Chosen By The Lover's Constellation-Chapter 133: Children of Mana, Part Seventeen

Lianna moved with purpose through a dense, murky swamp, southwest of Garriden, her steps cautious yet determined.

The air was thick with the scent of decaying vegetation, and the eerie silence was broken only by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures in the undergrowth.

She had ventured out alone, her mind set on testing the capabilities of the artifact she carried.

She didn’t want to attract unnecessary attention or risk endangering others with her actions. Besides, Enverna hadn’t yet come back from her training and Zura was still hanging out with Vayn somewhere, and, in all honesty, Linna couldn’t wait any longer after successfully activating the artifact.

It was all she could think about right now.

With each step she took, she scanned her surroundings, searching for any sign of movement that might indicate the presence of a Fiend.

Using {Reconnaisance}, she looked through the trees and muck, trying to spot them.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity of tense anticipation, Lianna spotted a dark, shadowy figure lurking amidst the twisted trees ahead. Her heart quickened with a mixture of fear and excitement as she realized she had found her target.

[Oh.... I hope this works. Would kinda suck if I got myself killed out here, without telling anyone. Oh well.]

Lianna stepped forward.

The fight began immediately.

Lianna’s heart raced in her chest as she danced around the Fiend’s frenzied onslaught. The creature’s movements were swift and unpredictable, its grotesque tentacles lashing out with deadly intent.

With each narrow dodge, Lianna’s muscles began to scream in protest, her breath coming in ragged gasps as she fought to keep herself out of harm’s way.

[Right, no Envy buff. Shit.]

She knew she had to act fast.

As the Fiend lunged forward once again, its razor-sharp claws slashing through the air, Lianna’s mind raced with possibilities.

She needed to tap into the power of the artifact she carried.

Admittedly, she was panicking, though.

That same panic threatened to overwhelm her as she fumbled for the artifact, her fingers trembling with adrenaline-fueled urgency. 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

Unfortunately, the artifact suddenly turned inert.

[YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!]

She could feel it, the way it turned off like a lightbulb.

[Uh, activate!] She urged, looking back and forth between the Fiend and the rock in her hands. [ACTIVATE!]

As much as she tried, it kept refusing to respond to her desperate commands.

The Fiend didn’t let up.

With a guttural snarl, the Fiend unleashed a torrent of dark energy from its maw, aiming directly at Lianna with deadly intent.

Lianna’s heart leaped into her throat as she darted to the side, narrowly evading the blast. The energy crackled in the air where she had stood a moment ago, sending shivers down her spine.

Gritting her teeth, Lianna realized the gravity of the situation. She needed to end this encounter quickly before it escalated any further.

Lianna turned around and jogged a few steps away.

Lianna cursed under her breath, frustration gnawing at her resolve.

[Okay, calm down,] Lianna told herself. [It’s probably just not working because you’re too stressed. Relax. Empty your mind, just like you’ve been doing all this time.]

Closing her eyes briefly, she took a deep breath, forcing herself to focus amidst the chaos that surrounded her.

Slowly, gradually, she felt the frantic pounding of her heart begin to steady, her racing thoughts gradually slowing to a more manageable pace.

And then, finally, she felt it.

A subtle shift in energy signaled the artifact’s response.

[It’s working!]

Now, the moment of truth.

Opening her eyes, she fixed her gaze on the Fiend before her, her voice steady and commanding.

"Stop," she commanded, her words ringing out with authority.

To her astonishment, the Fiend froze mid-attack, its movements halting abruptly as if caught in a spell.

Lianna’s pulse quickened with exhilaration.

[Holy shit...] She cracked a smile. [I did it.]

Taking a moment to continue breathing, Lianna looked down at the rock in her hands.

[Let’s try...]

With growing confidence, she issued her next command, her voice unwavering.

"End your own life," she ordered, her tone firm.

For a moment, there was no response from the abominable creature. There was only a pause that seemed to stretch on for an eternity.

