Chronicles of Forgotten Extra Chapter 360: First Eclipse Elemental Spell Learned And The Time to Say Goodbye.

A few more days passed just like that as both Alden and Aemirya hunted dragons during the day, their synergy growing better with each battle, while she taught him about the world at night.

During this time, they had grown close enough that she began sharing stories about her past. She didn’t remember much about her childhood but she knew that her mother was a runaway dragon who had fallen for a strange human, a wandering jester.

As the human wandered through the many kingdoms of mankind, her mother followed him everywhere, and eventually they had her.

Aemirya didn’t remember the face of her father but she always described him as someone who smiled at her no matter what she said as if his face knew no other expression.

Then the event that changed her life forever happened.

One day, while her father was away, the Dragon Elders finally found them. Her mother fought fiercely but she and Aemirya were captured without much resistance.

That was how her hell began.

Despite being of the same race, they never showed any mercy to them. They were imprisoned for days until Aemirya’s mother begged for little Aemirya’s life, offering some secret only she knew.

After they had gotten what they wanted, Aemirya’s mother was hanged, while according to the deal, Aemirya was barely accepted as one of their own.

And even then, the last thing she saw was her mother smiling at her as she breathed her final breath.

All the five-year-old Aemirya could do was smile back like her father had taught her, even as tears and snot streamed down her face.

But even that smile faded as the years passed.

Years of oppression and rejection from the dragons around her slowly eroded the warm memories of her father.

She had even tried to run away to the human continent back then, but like a bird trapped inside a cage, they kept her close like some amusing pet to torment as they pleased... until Aemirya finally gave up on the thought of ever meeting her father again.

Alden looked at her.

Her expression felt heavier than the clouds swirling around the pale moon above them, casting long shadows across the land.

He didn’t know what to say.

So he did what he could do best.

He stayed silent and let her vent her frustrations.

He knew what it was like to be rejected by the people you thought were your own. He knew what it felt like to be treated worse than trash merely because of the bloodline you were born into.

Once she was done, she looked at him with the composed facade she always hid behind.

"I am sorry for boring you with my venting."

She apologized as if realizing she had shared more than she intended to but Alden simply shook his head and gave her a smile.

"It’s alright." He said, his eyes drifting toward the moon hidden behind the clouds. "Sometimes it’s better to share your frustrations with someone than to drown in them until you can no longer see a way out. And I’m glad you chose to share yours with me."

His smile widened.

"Who said I trust you? As if, you pervert. Keep dreaming."

She immediately turned her head to the side in refusal.

All Alden did was chuckle before his voice softened.

"...But have you truly given up on finding your father?" he asked hesitantly. "Don’t you have many questions for him?"

Alden understood that part as well.

In his own way, he didn’t know much about his real parents and yet he would do almost anything to find them not because of love but because he still had far too many questions.

He was certain Aemirya was no different. She looked toward the sky as her expression hardened.

"I have questions for him. Many questions. But I do not remember what he looks like or where he is. All I remember is that smile he always wore... and that he was a wandering jester."

She let out a bitter smile.

"And even if I somehow managed to find him, how would I leave my cage? Although I am more than capable of running away now, if I did so, I would be branded a runaway just like my mother and hunted down. The dragons hate those who reject their control. Especially my grandmother."

Alden didn’t say anything as she immediately diverted the topic.

"In any case, enough of this gloomy talk. Let’s discuss our plan for tomorrow. I am certain we will encounter the final remaining competitor."

Her expression turned serious.

"And once we defeat them, only then will the gate to the outside world open. Along with it, your only opportunity to escape will appear as well."

Alden’s expression hardened.

"What do you mean? I thought you were somehow planning to bring me with you."

He frowned, confused by her wording.

But she immediately shook her head.

"That is far too dangerous. The teleportation platform is located in the center of our Empire. And because tomorrow is the final day of the coming-of-age ceremony, hundreds of Elder Dragons will be gathered there to announce all participants as adults and present the rewards to the winner."

She continued in the same serious tone.

"If you were to teleport there alongside me... no amount of luck would save you. So the only way for you to escape safely is to use that brief opportunity to open a different rift at another location. If we miss that chance, you will be stranded here for decades until the next coming-of-age ceremony."

"Alright."

***

The night passed just like that as Aemirya woke from her sleep. As usual, the boy, Damien, was nowhere to be seen. But she wasn’t surprised because she knew exactly where to find him.

With practiced familiarity, she made her way through the forest before arriving at a small clearing. There, the boy sat on a rock, completely still without the slightest movement, his hands clasped together in front of him.

As if sensing her presence, his head immediately turned toward her and his golden eyes snapped open.

"Oh! Is it morning already?"

Aemirya looked at him in annoyance.

"You should have rested at least today, you know? I don’t even understand what you hope to achieve by training like that."

He simply gave her a smile.

"I am training for something... I feel it will be needed soon."

"Yeah, yeah, sure. I have been hearing you say that for the last two months, yet I have never seen you use anything useful."

With those words, she turned away.

"In any case... get ready. The barrier around the forest is shrinking. The last dragon will be here sooner or later."

She kept those last words to herself before turning around and walking away.

***

Meanwhile, looking at Aemirya’s receding back, a smile spread across Alden’s face.

He had finally done it.

After two months of relentless training within his Abyssal Soul, which had somehow proven to be a far better place to practice than the outside world, he had finally unlocked his first Eclipse-element spell.

He had spent the entire night perfecting its use.

...

Because he had the feeling that the time to use it in the real world for the first time was drawing close as well.