Miril

I used <Hyper Bound> to make my way to the Kniclad Mountains because King Ilrymax sent me word that Ikol and that thing he kept by him had arrived there. King Ilrymax wanted to discuss something with me, so I do not think it is a social message. From Hoggdin's cave I reached the Kniclad Mountains in about ten minutes, stopping in the Medec Plains that bordered his mountains. King Ilrymax flew over to me after a few moments thanks to his <Horizon Gaze> spotting me, casually flying over towards me. King Ilrymax landed in the plains next to me with a smirk across his smug face; what had him so amused? He was chuckling at me as I glared at him, wondering what could have possibly been so entertaining that he messaged me for a quick chat. Did something happen with Ikol? King Ilrymax always was a bit of a jokester.

"Greetings, King Miril." King Ilrymax said politely with a bow.

"Greetings, King Ilrymax." I replied, keeping my eyes on him.

"What has you so tense?" King Ilrymax taunted. Something was immensely funny to him, but what could it have been?

"You apparently wanted to talk. Is something wrong with Ikol?" I inquired. What could possibly have warranted sending me a message?

"No, I wanted to chat about the other one." King Ilrymax informed me. That was not something I expected. He called me to discuss something with Ufr?

"What's with Ufr?" I inquired, turning my head a bit in confusion. King Ilrymax began laughing some more.

"Not Ufr, Lux." King Ilrymax clarified as he seemed even more amused.

"What about it?" I checked. Why did King Ilrymax want to ask me about Lux? I ran over here for that?

"It? For your protégé that is some harsh language." King Ilrymax shot back. It sounded like Lux needed some correcting swats for saying such nonsense.

"I have no protégé, only a certain someone who needs to get some sense beat into them. She's in your mountains right now, correct?" I probed as I flexed my paw. Will swat this out of her in no time.

"Not your protégé, but you taught her <Hyper Bound>?" King Ilrymax challenged me. I was starting to grasp his chuckling at least.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I deflected. I did show it to her, but I was not sure if she would be able to put it together fast enough for the trials in the <Journey>.

"King Miril, we Kings are supposed to be honest with each other. You did recommend for her to do a lap around the Jagged Peak faster than a stone toss, and <Hyper Bound> is a <Technique> you use regularly." King Ilrymax retorted with an amused expression. He's always been a jokester and easily amused by nonsense. This was just more of his nonsense.

"Because she needs a challenge, that thing should be pushed." I defended myself. And I was pretty confident she would put it together, Lux did actually get the <Technique> usable enough to be part of her trials.

"Why do you alternate between being supportive of her and truly nasty and bitter about her existence?" King Ilrymax inquired with a look that he already had an answer in mind.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I lied as I disliked what he was asking about.

"King Miril, why are you like this?" King Ilrymax sighed while shaking his head.

"What do you mean?" I checked as King Ilrymax looked unamused.

"You don't have enough friends to bare fangs at the few you have." King Ilrymax taunted me.

"You and Sovereign Hoggdin both harp on crap like this." I snarled at him.

"Because you tend to not be the most honest individual and your protégé seems to think you hate her." King Ilrymax retorted with a deadpan stare.

"What are you trying to learn?" I asked in a pointed tone, trying to get him to move along. I cannot believe he wanted to discuss this nonsense. Did Hoggdin put him up to it?

"Well, we Kings thought we were aware of the strongest in the <Journey>, but little did I know that you were double dipping in being represented." King Ilrymax told me.

"I'm not." I informed him, not that clarifying was going to help my case.

"How are you not?" King Ilrymax pressed in an annoyed tone.

"No reason." I attempted. Ugh, of course he'd bring up the ongoing <Journey> to keep me here.

"Lux and Ufr both are representing you, unless you are confident that one of them is much more capable than the other." King Ilrymax pointed out.

"Obviously one of them is stronger." I explained to him.

"Which one?" King Ilrymax asked with his normal taunting smile returning.

"The stronger one." I answered as I debated the efficacy of attacking him.

"I have no idea which one is stronger, and I am requesting the future Sovereign to give me her insight on the matter. Imagine my dismay when I have only received vague statements and lies when we Kings are obligated to be truthful on matters involving the future generations. To make it worse, the future Sovereign is intentionally covering the truth from me." King Ilrymax cried, feigning being immensely upset.

