The Crimson Magister Chapter 56: V2-C37: Azure’s Sanctuary

Read chapter 56 of The Crimson Magister by Okram on NovelPedia.

V2-C37: Azure’s Sanctuary Azure found herself floating in the darkness of her mind. She had felt the chains of mind control wrap around her like a snake around its prey. Yet she felt safe. "Oh no, you ain't, nobody is going to dominate my favoured child!" She heard the voice of the very goddess that had blessed her before. Instantly, the chains that she felt coiling around her dispersed. Her eyes widened as her mind sanctuary transformed into the lake where she had first obtained her power. In the middle sat the small girl she had seen before, yet she seemed angry. "No. No. No!" The girl stomped on the surface of the lake, "That bitch! I will make her life miserable!" Azure did not deign to approach. She trembled as if she saw a ghost. The goddess of misfortune seemed livid. "She forced me to act! Fuck! Now I failed Chief again . I am useless!" Laleyn slumped down and sobbed. "Goddess?" Azure reached forward. The false girl's eyes lit up as she noticed Azure. "Azure… You were not supposed to see me like this." "I…" Azure stumbled over her words as she noticed Laleyn's distraught expression. "Azure, I was not supposed to interfere due to the presence of the Devourer." Azure tilted her head as she stared at the crying goddess. "Devourer?" "The elf you seem to spend time around! She made me unable to guide you!" She rose to her feet and cleared her throat. "Ah, do you mean Aqua?" "It has a name?" "Please do not call her it!" Azure stomped. Despite being in the presence of a goddess and likely savior, she had to defend Aqua. She expected the gods to be afraid of her, considering her achievements, but to disrespect her heroine was far too much. "Huh?" The goddess tilted her head. "She is the only reason I am alive right now." Azure shrank back as the Goddess stared at her. "But…" Laleyn scratched her chin, "No, that is not possible, are you sure you are not tricked? Mind control, maybe?" The goddess appeared behind her and inspected Azure closely. "No, my lady. I assure you that I am not under any spell. The girl you called devourer is just a normal elf with great power." Laleyn closed her eyes as she inhaled sharply, "Normal elf? No, my dear, it… No, she is far from it." Azure frowned. The girl in front of her was her patron, yet she could not subdue her urge to defend Aqua. Even if it costs her life, she would not allow even a goddess to disrespect someone to whom she owed her life. "My lady. I urge you to stop such disrespectful behavior toward her!" She stepped forward despite the difference in power. Laleyn widened her eyes as she appeared some distance away from her. "Azure? Why such hostility?" "I will not allow even you to disrespect Aqua; you may kill me. Curse me or whatever, I owe her my life, and thus, as a proper knight, I will fight for her honor right here!" Her lips formed a shaky smile; she had no chance against the goddess. If Laleyn wished Azure to disappear, then she would have in an instant, yet she stood alive before a befuddled goddess. The small child raised her hand forward, yet it shook as if she was afraid, "Please…" A tear rolled down her cheek, "I don't want my children to die or hate me." "Huh?!" Azure stumbled back and fell as she gazed at the goddess. "Azure, I only wish for your good. You refused the perfect Argussian form in favor of your flawed existence, and I accepted it. Even now, as you refuse me, I would never hurt you. Please believe me." She approached slowly. Instead of the usual dread, she felt around Laleyn, she felt as if she was facing a distraught child. "I have protected your mind from the control, yet I cannot protect you from the Devourer. I only wish for you to be safe." Azure pushed herself up and approached Laleyn. Gone was the goddess who she had begged for help when the golden rose attacked; in front of her was a worried girl, nothing more and nothing less. She sighed before falling to one knee, "I know, and I thank you for protecting me. However, understand that Aqua is not y