Ancestral Lineage

Chapter 167 Raining Beauties. The Final Boss Of A Nightmare.

Ethan sighed inwardly, his mind racing despite his calm outward demeanor. The sight of Lamair's body, suspended in its strange liminal state between life and death, filled him with dread and urgency. He knew he couldn't afford to waste time. But first, he had to handle the situation with Lisa—Pisces—and the other new developments swirling around him.

'I didn't know the Grove could rain beauties,' Ethan teased telepathically, though his words echoed to everyone in the group.

Lisa's face, already flushed from earlier, turned impossibly red. She buried her face into his chest, utterly unable to respond. "I... ugh!" she stammered, wishing she could melt into the ground—or perhaps freeze the ground instead.

Ethan chuckled inwardly but didn't push further. His expression shifted to something more serious as he continued telepathically, his golden eyes studying her closely.

'You look familiar... Are you, perhaps, his sister? The Zodiac?'

Lisa hesitated before nodding. "I... yes. Is it that obvious?"@@@@

'Blue hair, icy aura, and the same stubborn streak in your face. Not to mention the resemblance,' Ethan responded, his tone cooling. 'Did you come here because of him? To save him?'

Lisa opened her mouth, but no words came out. Torn between her inner turmoil and Ethan's unrelenting gaze, her mind faltered.

"I..." she managed, her voice breaking, but she couldn't give him an answer.

Before the silence could stretch further, Andriel's voice broke through the tension. "Babe... she's one of us."

Ethan's brow furrowed as he glanced at her. 'By that, do you mean...?'

"Yes," Andriel confirmed, her tone trembling with a mix of uncertainty and awe.

Ethan fell silent for a moment, his golden eyes flicking between Andriel and Lisa. Then he sighed, a flicker of warmth returning to his otherwise cold demeanor.

'I don't know how this happened, but you appeared at the wrong time,' he said to Lisa, his tone kind but firm. 'I have something very important to do, and I'd prefer if you excused me for a moment.'

Before Lisa could respond, Ethan used his Telekinesis to gently lift her off his arms and place her on the ground. She gasped as she realized her state—her body was almost entirely bare, her only saving grace being her bra, a tattered remnant of her skirt, and the ethereal white wings that instinctively wrapped around her to shield her.

Ethan turned his focus back to Lamair's body without hesitation. The sight of his fallen companion—purple hair, fair skin, and a muscular build restored by his earlier transformation—filled him with equal parts hope and despair. A faint golden shimmer clung to Lamair's body like a protective veil, but Ethan's sharp gaze pierced through it. He noticed something more—a faint thread connecting Lamair to... somewhere else.

Clara and Reginald, standing nearby, also seemed transfixed by the sight. Their expressions betrayed awe and confusion, but Ethan could tell they were seeing something beyond what he could.

'Clara, Reginald... are you perhaps of the Spirit race?' Ethan asked without turning to them, his gaze fixed on Lamair.

"We are," Reginald answered first, his voice heavy with solemnity. His foxlike tails swayed behind him, mirroring the emotions swirling within him.

"But... we don't understand most of our power," Clara admitted, her voice trembling. "It's like..." She paused, struggling for words.

'I know,' Ethan said, his voice softening. 'I'm experiencing the same. But if you focus enough, you'll understand your purpose. I don't fully know your power, but I can tell it's tied to spirits.'

"It is," Reginald confirmed.

Ethan took a deep breath, his composure cracking just slightly as he glanced at them. 'Then can you help me bring Lamair back? I can't lose him now. He's like a brother to me. He has a family waiting for him. Can you help me?'

Clara's expression softened, but before she could speak, Reginald intervened. "I... I don't know this feeling. I'm not as attuned to spirits as I should be. I can feel spirit magic, but it's more like a boost for my affinity. I don't have the memories or knowledge of using it properly. Miss Clara..." He trailed off, glancing at her. "She's... higher in the hierarchy than me. Her spirit magic is much stronger."

Lamair turned his glowing purple eyes toward Ethan, confusion etched into his now-sharpened features. "Ethan? What happened? Why is it so dark?"

'It's your power...' Ethan said, his voice low and filled with both relief and caution. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire

Lamair inspected his hands, his blackened skin and grey markings catching his attention. "I... Tell me you didn't go berserk."

Ethan let out a sheepish chuckle, though there was a hint of guilt behind it. 'Sorry, man.'

Lamair looked at Ethan, then down at his transformed body. His expression shifted to one of determination as he said, "Alright... I'll deal with it. But first, tell me—what the hell happened?"

Ethan smiled faintly, his relief washing over him. 'You died, man. And we brought you back. You've changed, but you're alive. That's what matters.'

As Lamair stood, his towering figure casting a shadow over the group, the oppressive aura of death still lingered, but there was an unshakable warmth in the moment. Clara, still leaning against Ethan, smiled weakly.

"You're back," she said softly.

Lamair turned his gaze to her, his expression softening. "Yeah... I'm back. And I owe all of you my life."

Ethan placed a firm hand on his friend's shoulder, his golden eyes gleaming with resolve. 'And we're not letting you waste it.'

"Yo bro..." Trevor suddenly said, his usual smirk plastered on his face, his tone dripping with mischief.

"Don't..." Lamair sighed in silent frustration, his aura rippling outward in warning.

But Trevor, being Trevor, countered with his own bloody, dreadful aura, leaning in as he finished his statement.

"I know you just came back from the dead, but did you have to come back as the final boss of every bad nightmare? All that's missing is a dramatic lightning strike and some maniacal laughter!"

Lamair pinched the bridge of his nose. "This fucking idiot," he muttered, shaking his head. But his expression betrayed him—it was more relief than anger.

Ethan chuckled, tossing a bundle of clothes toward Lamair. 'Here! Some clothes. They might look a little short on you, though. I didn't exactly plan for you to come back as a 7.8-foot-tall giant.'

Lamair caught the clothes, examining them with a raised brow. "Thanks, man."

But before he could slip them on, Lisa's voice cut through the playful banter like a blade.

"Ethan... can I please talk to you?" she asked softly, her tone uncertain but insistent.

Lamair tilted his head, his knowing smile widening. "New girl?" he teased, nudging Ethan playfully.

Ethan sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. 'It seems,' he replied, glancing at Lisa, who stood hesitantly nearby, her wings slightly curled in like a shield.

Trevor grinned, clearly enjoying the awkward tension. "Well, Ethan, looks like someone's got a fan club now."

'Trevor,' Ethan growled, shooting him a glare.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop! For now," Trevor said, holding up his hands in mock surrender, though his smirk didn't falter for a second.