The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya

Chapter 220 Elysium's First Funerals II

-- POV General --

"I can't bring the dead back to life, I can't give back to their family and friends those who have fallen bravely in war, but...perhaps I can allow their loved ones to say goodbye."

With Gaya and Kira looking on in confusion, I had finally said out loud what I had been thinking about for several minutes. The funeral had started out pretty normal if you exclude the fact that our entire family was kneeling for the very first time. But at that moment, I knew that I could make them unforgettable if what I had in mind, the idea that had occurred to me worked as in my mind.

"Onee-san, what do you mean by allowing them to say goodbye ?"

"Kira, I think we'd better watch."

I didn't have time to answer as my wife was already advising my little sister not to ask questions other than to watch carefully. Nodding my head to confirm, I turned around again to face the whole crowd in front of us. I had suddenly stopped in the middle of my speech and knew without surprise that most of the people there did not understand what was going on.

The faces were the very description of incomprehension, the eyebrows were furrowed, the heads were slightly tilted but everyone was silent. To be quite honest, I didn't really know what to say because my thought process was probably too complex. So instead of starting a court on "how to mark your first funeral," I wanted to prove to them all, I wanted to show them.

"Do you trust me ?"

My question had come out of nowhere and answering it was difficult because no one knew what I was talking about or why I was asking the question. Yet, I was quite serious, I was not smiling, my face was neutral while I patiently waited for a sign of an answer from my citizens. After a few seconds, without much surprise, it was finally all the soldiers of Elysium who answered first.

"YES, YOUR HIGHNESS !!!"

These men, these women, these warriors had been the ones who had followed my wife, my sister and me onto the battlefield against the humans. They had been the ones who had witnessed our battles, our frustrations and our strategy from the very beginning. Led by my Commanders, we had somehow gone through the same thing and while the Empire was asleep, we had shed our blood to keep its nights calm.

So it was no surprise that the first to respond without hesitation were the soldiers who had seen my determination. In fact, it was not difficult to understand that after this war, my popularity rating had increased among the soldiers like that of Gaya and Kira. The warriors in front of me were proud, with their heads held high, their hands on their hearts, and despite the atmosphere of death that reigned, they still trusted me blindly.

"U-US TOO, EMPRESS FREYA !"

Only a few seconds later it was all the rest of the citizens who cried out a bit haphazardly, their unwavering trust in me. I could see in their eyes that they were all sincere and despite the scene they had given me upon my arrival, at no point had that confidence really wavered. So I was ready to try what I had in mind, not being sure of anything but determined to do everything in my power.

*Well, then it's time to start*

Elysium's very first funeral was taking a turn that I would never have imagined a few hours ago, but my life was always full of surprises. The plain was silent again, my wife, my little sister and my children too, so that I could concentrate. Maybe I was unaware of testing a simple theory at a time like this, but I had to try for those warriors who had died in battle.

Closing my eyes, taking a deep breath, I gathered all the elements I had gathered in my mind once again. It was all based on a guess and a more than recent memory since it was my fight with Kalaa. When I had fought my big sister, one thing had struck me while I was busy destroying the black walls in which she had locked me.

*I had never thought about it before and I thought that I was subject to a norm even though mine was quite different in this world, but I was wrong. The only barrier, the only limit would be my imagination*

As I faced Kalaa, the mana emanating from her magical attacks felt familiar despite my eyes closed and the pain that took my concentration. Not because they were launched by someone I knew, but because I was familiar with these elements. Ice and Chaos were the first ones I had learned to master so I could easily sense that something was different about the way I used them.

*Why didn't I think of this earlier ? Since I awakened my demon side fully and got my memories back, I'm no longer subject to the rules of Titania's system. The new one even has my name on it...so having Goddess blood I should be able to create new skills and even...mix them*

The walls that my big sister created were made of the same elements as me and yet they were very different, why ? Simply because they were a creation mixing the two main elements she had at that moment. Coming from the same source of mana of which her body was the receptacle, she had been able to instinctively expand her possibilities as an ancient Goddess.

