in a deep and sincere way. For the first time, the instinct-driven Flame Wave wanted to proceed with caution.

"That's how it is, the Azure Phoenix brought me to Pine Mist Mountain. The mountain's fire element is very abundant, beneficial for its growth." After finishing her story, Raina Grace wanted to tell Flame Wave about her ability to see elemental magnetic forces through "Crystal Eyes," believing Flame Wave would understand.

But first, she had to read Flame Wave's elemental magnetic force distribution based on the color halo of his "Crystal Eyes" — his eyes' representation of elemental magnetic forces, to make her explanation more convincing. So she began to stare into Flame Wave's eyes.

Flame Wave's eyes emitted a faint golden glow, more prominently, a fiery red, like two clusters of burning flames, captivating anyone who looked into them. The focused power made the beholder feel they were the only one in his eyes, irresistibly drawn to respond and resonate.

Although Raina Grace's eyes were cool and pure, being gazed at like this, Flame Wave's will gradually crumbled, all caution and restraint thrown to the wind, ultimately driven by instinct and impulse, he kissed her deep blue eyes.

Like drawing the first pure droplet of dew from the dawn of the universe, after dispelling all ignorance, he yearned for a thorough indulgence. So, he explored, entwined, unwillingly, firmly prying open those honeyed lips and tongue, seeking closeness, wanting to merge...

But Flame Wave's remaining rationality was pulled back by the white falcon. It was getting late, and the long-waiting white falcon finally found them after wandering enough, its joyful screech audible from afar.

To avoid startling the already distracted Raina Grace, Flame Wave restrained his impulsive actions, kissing her gently but lingeringly. Yet, he reluctantly had to end it. "It's late, let's head back to Celestial Balance Fortress," he whispered, holding Raina Grace close, murmuring in her ear.

Raina Grace looked up at him dazedly, her eyes misty with confusion, bewilderment, affection, desire... a myriad of emotions subtly visible between innocence and maturity, that intense temptation making Flame Wave understand Adam's desire when he picked the apple in Eden.

He lowered his head to intertwine their breaths again, deliberately keeping a slight distance, the surging power pounding against his heart, in this moment, pain and anticipation felt like a rebirth.