Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume20 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 4===

(...So warm.)

It almost felt like that nostalgic hearth inside the Elstein castle.

In her hazy consciousness, that was what she thought.

The temperature of fire that she had forgotten for a long time.

Since that day four years ago when she was reborn as an avenger from inferno, the only fire she felt was the anger and hatred in the depths of her heart.

(...Am I... dead...?)

That was the first possibility to come to mind.

...In that case, was this place inferno?

The souls of the dead would return to Astral Zero, turning into divine power for nurturing spirits, finally reincarnating as spirits. In the past, that was what the Divine Ritual Institute taught her, but&mdash;

(&mdash;I am not worthy, probably.)

Mocking herself in her thoughts, she opened her ruby-like eyes.

A flickering flame entered her view.

No, it was not a flame. Long hair as vivid as a flame.

That red hue was even stronger than her younger sister's hair color, like a blazing conflagration.

Staring at her looking like she was about to cry was a young girl with curved horns.

"Fire... Lord... Volcanicus..."

Rubia parted her lips and whispered that name.

The Fire Lord suddenly widened her eyes, exhaling in relief.

Rubia quietly sat up, only to feel intense pain from every joint in her body. This was the result from using too much power in her fight against the spirit Millennia Sanctus, overdrawing from cursed armament seals.

"&mdash;Y-You cannot get up yet!"

The Fire Lord hastily tried to stop her. Ignoring the advice, Rubia asked:

"Where is this?"

She swept her gaze around her.

It looked like a dense forest, with the sky and sun blotted out.

"This is the Spirit Forest. Do you still remember the instant when Ragna Ys was split open?"

"...Yes, I... do."

In the sea of fire, Rubia had liberated the girl in front of her&mdash;The Fire Elemental Lord.

In that instant, a pure white flash of light had shattered the ground of Ragna Ys.

Already covered with wounds, she had been caught in the Fire Lord's arms, and then they fell to the ground together.

"My apologies. This is the extent of what I can do since I possess no healing powers."

A swirling barrier of flames surrounded them.

The warm wall's heat wave seemed to have an effect of slowly recovering divine power.

Volcanicus quietly stood up with her back towards Rubia.

Like a blazing fire, her hair wavered lightly.

"&mdash;Where are you going?"

Rubia asked, speaking to that petite back.

After a moment's silence, Volcanicus replied.

"&mdash;I must stop it."

Her gaze, looking up, was directed at the pillars of light piercing the sky in the distance.

"Are you going alone?"

"Yes."

"Aren't you restrained by the Holy Lord's covenant?"

"...!"

Volcanicus halted in her steps.

Rubia was not completely certain.

However, she did find it odd that the great Fire Elemental Lord's avatar could be bossed around and used by Millennia Sanctus as an elemental waffe.

"&mdash;Indeed, I have unable to defeat the Holy Lord, restrained as I am by an ancient covenant. Nevertheless, I ought to be able to incinerate that Gate."

"A foolish approach. You will only play into the Holy Lord's hands if you go alone."

"...!"

Volcanicus' shoulders shook.

In response, Rubia quietly held her hand.

"...?"

"Contract with me again, Volcanicus."

"What did you say?"

With a surprised look, Volcanicus looked back.

"Do know that I am your Queen."

The spirit seal branded on the back of her hand was heating up slightly.

&mdash;No matter how many times she had wanted to erase it, the contract's bond remained impossible to get rid of.

"I... I destroyed your homeland."

"..."

"Rubia, you still hate me, yes?"

"...Possibly, that may be true."

Rubia spoke with her hand on her own chest.

"Corrupted by that Darkness, you have sinned. That is the truth."
[[image:STnBD V20 BW03.jpg|thumb]]

"..."

"Hence, atone for your sin. You and I, together, by our own hands&mdash;"

Rubia tightened her grip and said.

"&mdash;Lend me your power, Volcanicus!"
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