The Ogre Strength Fairy and the Eldest 'Son'
Chapter 62 - A Place Where Love Is Carved Mountain Sized

Chapter 62: Chapter 62 - A Place Where Love Is Carved Mountain Sized

A carriage wound its way through the mountain passes toward the venue. Each turn revealed shifting vistas of peaks and valleys along the rocky coast. The Goltbred heiress sat quietly with her gaze fixed on the passing scenery while her hand rested comfortably in the young Yecine’s. Her father eagerly pointed out landmarks as they passed while talking about historical tidbits.

He’d also eventually grown aware of his daughter’s mood and was trying his best to interest her.

As they rounded the final bend, the massive plateau came into view - its face cleaved cleanly in two. Also carved more traditionally into the face of the feature were a series of wide, silver-adorned terraces. Arches and pillars gleamed with the rays of the afternoon sun and framed the main ceremonial area.

Steps inlaid with silver designs formed a staircase that led from the base to the topmost platform. A circular dais stood at that pinnacle that was surrounded by an intricate shining lattice of the metal. Beyond lay the sea stretching to the horizon - serving as a backdrop to the ancient stone and metal artistry.

Elua’s eyes widened as she took in the full sight... and her expression became particularly thoughtful.

"Impressive, isn’t it?"

Ondua remarked proudly about the site where his daughter would be married. It had amazed him as well the first time his eyes were laid upon the venue. It was much more majestic than the places for ceremonies where he grew up.

"They say it’s been here for many thousands of years. The first settlers discovered it and someone eventually decided to use it for ceremonial purposes."

’Of course it has and of course they did. The power required to slice a mountain so cleanly... is far beyond what cultivators in our region can do now. There was probably an artifact somewhere they wanted to protect as well. Heh. Ceremonial purposes...’

The level of power and the way people treated it sucked the heiress back into memories of the past. The blonde sensed another shift in the mood of her fiancee. Slowing her pace, the swordswoman gently tugged on their joined hands so that the other would notice and match her.

When the ’cute’ girl looked up, she saw the questioning look in the ’older’ girl’s eyes. Blocking their surroundings - her parents - from hearing, the reborn cultivator started to share her realization.

"I’m not sure of everything you’ve listened to or asked of my training tool, but you understand that the Breacher realm is... not the apex. Those above it consider it just the start."

The Yecine wasn’t sure why she was bringing this up, but she nodded. When a few lines had made mention of examples while El had been a Breacher or a Defier in the past, she had questioned it about the order of the ranks. The miniature lectured about the distinction between lower and upper realms and how she should really only say so much.

That was also when she learned about the requirement of reaching the Peak of all three energies to progress further. The idea of achieving even one First Echelon Breacher herself had been nothing but a vague concept. It was the thing only done by legends. Legends that usually died in a Descent eventually... or disappeared entirely.

"This place wasn’t made naturally. This... is the kind of feat we’ll encounter and eventually do ourselves - after we climb to the Upper Realms together."

The young woman’s spirit shivered in awe at her words. This place was almost sacred in the region... knowing it was ’put here’ by a single powerful individual was startling. Being told it was an amount of power she could *achieve* brought both uncertainty and a faint determination flickering in her heart.

She could feel that El noticed both, but chose not to push. It felt like she had been that way since they met at the station. Not pushing questions as much as normal? Qatrand wasn’t sure if it was because of something her fiancee was going through or because of her own feelings that wanted to be spoken.

They reached the top and the full expanse of the venue came into view, Elua squeezed Qat’s hand. Her gaze swept over the abundance of silver adorning the area, a small, knowing smile playing at her lips. She decided some cultivator secrets were best kept to herself. For now.

"Together."

She reaffirmed softly before looking up with her eyes shining with promise. Then she let herself be dragged further inside. While the others marveled at the view, Elua’s mind wandered to how she would tell her husband-wife.

’It wasn’t just some random Defier that left marks on this backwater region. At least one new Divinity ascended in the time I was between lives. I guess she wasn’t lying about her promise.’

