Chapter 37 - Lyra

A few disintegrated on the spot. The banshees howled and dispersed in all directions to avoid the light. 

From within that pillar of light, streaks of white hot fire bolts shot out and hit the banshees accurately. The fire bolts were much more powerful than Shira's, each capable of turning a banshee into ash without losing its power or form, punching straight through the banshee like it was paper. 

And as it turned out, it was the stray that finally broke the camel's back. The banshees gave a final wail and fled. 

All these happened so fast that everyone was caught by surprise. The bright pillar of light slowly disappeared, revealing a young woman dressed in white robes. 

Like Aleyria, she was transcendentally beautiful. Her red hair was like a fiery waterfall on her back, her beautiful luminous eyes were utter perfection. She smiled gently at them.

She glanced at the still swirling tornado and immediately, it dispersed. She raised a finger and pointed at the Higher Fire Elemental. A portal suddenly appeared behind it.

The Higher Fire Elemental gave the mysterious lady a deep bow and said, "Many thanks, my Lady." It then turned around and stepped through the portal. Very quickly, it disappeared. 

Finally, she looked down at the thousands of people near the massive wall which Kan-Dari had erected. These people were finally free of the banshees' mind control when the banshees fled. 

However, because of their great exertions before, they were absolutely exhausted. Thousands collapsed where they stood, and many more even fainted. 

The lady sighed and stretched out her hand towards them. A cool breeze seemed to emanate from her and swept over the people. Immediately, a very audible wave of sighs could be heard. 

Alexander relaxed as he observed this. This person was not an enemy. But whether or not she was a friend remains to be seen. 

The lady in white floated down towards Alexander and the girls slowly. She seemed to enjoy taking her time.

Within the barrier, the girls glanced uneasily at each other, and then looked at Alexander. "What should we do, Your Majesty?" Shira whispered. 

"Nothing. Let's find out what this person is here for." Alexander replied. He gently carried Aleyria and gave her to Liz'An for safekeeping. 

"Protect her as best you can." He said simply before standing up and walking out of the barrier. 

He stood outside the white barrier with his back ramrod straight. Not a single trace of fear or discomfort could be found in him. 

His calm and confident stance calmed down the three girls within the barrier as they nervously waited for the encounter to begin. 

After a few seconds, the beautiful lady finally landed on the ground. At such a close distance,she looked much more beautiful than she already was when she was still a distance away. Her flawless skin was pearly white, and the vibrance in her eyes gave her a charm that was absolutely irresistible. She was almost as tall as Alexander and she exuded a nobility that was unmistakable. 

She was definitely Royalty.

Even Alexander who prided himself as a man with extreme control over himself, who was able to remain cool even under the greatest fire, could not help but to be slightly affected. 

However, Alexander knew the key to control was not going against the flow of desire, but in steering it as it zooms along. So he smiled warmly at the lady in great appreciation of her beauty. 

"Greetings, my Lady." Alexander gave a small nod of acknowledgement as she finally got close and stopped. 

"Hello there." The young lady nodded as well and smiled at Alexander. She glanced at the strong white barrier behind Alexander and the many signs of battle around it.

"You and your team did well, resisting such a powerful company of battle-trained banshees. I am extremely impressed." She complimented. 

"Many thanks. Your timely appearance and aid certainly helped us finish the job much faster." Alexander said modestly. 

Alexander decided to take the initiative in the conversation. He stretched out his hand and said "My name is Alexander. May I know your name?"

"My name is Lyra." She looked at Alexander's outstretched hand in a slightly amused manner before daintily accepting his hand and shaking it. 

"Lady Lyra. May I know why you're here?" Alexander asked forthrightly.

"I am here for you, Scion of God."

"What are you talking about?" Alexander frowned slightly as his mind raced. How did this woman know? Buccephalas remained silent. But Alexander knew she was thinking and analysing all the probabilities as well.

Lyra smiled enigmatically. "That you're a scion of a God is obviously not a secret. Why else would the Lich King send an entire company of his banshees to assassinate you?" 