"Are you trying to motivate me to swat the shiza out of you?" I questioned him while trying not to feel too irritated by his behavior.

"No, I am just curious what has wandered into my territory and the one being that can add clarity refuses to because I can only imagine she's worried her child might actually follow her off of Phestia." King Ilrymax told me directly. I let out a long, irritated sigh.

"Why are you like this?" I snapped at him

Stolen novel; please report.

"Because I know from our <Journey> how you get and are. I want the truth on Lux because something is not adding up." King Ilrymax explained with a smirk.

"What is not adding up?" I grumbled. Of course, the other Kings have more questions now that they're seeing Lux.

"I cannot fathom why you taught Lux, and not any of your children, <Hyper Bound>. She demonstrated she at least could use it even if her control is not all there. When you convinced the Kings when they did not want the non-Phestia native to not participate in the <Journey> you used the fact that she is your protégé to convince them, but when I talked with her it was obvious she thought you utterly despised her. From my understanding, her and Ufr already had a duel that they agreed to resume later because King Elijah sent Ufr on a long retrieval trial. As you and I have been long time friends, I want a straight answer from you because I imagine the others may not be so understanding. Other than King Duck, let's be honest." King Ilrymax retorted. Ugh, he always has such good points.

"I showed her <Hyper Bound> and gave her a hint on it, Lux put the rest together on her own. Granted, I was aware Lux would likely be able to replicate it from what I provided." I confessed, feeling annoyed having to tell King Ilrymax that.

"So, you indirectly taught her the <Technique> knowing she would be able to figure out the method behind it on her own. What about my other questions?" King Ilrymax pressed as he clearly wanted more information.

"What other questions?" I deflected. King Ilrymax gave me a highly unamused stare.

"The double representation of Ufr and Lux, as well as why does the being you claimed as a protégé thinks you hate them." King Ilrymax clarified for me.

"Ufr probably lost the only hope he has of winning against Lux once he agreed to resume it at a later date because she is going to finally fix her fighting style after trying it against him. Ufr is going to get humbled greatly whenever their rematch occurs, granted I hope Lux does grow enough not to try and measure herself against others." I explained with a huff. King Ilrymax went a bit wide-eyed.

"Wow, actual praise from King Miril." King Ilrymax mocked me.

"What does that mean?" I snapped at him.

"Because have you ever told Lux anything positive? She clearly thinks you hate her and likely has strong contempt for you." King Ilrymax retorted. I glared at him.

"What does that matter?" I sighed. Everyone is lecturing me on this. Hoggdin, Ipnerslei, Izol, and to a lesser extent Orga all brought this up.

"I do not want you to repeat the mistake of the past. I remember how you were with Cihlt, and the sheer resentment the two of you now possess towards each other." King Ilrymax answered with no hesitation.

"Do not mention that bezka." I snarled at him.

"My point exactly; you are repeating what she did to you to Lux. Do you want to be the same as her?" King Ilrymax challenged as I felt my vision turn red at that question. Everyone comparing me to that bezka.

I lunged at King Ilrymax, reinforcing my body with <Mana> to assault him. King Ilrymax knew he was provoking a fight with that question, so he had his <Mana> ready to defend himself. I unleashed an onslaught of <Burning Stars> that I picked up from Ipnerslei which caught King Ilrymax off guard. You were not ready for new <Spells>, were you? He remained calm, quickly dodging and adjusting to my attacks because <Horizon Gaze> allowed him to see what was coming at him. King Ilrymax went to take off to the sky, but that was not going to happen because I unleashed a <Laser Array> above him to keep him towards the ground. I jumped up, gripping him with a paw as I went to throw him into the dirt. King Ilrymax launched the two of us towards his territory, trying to get into the sky a bit. I attacked him with several tails while I lit up all my <Runes> and engaged a few halos to augment myself. I shot over him, landing on his back as I manifested several <Binding Chains> to forcefully steer King Ilrymax. King Ilrymax made his body ethereal to slip out of my <Spell>, turning to face me while I used <Air Step> with <Hyper Bound> to bury my shoulder into his rib cage. He shot towards the ground; I felt several sharp blades bounce off my fur when I connected with him. Always so subtle with his <Spells>. Why I needed to keep my armor up with how sly he tended to be when he fought. King Ilrymax effortlessly caught himself from the force while calmly looking back at me.