And then, with a chilling finality, the Fiend obeyed.

It took its own tentacles and began digging into its own body. No sounds, no screeching or pained screaming. It went about extracting its own insides with cold, mechanical efficiency.

Lianna could barely believe what she was seeing.

She stood there, stunned, as the reality of what she had just accomplished sank in.

Her experiment had been a success, her control over the artifact undeniable.

[I did it,] she said again. [I really did it. I can control Fiends.]

The limits of this power were, of course, unknown to her. She had no clue what the strongest tier of Fiend she could control was, or how many.

But, still, this was undeniably massive.

With butterflies in her stomach, Lianna turned and began the long journey back to Garriden, her mind swirling with questions and hopes.

At the same time, though, she knew that she had tapped into a power beyond her comprehension.

A power that would likely come with its own set of consequences.

[Fuck it,] she thought, however. [This is just a "toy"? Well, don’t I hope you don’t mind if I play with it as much as I can, asshole.]

---

Lianna’s footsteps echoed softly against the polished floorboards of the inn as she made her way back inside.

The warmth of the common room enveloped her, a welcome reprieve from the chill of the evening air.

Casting a quick glance around the room, her eyes immediately landed on Enverna and Caroline, seated at a nearby table.

Lianna could hear Enverna giggling. From a glance, to someone less educated, she probably looked uncomfortable. Lianna, though, knew this was a bit more complex.

This was like looking into a mirror at a past version of herself.

[It’s terrible being attracted to someone you don’t like, huh?] Lianna thought with a little smile. [Yeah, I’ve been there. I’m not exactly proud of all my one-night stands.]

The sight brought a smile to Lianna’s lips.

[Still, I really think she needs this. Heh, she’s learning what pure lust is in real-time. And, that...] Lianna’s heart beat a little faster, [is different from what... From what I hope we feel for each other.]

She hoped Enverna learned a little from this.

... But, at the same time, she couldn’t help but have a bit of fun with the situation.

As she approached, Lianna couldn’t help but notice the slight sheen of sweat that glistened on Enverna’s brow, evidence of the rigorous training session she had just completed with Caroline.

With a mischievous grin, Lianna sidled up to the table, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she caught Caroline’s instantly distasteful look. Leaning in close to Enverna, she spoke in a low voice, quiet enough so that the whole inn didn’t hear her, but still loud enough so that Caroline did.

Her words were tinged with excitement.

"Envy, darling, I have something important to tell you," she murmured, her breath warm against Enverna’s ear.

Enverna turned to face her, a curious expression flickering across her features.

Lianna could see the question in her eyes, the silent inquiry as to what could possibly be so urgent.

With a playful glint in her eyes, Lianna leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to Enverna’s cheek, relishing the blush that blossomed across her skin in response.

Caroline’s expression darkened at the intimate display, a scowl marring her features as she looked away.

[Wow... She did not like that at all!]

Lianna couldn’t help but feel a surge of satisfaction at the sight, knowing full well the effect her actions were having on the other woman.

Pulling back slightly, Lianna met Enverna’s gaze with a smirk, her heart fluttering with affection at the sight of the woman she loved.

"I’ll be waiting for you upstairs," she whispered, her voice husky with anticipation.

Enverna’s cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink at the implication of Lianna’s words, but a smile tugged at the corners of her lips as she nodded in understanding.

"I’ll be up in a minute," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

With a final, lingering glance, Lianna turned and made her way towards the stairs.

As she ascended the steps, she locked eyes with Caroline one more time.

Unable to resist, Lianna blew the girl a kiss before moving out of her sight.

On that note, she went into her room and jumped onto the bed.

Hands behind her head, Lianna stared up at the ceiling with a victorious smile.

[You know...] She thought, that smile fading away a bit. [It doesn’t feel too much like this city is going to be under attack in a few weeks. I hope we’ll be ready for it, but... I don’t know. I guess all I can do is keep experimenting with the artifact. Then... Hope for the best. That’s all.]