Records of Rebirth

My once inquisitive Captain fell into sudden silence, as his dark eyes twisted in a glare as they fixed on me.

I had to wonder if there was something wrong with what I said. 

|[Typhon?]| I drew closer. |[Is something wrong?]|

He withdrew slightly, and I watched as various emotions flitter across his eyes before he composed himself.

[No, nothing.] Typhon replied and turned around. [It just took me by surprise how plain it is. I expected something longer.]

Plain? I felt like coughing blood.

Typhon didn't speak again and simply went away, leaving me confused. 

I wanted to ask him what he meant but I suppose with all the names I gave them, mine would seem too plain, if it was similar to theirs.

Perhaps, I should have said something longer and several times more outlandish instead.

What a mean serpent! How could my own Captain look down on me like this?

My feelings were more than bruised!

But just then, a tiny creature stormed in through the doorway followed by a cheery voice.

[Something strange is happening with the Nymph!] The dark fae excitedly announced, as she fluttered around me. 

Shiranui?

|[What do you mean?]| I asked. 

[You should come and see for yourself! Hurry!] The dark fae exclaimed with a wide grin.

Typhon and I exchanged a look before following the dark fae. I was slightly worried something had happened to her while I was away. What if my flight had weakened her, or worse, she was affected by the Abyss somehow?

When we arrived at the underground pathway, I saw the woven bridge connected to her forest was strangely overgrown.

New growths twisted and turned in chaotic vines, with dewy fresh leaves and plump flowers sprouting across the sturdy wooden surface, so much that the old trunks were covered in pink and smothered in the fight for space.

Eventually the plants spilled out across natural soil until they reached Abyss scorched earth and even then they continued to grow. Seeing this, I was convinced something bad had happened and we headed into the pink forest immediately. 

Up there, the situation wasn't much different. 

Everything was overgrown, the once orderly forest a scattered mess of over spilling leaves and flowers.

Even the Veladrys we saw ran from us like we walked in on something private, their appearances dishevelled with so many leaves crawling over their bodies and sticking through their pale hair, like they had just woken up and didn't have any time to tidy themselves.

[Is this normal?] Typhon asked sceptically, and I shook my head.

So far, this was even worse than when they bloomed. Before, the flowers covering their dresses and hair were cute and uniformed like spring blossoms – nothing at all like this mass of unruly leaves.

Still, it was amusing to see so many Veladrys run from us, only to peek out from behind their trees. But as I looked around, there were no corpses and no signs of any creatures being devoured to fuel such a growth spurt which made me wonder what the heck was going on.

The Nymph was also nowhere to be found. 

|[Where is your Queen Mother?]| I asked the Veladrys, but they only giggled before taking off through the forest, their bodies slipping through trees like they had no substance.

They wouldn't look that happy if the Nymph was in danger, so I relaxed a little. Instead, I checked the Atlas to see where my summon was.

[Come on! This way!] The dark fae appeared again to lead us, but I followed the Atlas that led me to my summon rather than her, confident that the Nymph would also be in the same place.

We arrived together to see groups of Veladrys crowding around the base of an ancient tree that was several times thicker than a normal one. And as they parted, I saw the Nymph in a prone position, several roots twisting around her to form a cocoon resembling a ribcage.

There was something very different about her. She seemed stronger somehow and the forest around her was blooming just as much as the flowers on her bare skin. 

When she turned to look at us, there were slim growths on her forehead that twisted like horns but they shone white like porcelain, and as they grew in length, they seemed to resemble small antlers that were more than six inches long.

Matching these antlers was her hair that had reverted to white, and as her ruby eyes flashed open, the aura she radiated was similar to that of a frightening beast, although it was strangely soothing to the senses, as if to lure you into a state of calm.

I also spotted my summon snaking across her shoulders, its reddish scales a striking contrast to her pale skin. 

Strangely, it wasn't just the Nymph that radiated with power. I felt the similar aura from the trees surrounding her that now glowed faintly in white all the way through their roots and bark, but this did not seem to affect the Veladrys.

The more the Nymph gained awareness, the more she seemed like a divine creature, and I stopped to appraise her. 