"Lich King?" Alexander's frown grew deeper. 

"Yes. Do you not know about the Lich King?" Lyra asked curiously.

Alexander smiled helplessly and shook his head. "Rin-Turah is a small nation within a small continent. We do not receive regular updates on the happenings in the main continent."

"I must really say that you're pretty badly informed for a King." Lyra chuckled. 

"I do not like this little girl one bit." Buccephalas said testily. 

"Is the Lich King a new overlord in the main continent?" Alexander asked aloud.

Lyra nodded. "He burst out of the Northern Mountains with a massive army of orcs and undead a few weeks ago and rapidly took over the entire Northern Region. He had declared himself as the Prince of Death, High Priest of the God of Death Zegaro, Emperor of Planet Arcanus."

At her final words, Alexander laughed out loud. 

"I knew you would find that interesting." Lyra grinned very girlishly. "Any Scion of God would definitely have designs on the planet as well."

"What's the Scion of God?" Alexander asked mildly.

"Still playing dumb are you?" Lyra rolled her eyes slightly. "Come out Fluff-fluff!" Her ears turned slightly pink as she half-shouted her contract beast's cute name. 

A fat furball jumped out of a slit in space that suddenly appeared next to Lyra. It landed on Lyra's shoulders and purred very cutely as it rubbed its head on Lyra's cheeks.

"Kyaaa!! It's so cute!!" Buccephalas cried out in Alexander's mind.

"That… is a very cute pet." Alexander offered praise lamely. 

Fluff-fluff glared at Alexander and hissed. It made some cute gestures at Alexander with its cute little paws and hissed a few more times.

"Hush, it's alright. Big ugly brother over there is not very smart, don't take it to heart." Lyra shushed Fluff-fluff.

Alexander was stunned speechless. Big, ugly brother? Not very smart?? 

"Fluff-fluff is not a pet. She is my contract beast." Lyra said with a slight tinge of exasperation. "Surely you know of contract beasts?"

"Of course!" Alexander promptly replied. 

"Then you should know better than to call her a pet! Fluff-fluff is the Fortuitous Cosmic Feline, a universe-grade beast stronger and rarer than even dragons and phoenixes! You should be more polite to her. If she's angry, she could probably eat you up in one bite." Lyra warned.

"Fortuitous Cosmic Feline!" Buccephalas gasped. "She truly is the luckiest girl alive! That cat has been legendary for aeons! Born from the dying embers of an entire galaxy, its core essence absorbed all of the cosmic fortune of the life planet and through a fortuitous combination of many different factors, it somehow coalesced into a living being. Whoever manages to sign a contract with it will have incredible luck following him/her every single day!"

Alexander stared at the fat and white furball on Lyra's shoulders who was calmly licking its paws. Fortuitous Cosmic Feline? Incredible luck every single day? Alexander was rather doubtful. 

"Do not doubt it. There are two known figures in history who had managed to sign a contract with this Fortuitous Cosmic Feline, both of them became mighty figures who shook the entire universe during their time. Tuzel the Black Emperor who united the three known universe empires during his time, and Hardosh the Great White who became the strongest living being in the universe. If he chose to, he could have easily become the emperor of at least one, if not two empires. But he had no ambition beyond that of his own personal strength.

Be very careful with this little girl. She probably is already somebody extremely important from somewhere." Buccephalas warned Alexander. 

"Anyway, two of Fluff-fluff's abilities are detection and identification. She told me that a rather powerful Scion of God was nearby, so I went out to search for you. Fluff-fluff, show him." Lyra stroked the fat little cat's head lovingly. 

It purred with great satisfaction before pointing one of its paws at Alexander. Immediately, Alexander felt the mysterious power within him stir slightly. His body began to glow a silverish colour very slightly. 

"There you go. You're definitely a Scion of God. The only question is, which God?" Lyra stepped forward and began to study Alexander closely. She even sniffed at him.