My theory was that I myself was able to use several of my skills at once to create a new one or achieve a different result. So I had to concentrate on testing this idea that had sprung up so suddenly in my mind. Now that I had told Gaya and Kira about my idea, I couldn't back out and no matter how long it took, I wanted to succeed.

*Focus. It's impossible to bring back the dead but...but if I'm not mistaken, I could give these friends, these families what they deserve*

The soldiers we were honoring on this late afternoon were all gone for good and could not be brought back but the mana in their bodies was still present. This could only mean one thing, that somewhere their souls were still there even if it was only a tiny part. Luckily I had two skills that could control mana and souls to some extent so I had to try.

My concentration was at a maximum, this was the first time I was going to try such a thing and although I had made a long list of potential risks, I also had to be careful. Everyone was silent as I pushed my concentration to the max while activating my skill "Detection and Control of Mana". My eyes were closed but I could see everything or at least feel everything.

I could feel and see the surrounding mana, the mana that swirled in the bodies of people, insects, plants, every living organism, every thing. In short, I saw everything from a different angle, mana made of particles of light, fireflies in a vast world filled with darkness. As I had thought, there was still some mana left, very weak in the lifeless bodies lying on the ground disappearing little by little.

*That's it*

Having confirmed my first theory wasn't enough though, since I had to try to do what Kalaa did and use my second skill by linking it to the first. For that, I already had to visualize only the mana of the dead soldiers to be able to have a more powerful control over it. I didn't know how long I had been concentrating but this was just the beginning and I would take the time it would take to succeed.

After a few minutes, with my eyes still closed, I was able to visualize only the light source of those I was targeting. I suddenly felt very exhausted but I wasn't done yet, I had to move on. Now that I had a good overview, the hardest part was still to come of course. I had to use one of my skills that I had only used once since it appeared.

*I don't know what the limit of this skill is, or even the limits of my own system, but I'll soon find out. If I am right...then my only limit is indeed my imagination...*

Concentrating even more intensely again, I promptly activated my level 2 "Master of Souls" skill further. So far I had only used it to absorb living beings like June and May, whom I would soon release as Sins: Pride and Envy. But I had never attempted to extract a soul form from the mana of bodies that had been dead for several hours, because yes, that is what I wanted to do.

[ MP : 67 000 / 85 000 ]

Thinking very quickly, I came to the conclusion that there must be at least a small part of their soul left in their light essence. Although mana was present everywhere, it remained different in each individual, much like fingerprints. By linking "Master of Souls" and "Detection and Control of Mana" I wanted to be able to create like a representation of the souls of those who were close to their family.

*By using their Mana, with the little soul they have left, I might be able to ease their pain. It's not much and will probably only last a few seconds or minutes, but it's the best I can offer them*

I could control the ice, which consumed my MPs, but when I used the ambient mana I could move my creations without using my life energy. The plan was to do the same thing with the mana of the bodies while extracting their souls in order to place them in these creations so that they could come to life somehow. It was not an easy task as I had to use my skills on hundreds of them at the same time.

*If this works, will I be able to create an army of ice soldiers ?*

Shaking my head to abandon any far-fetched ideas for the moment, I continued to suck up the soul particles present in the soldiers' mana one by one. I didn't really know what it looked like or how to do it, but as my MPs went down, I acted instinctively. As if sucked in by my Chaos element little by little, the two separated to leave only a mass of light and a gray veil.

[ MP : 60 000 / 85 000 ]

______

- PING -

[ As a Master of Souls you have just extracted 478 half-souls from the mana of 478 lifeless receptacles ]

_____

*Half-souls ? Never mind, we'll see about that later*

Joining hands to make it easier for me, I then set about creating a sphere of ice above each body made from their mana. One, then five, then ten, then fifty...one by one formed as I felt them perfectly without even seeing them. However, the more I created, the more I could feel my strength draining away, my own mana was being depleted as a spell of this magnitude was more than exhausting.

*Arg...I didn't think it would consume my MPs*

[ MP: 43,000 / 85,000 ]

"Onee-sa n! Y-Your nose is bleeding !"