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Name: Shiranui [LV50 Orai Veliae] 

Specie: Ailith Nymph

HP: 1282/1282  Defence: 920

MP: 1151/1151  Intellect: 630

SP: 940/940        Magic: 1205

Attack: 1056    Agility: 790

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She had levelled up and undergone some sort of evolution from the looks of it and I was amazed there were so many changes in her stats. 

But it all seemed too sudden. It wasn't that long ago when she was less powerful, and I had to wonder what she had done to evolve all of a sudden. 

[Isn't she really strong?] The dark fae flew around in excitement, her voice reeking with superiority. [Aren't you happy I brought you?] 

I ignored her and approached the Nymph encased in her cocoon, but when Typhon followed, I asked him to stay back. There was no telling if she could recognise me right now or if she would lash out first.

However, when the Nymph saw me, her eyes widened in alarm and the Veladrys around her suddenly blocked my path until I couldn't see her at all.

[Don't come yet.] Shiranui said nervously.

Ah.

I looked away for a moment so she could get herself together.

|[What happened?]| I asked. |[You've changed quite a bit from before.]|

[I was trying to regrow my forest to cover the damage.] The Nymph replied. [But I found a creature there. One of its wings was broken and it couldn't fly, but it was still alive, so I killed it.]

The wall of Veladrys parted and the Nymph emerged from her cocoon.

When she stood up fully, her dress barely covered her ankles but gradually it grew downwards to cover the difference, and more plants sprung up from the ground at her feet as she began to walk.

The Nymph was much taller now, easily towering over all the Veladrys around her. I didn't have to wonder where the creature was because underneath her cocoon was the monstrously large, mangled body of a creature resembling a hawk.

Its body had been impaled several times and twisted through with roots that drew power from its blood to form her cocoon. One of the creature's wings was horribly ravaged by [Abyss Magic] and it was clear it would have died sooner or later even if she hadn't killed it. 

As the Nymph stepped forward, plants sprouted around her bare feet from its very corpse, her white hair falling over the creature like a shroud, and as  it touched the ground more plants sprung to life.

Soon, the creature's body was entirely covered, and it began to sink until it was completely submerged into the soil. 

Shiranui stood in front of me, her ruby eyes twinkling with mischief as she stared at Typhon and I. As she lifted both arms, several plants sprung up from the ground around us in waves.

It was quite a sight and Typhon looked cautiously over the ground. But Shiranui quickly withdrew her hand, a small smile on her lips.

[I don't have complete control yet.] She muttered shyly. [You'll have to be patient with me.]

I swallowed.

The Nymph had a radiant smile, her glowing skin slightly flushed as she looked up at me with an adoring gaze, and I began to feel strangely nervous because she wouldn't look away.

[This is all because of you.] Shiranui suddenly announced.

And I was taken aback. |[Huh?]|

[The only thing that changed was my name, but I'm much stronger than before.]

Her smile was confident, and she spoke with far more conviction than ever.

But I sighed – not this again. There was no way this was because of a mere name.

It was far too much to assume. Rather, it made more sense that the creature she killed was powerful enough to make her evolve.

[You don't believe me?] Shiranui pouted when she saw me roll my eyes. [How would you explain this?]

|[A coincidence.]| I replied.

But I checked my own stats to make sure, my eyes falling on my Notoriety that had once again increased to [27800].

It wasn't as drastic as last time, but to see it change again startled me.

I couldn't help thinking it was something I should be worried about, and I really missed not having Sensei around to ask questions.

However, Shiranui didn't seem to care. She paced around me, humming pleasantly.

[If you don't believe me, then why not name all my children?]

|[No way!]| I replied. |[There's too many.]|

She had to be joking, right?

But instead of agreeing, the Nymph crossed her arms, her face set in a frown. [But you named all your children.]

She was serious!

The dark fae happened to overhear us and flew over to ask for a name for herself. Some of the Veladrys also crept closer but most hid behind Shiranui although it was clear they wanted names too, and I scowled at the Nymph – she had gone too far!

None of them came too close but I had to wonder just how high my Notoriety would become, if I named them all.

Eventually, the Nymph saw how uncomfortable I had gotten and called off all the Veladrys with a sigh. [I don't want to pressure you, but you should think about it. It wouldn't hurt to try.]

The Veladrys soon withdrew and I wondered if I made the right choice.