The reborn cultivator had heard of the Demi-God woman with a Silver Element back then. It was little famous that her vow touting that her Divine Mandate would be something mildly arrogant. Marriages must be done with lots of the material present. It was simple and something insidious all at the same time.

Because the people of this age didn’t even know why they had a tendency to seek it in the ceremonies. The mandate was a spiritual push towards following the requirement. Different from the Descent or the Three Trials in their challenge-like design. And different from the physical limitation on child-birth.

It made her wonder how many other new changes that might have been so subtle existed. Or even if there had already been some back then affecting her without her ever knowing.

’Just like my mother doesn’t know what I’ve done to her...’

The correlation tanked her mood again and Qatrand noticed quickly. She pulled the brunette to a quick stop and knelt while they faced each other. The straight blonde of her bangs covered one of her pigeon blue eyes as she tilted her head up and held onto both of her hands carefully.

"You’ve been acting strange. Can you tell me what is wrong?"

The facade’s shame filled mint eyes turned listless underneath the probing.

"I did something that I’m not sure you would approve of. I’m also not sure I approve of it anymore. But I’m scared to tell you because... it will make you understand what I’m capable of and the lengths I can go to if I’m able to justify myself."

The Yecine formed a response quicker than she thought she could.

"...Isn’t it important that I understand that? You always tell me things that I’m not sure another person would. Is it different this time?"

"You’re right. You should understand. I also probably need for you to scold me. Just don’t... loathe me."

The swordswoman could feel the ’fear’ almost ignite the greater underlying emotion of the Goltbred girl. Hearing her so worried about something like that was impossible not to compare to her own recent trouble. Her father’s words and the emotion behind them. She decided what to do.

"El, I understand that you feel a reason to think so, but I’m not sure I would ever loathe you."

Their hands parted, but the taller of them wrapped her arms around the girl’s waist and pulled her closer. With her head buried in this ’real’ form of the cute girl, she touched on what had been bothering herself.

"I know what it feels like to be on the other end of it. I couldn’t do that to you."

The ’fear’ was successfully subdued, but replaced with a hot ’anger’. The spiritualist could feel the ’wound’ better now that her betrothed had been more open to letting her into it. It took her no mental gymnastics to understand the source. Anper er Yecine had done something.

"What did he do?"

The monotone hid none of her feelings. Qat was a little nervous that the girl was this upset. She’d realized that it hadn’t really made her happy the other day when she first told her about the trouble with her father and the competition. Though her words had helped, making her feel like this was something she didn’t want.

So she came up with another way to shift the conversation after pulling out of the hug.

"I think you were about to tell me what you did, first."

"I broke a promise to you, then made it immediately right. Now what did he do?"

"If you’re going to be vague, then would you like me to do the same?"

Elua hesitated to answer. Her gaze drifted past Qat to where her parents stood with linked arms. They were pointing at various spots and clearly reminiscing about their own wedding. The sight stirred a mix of emotions in her - warmth at their enduring love... and a twinge of guilt that she had forcefully hidden the reality of her own.

"What I did... it might change how you see me."

The heiress finally replied with something above a whisper. She was wrestling with the decision - weighing the desire of honesty against the fear of revealing the full extent of her abilities. The fear of her beloved thinking she would do these same things to her.

Concern became evident in the older teenager’s eyes. Knowing her reluctance was built on a past that might have taught her the dangers of speaking about herself left Qatrand feeling unsettled and somewhat helpless. She didn’t want to provoke clear risks - but she also knew that secrets between people could be just as damaging when revealed.

Like the secret of being despised for being a ’female heir’.

"When you were like this yesterday, I felt... unhappy. Not because of what you might have done, but because I couldn’t help you now. I want to understand you, even if it’s difficult."

The brunette’s dull eyes glittered slightly at Qat’s words. A thread of ’surprise’ and ’gratitude’ pressed out from her spirit. She inhaled deeply. This was going to change things, she knew. Even if not with her wonderful ’fortress’... than with both of their relationships with Yatrel.

"Alright. But remember, that I wanted to do this. It was my choice. On the train, I..."