I could hear Kira's voice in the distance but I was far too focused to care or even respond to her, immersed in my mental palace. I was feeling weaker and weaker...I needed strength, power, not just physical but mental. As I felt my legs shake and my chest burn, I took my demon form for the first time in front of all my citizens.

[ MP : 36 000 / 85 000 ]

When I took the form of Lucifer, my MPs still decreased but I felt more complete, my blood boiled in my veins, my senses sharpened and a new powerful strength came over me. I was becoming me as I felt a stirring in the crowd as I changed. I felt more confident, able to walk all over the world and that was what I needed to finish creating 478 ice spheres.

[ MP : 30 000 / 85 000 ]

Without waiting, as instinctively as at the beginning as I felt an icy air emanating from my own body, I proceeded to pour the half-soul I had just extracted into each ball. The sensation was incredible, I felt like I was one with them and as I manipulated 478 half-souls mine seemed to bind to them. My mind was overwhelmed with what was more than four hundred vague and jumbled memories.

[ MP: 23,000 / 85,000 ]

______

- PING -

[ Congratulations ! The host has unlocked a new soul skill : Reminiscence (lvl 1) ]

[ Master of Souls (lvl 2) -> Master of Souls (lvl 3) ]

[ Detection and Control of Mana (lvl 5) -> Detection and Control of Mana (lvl 6) ]

______

I was almost out of mana but five minutes later, out of breath, exhausted, at the end of my strength, I gave back what belonged to the last ice sphere. My body was heavy but it was nothing compared to the immense fatigue I felt and which made me want to faint on the spot. I didn't know if it had worked but the system notification and my family's voices confirmed it even as my eyes were closed.

"Freya, did you...did you just do that ?!"

"I-Incredible onee-san !"

"M-Mommy…"

___

FULL STATUS

Names : Freya / Lucifer Nightshade

Age : 0 years old / Mentally : 25 years old

Sex : Female

Course: Ice Demon Wolf of Chaos - Adult

Race : Imperial Demon

Titles :

- Demon Goddess of Primordial Blood and Death (former - until all powers are recovered) - 20%.

- Wrathful Lucifer (7th Sin) - Master of the uniques Sins Demons (to unlock it, please gather the other 6 - 3/6 - (locked)

- Dragon tamer

- Ruthless slayer

Level : 45/70

Exp needed for next level: 0 / 46 000

HP : 163 000 / 170 000 MP : 20 000 / 85 000. BLOOD : 100 / 100

Strength: 560

Defense : 560

Agility : 566

Endurance: 563

Speed : 562

Intelligence: 560

Charisma: 500 (imperial she-wolf)

Attribute points to allocate : 600

Married to : Gaya Nightshade

Daughter : Shiro Nightshade

Twins (son & daughter) : Tyle & Altaïs Nightshade

Little sister : Kira Nightshade (Greedy Fox)

Big sister : Kalaa Nightshade

Empire (menu)

Subordinates: 2239

Humans killed: 153

Souls: 2/3

Elements: Ice / Chaos (Freya) - Blood / Death (Lucifer)

Skills (all):

Attacks :

- Demon Claws (Lvl 5)

- Bite of hell (Lvl 6)

- Infernal ice spikes (Lvl 6)

- Fighting techniques (Lvl max)

- Mastery of the katana (lvl max)

- Demonic Empress aura (lvl 7)

Défense :

- Ice demon wall (Lvl 6)

- Demonic Cloak (lvl 5)

- Pain Resistance (lvl 6)

Attack/Defense :

- Domain of the Ice Empress "Frozen Wrath" (lvl 4)

- Death Gaze (lvl 1)

Others :

- Humanoid form

- Demonic form (linked to the title so incomplete) - 20%.

- Ice creation (Lvl 6)

- Detection and control of mana (lvl 6)

- Storage of chaos (Lvl 4)

- Devouring Chaos (Lvl 5)

- Master of Souls (lvl 3)

- Lucifer's Threads of Blood (lvl 3)

- Healing Blood (lvl 3)

- Reminiscence (lvl 1)

- Analysis

- Telepathy

Passives :

- Commander (lvl max)

- Natural Aura of the Ice Empress ]