The cave shook, and so did the ground under Arzoth. The prince's eyes widened.
"Oh no!"
"If this keeps on, we will be crushed here."
Arisa giggled as she looked up at Arzoth, her yellow eyes sparkling with boundless joy. The crystals cracked, their shine fading with every crack in them. The prince stood up in an instant, holding Arisa more defensively in his arms so that the falling mud wouldn't get to her.
Arzoth made his run out of the Crystal cave safely, only for it to be covered in loads of soil and mud right after.
Arzoth sighed in relief.
"In the novel, the moment Arisa opened her eyes, she had shattered the basement, and the objects were found floating in the air. She had awakened the supernatural power of controlling solid matter. But after that, she had lost the ability to use that again, because she had no training, nor any mana capacity left with her to use it."
Tashi watched with disbelief, a look of shock flashing across her face. Her eyes were focused on the child as she approached hurriedly, "Did that…..was that because of….her awakened power? Or her mana?"
"The way those crystals cracked, it didn't seem like it was Arisa's doing, at least not with her supernatural power. She was supposed to move the objects around us, but the most I expected was her moving the tiny stones on the ground, but nothing like that happened. Instead, the cave got covered in mud, and the crystals got some damage. Plus, I saw no mana radiating from her like I saw from Aldric during our spear."
He dusted off the mud on his clothes while being mindful of the child in his hand. Arzoth looked up at Tashi and said, "I don't think so, I didn't see any mana radiating off her."
Tashi frowned. "In demons, mana is a secondary thing, but still, their mana capacity is higher than other beings. Their supernatural power is the primary source of their strength. Since the demon princess is half breed, I expected her mana to be higher than a normal newborn demon, but this is strange that she didn't have mana."
"What kind of supernatural power did she awaken? Maybe it's because of that."
Tashi's eyes sparkled in curiosity and eagerness as she waited for the reveal of the supernatural power of the extraordinary child. Her gaze scanned the infant with a searching intensity.
Arzoth was surprised by the sudden interest, though it was natural for her to be curious.
"I am not sure what kind of powers she awakened."
"That's odd. Usually, when demon children first open their eyes, they unconsciously use it.. Did she even awaken them?"
Tashi's question made Arzoth pause in his thought process, "Is it possible?"
"Yes, some demons, rarely, who awaken their powers after weeks, months, or years after opening their eyes."
Arzoth looked at Arisa,
"How can it be possible? She was supposed to awaken it after opening her eyes, but since the course of the original story is changing, it is possible, and maybe her powers will be different from those in the novel. Just, maybe."
"I have to know about Arisa's powers and whether she awakened them or not, without knowing that I can't let Arisa live in the demon realm. I have to find a way to take Arisa to Eldrakai with me, without compromising her training."
Arzoth paused, weighing his options carefully.
Arzoth said, "Tashi, can you please contact Sarina?"
Tashi blinked once and then twice, attempting to comprehend the prince's informal way of addressing the demon queen and the sudden request to connect with Sarina.
"I can," Tashi muttered,
Tashi closed her eyes while she chanted out a spell. A green, glowing magic circle formed between them. Tashi opened her eyes, she gazed at the newly formed magic circle.
The circle glowed brighter as a sharp voice of the demon queen pierced through it.
"Tashi? What are you contacting for?"
"The prince wants to speak to you, Your Majesty," Tashi replied in her calm and composed voice.
"The prince?" Her tone was one of surprise, disbelief even.
"What is the matter?"
Arzoth looked at the magic circle and said, "The crystal cave got a bit damaged."
"Did you take Arisa to the crystal cave?" Her tone was both authoritative and critical.
"I did."
There was an agonising pause before Sarina spoke, "Was it because of her?"
"I can't say for sure, I am not sure if she awakened her power or not. I want to take her to Eldrakai with me."
"How long?"
"Until she awakens her powers, until she learns to control it."
"You speak of training her? From what I know, you are not a mage."
"The dragon stays."
Another long pause fell over the magic circle.
"Fine, until she awakens her powers and learns to control them, Arisa and the dragon will be with you."
"Dragons are not only limited to the ability to control ice and fire, they can also cast spells, create magic circles, and do magic as well. Their abilities are sealed by the mages so that they don't lose control over them."
"They can be way more powerful and effective than the mages. Ice dragons, specifically, have cool heads and are peaceful, unlike the fire dragons."
"Tashi."
The mage had a flicker of uncertainty flashing across her features before she replied, leaving no room for doubt.
"Yes, Your Majesty,"
The mage opened a larger magic circle than the one before. The circle extended across the distance and enveloped the ice dragon. Arzoth watched in amazement as the dragon was illuminated by a green light, matching the colour of the magic circle that passed through it.
The light dimmed out, and the original icy colour of the dragon became visible.
The dragon stepped forward before halting at a suitable distance from the pack. It said in a calm, soothing yet rough voice, "Thank you for removing the seals on my abilities. I am Skor, I heard your exchange; I am ready to help the prince and the demon heir."
Arzoth knew that the dragon would be able to speak, but hearing it for the first time was still astonishing.
Arzoth and Tashi gave a curt nod of acknowledgment.
Tashi, however, remained uncertain about the whole situation. She didn't expect the demon queen to take such a step.
Arzoth noticed the distracted expression on the mage's face, he narrowed his eyes.
"I can see the questions written all over Tashi's face. Sarina may seem like a formidable being, but her actions speak differently. In the novel, she couldn't even strike at Eldrakai to get her daughter back. If there was anything I hated after the original Arzoth, it would be Sarina."
"Right now, she thinks that if Arisa stayed near her with her powers yet to be awakened, it would be like a ticking bomb to her, especially because Arisa is a half-breed, and I believe in it as much as she does."
"Sarina is betting on me."