"Have you vented enough?" King Ilrymax checked as I was still furious.

"Do not compare me to her!" I roared at him.

"Then act better than she did." King Ilrymax retorted calmly.

"I am!" I spat at him, taking deep breaths to calm myself down.

"Not with much distinction." King Ilrymax pointed out to me.

"Why?! Why do you and Hoggdin both press this?!" I yelled, debating if I wanted to resume my attack. Even Izol forling brought it up.

"We are seeing you make the same mistake she did as you are acting similar to her. Clearly, we care enough to try and help you be better, but as usual, you think yourself infallible and better than others justifying it as you are acting with a different interest." King Ilrymax explained. I let a massive, deep sigh.

"What makes you say that?" I probed. How long had he talked to Lux? Was it that obvious?

"Lux gave answers that reminded me of what you used to say on our <Journey>. I was concerned so I wanted to talk to you and got the answers I imagine Cihlt used to give." King Ilrymax informed me. I wanted to know what Lux's answers were, but I imagined King Ilrymax was telling the truth.

"What are you saying I should do?" I sighed as I turned off my <Runes> and halos.

"Probably try being more honest with Lux and admitting you do not truly hate her existence. Also maybe act like she is not the worst friend for Ikol." King Ilrymax retorted. That sounds so wrong to me.

"She is trying to boss him around and take him off Phestia." I grumbled in response.

"Who would ever boss someone else around?" King Ilrymax taunted with a chuckle.

"I have no idea what you are referring to." I lied, trying to miss his point.

"Lux treats Ikol exactly like how you treated Izol; it was a blast from the past when I saw the two together. You know full well why Sovereign Hoggdin and I are harping on this because we do not want you to make the same mistakes the last generation made. Maybe go talk to her in my territory and be honest about things, you are allowed to chat with her." King Ilrymax suggested. I let out another frustrated sigh.

"She's still going to probably let him follow her back to Tenebrae." I spat at him. Ikol wouldn't want to be away from his only friend.

"And the two can clearly come back to Phestia because of King Krahinn and the tiny demon whatever its name is." King Ilrymax pointed out.

"Maybe." I deflected. That felt wrong. But there's a chance he is not entirely wrong.

"Try starting small then. I am going to go check on the young ones." King Ilrymax told me before taking off. He might have had a point.

"Fine." I conceded as we shot over to the Kniclad Mountains.

I saw Lux attempting a piece of the lap I tested, seeing her <Hyper Bound> was much further along than I thought it would be. She's gotten quite a bit further than I thought she would with that <Technique>. I noticed there were two dragons and a bug nearby as well, which are probably beings Lux recruited into her <Pack>. Ikol was off in the distance doing whatever challenge Ilrymax gave him. I should not talk to him, unfortunately. I shook my head, seeing Lux starting to get <Hyper Bound> looking correct. When she paused, I used <Hyper Bound> to scoop her up and bring her with me into the Medec Plains. Lux seemed absolutely caught off guard to see me suddenly pull her away. Lux scrambled to her feet, looking on edge. That's how I used to be with Cihlt, wasn't it? I let out an annoyed sigh as I remembered those days, which irritated me that everyone who harped on this might have been right.

"I don't hate you." I informed Lux awkwardly. Lux was quite on edge, giving me a doubtful stare.

"I see, K…K…K-King Miril." Lux tried. This is so uncomfortable.

"You are adequate as well." I added on. Lux looked baffled by my comment. She seemed quite confused as to why I was here and what I was saying.

"Thank you?" Lux replied after a few seconds. The air was still tense as we both just kind of stood there.

"<Hyper Bound> works better with less inputs into your motions and adjusting yourself with <Mana> rather than trying to kick off of a surface to adjust." I explained to Lux. She looked even more confused now.

"What is happening?" Lux checked, not following what was happening.

"I am trying to be better than the past; this is enough for today. Good luck." I told her before using <Hyper Bound> to return back to Hoggdin's cave.

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