Machina Arcanis: Two Worlds Collided
Chapter 156. Vivian Viberty’s Chamber

The glowing portal materialised atop the skyscraper, its border humming with immense energy. Two figures emerged from the teleportation — one a silver-haired lady, the other a Wildren child.

The cold winter wind swept past them, prompting Cartier to pull her dark puffer jacket closer. She wore a fur ushanka and even a tail sock, yet the biting air pierced through her exposed cheek, turning it red.

The elven Empress beside her, dressed in a similar fur-lined cloak and high-waisted wool trousers, all in white, seemed utterly unbothered. Her silvery hair fluttered majestically in the wind.

“Cold?” Aurora asked gently, taking Cartier’s hand.

“Miss Mirai clearly underestimated the weather here—Oop!” Cartier nearly stumbled as a harsh gust blew against her.

“Can’t blame her. She’s always been a homebody,” Aurora said with a light smile, her pale silver eyes scanning the vista. From their vantage point, the skyscraper offered a scenic view of Poranthis, lit by the glitter of artificial lights in the distance. To their left stood a rooftop garden glasshouse filled with greenery, reminiscent of the one at Borealis Castle offshore.

“This capital has seen exponential prosperity since I last visited… must’ve been hundreds of years ago,” she murmured, more to herself than anyone.

“Empress, remind me again, why are we here?” Cartier asked, rubbing her chilled cheeks.

“Curing my back pain?” Aurora teased, earning a small laugh.

“Astral Empress! You’re early,” a female voice rang out.

They turned to see a blonde Celestius approaching. Her beautifully curled hair danced in the wind, and she wore a brown arc coat with a high collar. A golden laurel circlet sat atop her head. Her cyan eyes sparkled with warmth.

***

Vivian led her guests toward the rehabilitation area located in the centre of the skyscraper. The white-tiled floor carried the distinct scent of disinfectant, intermingled with a subtle floral fragrance, similar to that of a well-kept hospital.

“Is she really a doctor?” Cartier asked innocently, walking in step beside them.

“The best doctor in the world,” Aurora replied. As she walked, however, she began to visibly limp.

“Ah—” She winced, nearly collapsing as she pressed her hand against the wall for support.

“Empress? Are you alright?” Vivian gasped, quickly rushing to prop her up. “I didn’t realise your symptoms were this serious.”

“It’s fine. You’ve nagged me enough to visit. If you knew the full extent, I fear you’d have dragged me here yourself,” Aurora said coldly.

Vivian shook her head. “As much as I’d love to drag you here, I can barely leave this place. I’ll explain in a minute, Empress.”

Aurora pursed her lips and steadied herself. As the pain subsided, she straightened.

“I’m fine now, Vivian. Let go,” she said with command in her voice. Vivian opened her mouth to object, then dismissed the idea.

“This way, Empress. We’re close to the rejuvenation chamber,” Vivian said, her smile slightly subdued.

They moved into the main section, enclosed by wide, circular walls. At the entrance, a Novitcius stood in silent prayer.

“Terissa,” Vivian greeted her softly. “Empress Aurora has arrived, along with her ward, Cartier Di Joy.”

“I’m Terissa Mercier, Astral Empress, Cartier,” the veiled Novitcius replied, bowing respectfully. Her green eyes radiated calm. Dressed in dark robes, her long, straight green hair cascaded elegantly down her lower back. She exuded an aura of serenity and quiet faith.

Cartier exchanged brief greetings with the Novitcius mage, who then opened the door for them.

The first thing to greet them was the soothing scent of lavender, from the stretch of remedial flora known to ease pain. Cartier inhaled deeply, taking in the refreshing, medicinal air.

The chamber followed a circular floor plan, with partitions formed by low walls that didn’t reach the ceiling. Glowing leaves of Iasis twirled gently through the space, drifting from the centre of the room like mythical autumn.

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“Interesting…” Aurora observed, studying the leaves as they flowed toward her. The healing spell seemed to function in a continuous loop, so long as patients remained within the chamber.

“Well, I designed the apparatus to draw from a powerful essence,” Vivian said proudly, gesturing toward the inner section of the room.

Cartier giggled as she played with the glowing leaves, clearly fascinated by their beauty and rejuvenating effect.

A faint grunting sound echoed in the distance, followed by the dull rhythm of muffled claps. Aurora paused, narrowing her eyes toward the noise, then turned to Vivian with a knowing smile.

“You didn’t tell me Jovian was here too.”

“Oh, I wasn’t sure that was worth mentioning… I might’ve forgotten,” Vivian said with a bashful laugh, scratching her cheek.

