ocean-life Chapter 1872: Chapter 1660: Maria is Back
Chapter 1872: Chapter 1660: Maria is Back
Chapter 1872: Chapter 1660: Maria is Back
As Alex approached the teleportation platform, his heart swelled with emotions he hadn't felt in months. Maria stood there, her white hair cascading over her shoulders, her sapphire eyes shimmering with warmth. For a moment, they simply stared at each other, a thousand unsaid words exchanged in silence.
Then, as if pulled by an invisible force, Alex closed the distance between them. Without hesitation, he wrapped his arms around her, lifting her slightly off the ground. Maria laughed softly, the sound like music to his ears.
"I missed you," Alex murmured, his voice low and filled with affection.
"I missed you more," Maria replied, her hands resting against his chest as she gazed up at him.
Unable to resist any longer, Alex leaned in, capturing her lips in a kiss that was both tender and passionate. Time seemed to stand still as they lost themselves in each other, their months of separation melting away in that single, perfect moment.
When they finally broke apart, Maria smiled, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "You've gotten stronger," she teased, her fingers brushing lightly against his jawline.
"You noticed?" Alex smirked, though his tone was soft. "What about you? How was your mission?"
"It was challenging, but I managed," Maria said, her expression turning serious for a moment. "Though I couldn't stop thinking about you... and everyone else here."
Alex brushed a strand of hair from her face.
"You're home now. That's all that matters."
Hand in hand, they walked back to the fortress, their steps unhurried. The other girls were waiting in the main hall, having just finished their yoga session. The moment they saw Maria, their faces lit up with joy.
"Big sister Maria!" Gracier exclaimed, running forward to throw her arms around her. The others followed suit, pulling her into a group hug.
Luna, Sakuya were happy to see their best friend back.
"We missed you!" Saeko said, her usual calm demeanor breaking into a bright smile.
Maria laughed, her voice warm. "I missed all of you too."
As the hugs subsided, Maria gestured toward the tall, imposing figure who had silently accompanied her. "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Hilde," she said. "She's my contracted pet -an elemental ice dragon."
Hilde, who had maintained an air of stoic dignity, suddenly found herself the center of attention.
"A dragon?!" Gracier's eyes sparkled with excitement. She couldn't help but to be excited, having another dragon beside her and her brother and Luna's Wyvern king would be fun.
"She's beautiful," Luna said softly, reaching out to touch the shimmering scales visible on Hilde's forearm.
Hilde stiffened at first but relaxed as the girls fawned over her, asking questions and marveling at her presence. Despite herself, the dragon couldn't help but feel a bit flattered.
While the girls continued bonding with Hilde, Alex and Maria slipped away for some quiet time together. They wandered into the forest behind the fortress, the sunlight filtering through the trees creating a dappled pattern on the ground.
"I didn't expect Hilde to warm up to them so quickly," Alex said with a chuckle.
"Impressive!" Saeko exclaimed from the sidelines, her eyes glued to the battle.
"They're evenly matched," Maria said, watching closely.
Gracier circled Hilde, her massive tail leaving scorch marks on the ground. She unleashed a torrent of flames from her jaws, the fire roaring like an inferno as it surged toward Hilde. Hilde spread her wings, conjuring a shimmering wall of ice to block the attack. The fire melted some of the barrier, but Hilde quickly retaliated, sending a wave of frost across the ground, freezing everything in its path.
Gracier took to the skies, her powerful wings creating gusts of hot wind that scattered leaves and debris. Hilde followed, her icy wings shimmering in the moonlight as she soared after her
opponent.
The two dragons clashed mid-air, their roars echoing across the clearing. Gracier's claws raked against Hilde's icy scales, sending shards of ice flying. Hilde retaliated with a swipe of her tail, striking Gracier and sending her spinning.
Undeterred, Gracier stabilized herself and dove, spiraling downward with flames trailing from her claws. Hilde dodged gracefully, countering with a flurry of icy projectiles that glittered like stars as they streaked toward Gracier.
Gracier roared in defiance, swiping the projectiles away with her tail and releasing a massive
fireball that illuminated the sky. Hilde responded by summoning a blizzard around herself, extinguishing the flames before they could reach her.
Both dragons landed back in the clearing, their immense forms creating shockwaves that shook the ground. Gracier's scales glowed brighter, her fiery aura intensifying as she prepared
for one last attack.
Hilde's icy breath formed a frosty mist around her, the temperature plummeting as she
summoned her full strength.
With a synchronized roar, they charged at each other. Gracier unleashed a massive wave of fire
that burned brighter than the sun, while Hilde countered with a blinding blast of ice and frost. The two attacks met in the center of the clearing, creating a dazzling explosion of steam and light that enveloped everything in a swirling vortex.
When the steam cleared, both dragons stood panting, their forms shimmering as they
reverted to their human shapes.
Gracier grinned, brushing a strand of red hair from her face. "That was amazing! You're really
strong, Hilde."
Hilde gave a small smile, her icy demeanor softening. "You're not bad yourself, little dragon. Your flames are impressive."
The group clapped and cheered, their excitement palpable. Alex stepped forward, placing a
hand on both of their shoulders.
"Well done, both of you. That was a spectacular match."
As the evening wound down, the group gathered around a warm fire, their laughter and camaraderie filling the air. Gracier and Hilde, despite their opposing elements, sat side by side, exchanging stories about their draconic natures.