***

Inside the opening area, designed as a spacious training ground, the square floor was lined with cushioned, durable stone plates, each with shallow channels along the edges. These channels allowed blood and dirt to be washed away without much effort. At the far end, arc tools and weapons were neatly arranged on racks, alongside giant practice golems standing by in silence.

Cartier inspected the golems from afar. "It's broken." Her excitement faded ever so quickly.

The source of the ruckus echoed from the centre, where a bunny Wildren darted across the floor with flashing agility. Her movements were explosive, terrifying even.

With a swift coil, the bunny swept her leg through the air at her sparring partner. The force of the kick triggered a shockwave that rippled across the ground, her foot erupting way past the speed of sound.

Her opponent, a man in his thirties with long, unkempt hair, blocked with both arms and grunted as he absorbed the impact.

In a rapid motion, he swung back, but the Wildren had already leapt out of range. Employing her alert footwork, she bounced lightly, golden eyes focused, locked into a trance-like concentration.

“Nice sparring!” Vivian called cheerfully.

The two halted at once, turning toward the voice, only to widen their eyes in shock as they saw the Empress standing beside her.

Jovian Xan Zepharion bowed to his sparring partner to signal the pause. He wore a black compression shirt that hugged his toned frame and loose white trousers. Stripping off his armguards, he jogged barefoot toward the arriving guests, with the bunny Wildren trailing behind.

“Empress Aurora, you’ve finally arrived!” Jovian dropped to one knee, lowering his head with full reverence.

“Rise, my Celestius of Sagittarius. How’s your rehabilitation?” Aurora asked with a warm smile.

“Never better, Empress,” Jovian grinned, flexing his arms before gesturing to the Wildren. “My sparring partner here is Lupus Hoffmann, Olympian Mage of the Agility Division, and also a Stellius.”

Lupus crossed her bare legs and bowed elegantly. “Greetings, Astral Empress. I believe we met briefly at the ceremony where you kindly bestowed a gold medal upon me,” she said flatly, her voice devoid of emotion. Despite this, she remained an alluring presence.

Lupus wore her silky silver hair in a hime cut, tied into a single high ponytail. Her ashen skin was pristine, dewy with sweat. She donned a matching black training outfit, paired with compression socks that left her toes and healthy nails exposed.

“I remember you, Lupus Hoffmann,” Aurora acknowledged with a nod. “But how did you end up here?”

“Celestius Jovian and his niece rescued me during a failed operation. Since then, Vivian has been treating my legs,” Lupus replied, fidgeting slightly against the floor.

Cartier listened intently. “What kind of injuries did you both have that required the best doctor in the world?” she blurted out. The others chuckled, except Lupus, who turned away without comment.

Vivian crouched beside Cartier, meeting her eye level. “Serious injuries, even ones that arcane spells struggle to cure!” she said brightly.

Cartier smiled, full of hope for her Empress.

“Well, we’ll catch up with you later, Empress,” Jovian added with a grin. “Looks like you’ll be stuck here for a little while.”

Aurora raised an eyebrow, mildly incredulous. “At ease, Celestius. Don’t let my presence interfere with your training.”

She waved them off, and Jovian and Lupus returned to their sparring.

“May we?” Cartier tugged Aurora’s hand and led her toward a nearby bench. On the next one, two Virgo mages sat, eyes gleaming with a mixture of thrill and excitement.

Lupus bounced on her toes, slipping into a fighting stance, one foot angled above the other. Meanwhile, Jovian tightened his gauntlets.

As the battle resumed, Lupus’s leg muscles bulged with power, veins clearly visible across the coiled fibres.

She moved in a blur, her form almost impossible to follow with the naked eye. Jovian crouched, arms raised in defence.

A thunderclap rang out. The shock shook the room as cracks spread beneath Jovian’s feet.

He grunted as Lupus’s leg retracted from his gauntlets.

“My turn!” he called out, stepping forward into a stance with his left fist leading.

“Try me, Celestius!” Lupus roared, darting back into range. Her golden eyes blazed, a flicker of something darker twitching beneath their surface.

In the span of milliseconds, the two fighters clashed. Thunderous blows echoed across the chamber, their collisions of muscle and bone punctuated by fierce grunts. The impact reverberated through the walls.

Incredible. Such raw power… Cartier watched without blinking.

“Are those…?” she gasped at the sight of blood spattering the floor, moments before the grumpy Wildren crashed into the stone tiles, forming a small crater.

Apparently, this was something far more than just a friendly mock battle.