Sky Island
Alvida couldn't believe what she heard at first.
"You… you were serious? When you said it was fine?"
Riser remained with his back to her, his aura as calm as the sky around them. His hands in his pockets, his black coat fluttering with the subtle breeze.
"Yes."
The response cut through the silence like a razor.
Alvida stood frozen, her brows furrowed. The weight of the word she'd longed to hear now made no sense.
"But… I didn't… I mean…"
Robin turned her face, her eyes still on the Poneglyph, but her lips curved into a lazy smile.
"Funny. Seems like you don't even know what you really wanted."
Alvida huffed, crossing her arms, trying to hide the discomfort spreading across her expression.
"I do know! I know exactly what I want to do and where I want to go!"
She stomped firmly on the cloud, her hair dancing with the wind, her voice rising with a trace of anger.
"I just… don't want to tire the master out over nonsense, okay?"
Robin laughed softly, muffling the sound with her gloved hand.
"Of course. Very noble of you."
Riser finally turned.
His golden eyes gleamed under the reflection of the condensed clouds. A brief glance at Alvida, and she froze as if the breeze itself had turned to ice around her body.
"I gave you the opportunity. And you wasted it."
Alvida pressed her lips together, her shoulders shrinking reflexively. She knew it had been a bad move. She wasn't ready for when the wish became possible.
"You'll have to wait for another chance."
Silence.
The golden bell resonated faintly in the distance, as if agreeing with the judgment.
Riser turned to Robin.
"You read what you needed?"
Robin nodded calmly, her gaze distant.
"Yes. Enough to take the next step."
The response was serene but laden with meaning. The kind of statement that made it clear she needed no further explanation.
Riser raised his right hand.
His palm opened, revealing the flaming symbol of the Phenex family. It pulsed with golden energy, vibrating silently.
"Return to Amazon Lily."
Robin stepped forward first, without hesitation.
"In case of doubt… obey Merlin."
Alvida hesitated, her silver eyes meeting Riser's. Something inside her seemed to pull back, as if she wanted to protest… but had no grounds to do so.
"You're staying?"
Riser didn't answer immediately. The magical light enveloped his fingers, forming spiraling runes in the air. The cloud ground began to glow beneath their feet.
"There are places I need to visit alone."
Robin observed in silence, her eyes analyzing each magical rune as if it were a puzzle. Alvida took a step forward, not entirely sure why. She didn't want to leave… but she didn't want to stay.
Riser looked at both one last time.
"I'll talk to you later."
FWOOSH.
A golden flash enveloped Robin and Alvida, the light expanding like a silent explosion. Symbols of the Phenex clan swirled in the air, merging with the sky for a brief second.
Then, they vanished.
The air grew lighter.
Silence fell again.
Riser remained before the Poneglyph and the golden bell, now alone.
---
Amazon Lily
FWOOSH!
The air twisted in golden light. The ground beneath their feet ceased to be cloud and became polished, warm marble, covered by a scarlet rug with golden edges.
Robin was the first to move. Her body flowed smoothly through the empty space until she stopped a few steps from the throne. Her eyes absorbed the details of the surroundings, from the scent of hibiscus in the air to the gentle warmth emanating from the sidelight.
Alvida landed beside her, her eyes still shimmering with traces of the journey.
At the center of the hall, seated on Amazon Lily's main throne, Merlin awaited them.
The mage's purple cloak fell in impeccable folds, and the serene expression on her lips contrasted with the latent magical aura vibrating around her body. Her hands rested on the throne's arms, and her eyes—deep as magical crystals—gazed at both with a calm that exuded dominance.
"Welcome back."
Robin stepped forward, her posture aligned and unhesitating. Her boots touched the marble as lightly as feathers.
"Riser remains on Sky Island. He requested that we report to you."
Merlin nodded, her golden eyes catching the magical fragments still lingering around the two women.
"I see. You're free for today… but starting tomorrow, you'll dedicate a few hours each day to training."
She straightened slightly in the throne. Her voice didn't waver—there was no anger, impatience, or threat. Only certainty.
"Especially you, Robin."
Robin raised an eyebrow.
The hall fell silent for a moment.
"Because I haven't become a vampire yet?"
The response came without weight, without doubt, only observation.
Merlin's eyes gleamed faintly.
"Exactly."
Alvida crossed her arms, a smile forming slowly. Her gaze danced between Robin and the throne, as if she'd been waiting for that line since the start of the journey.
Robin remained impassive. Her dark eyes met the mage's with silent respect.
"I understand the need. Though I don't feel urgency. I'm still observing. And… curious."
She tilted her chin slightly, her eyes drifting to the side of the throne, as if seeing a distant thought.
"About Haki. About what it means to be a vampire."
Merlin's eyes gleamed again, but not with judgment. Only with interest.
"That curiosity can be useful. As long as it doesn't become a weakness."
"It won't."
Robin answered before any other breath could fill the space.
Alvida's posture shifted subtly.
She smiled more openly now, her white teeth standing out against her painted lips. Her hands touched her hips in an almost theatrical gesture.
'Take that, Robin. Bet you thought you could just laze around reading books all day… Now you'll become a vampire just like me.'
She nearly laughed at her own victory.
'Finally, this day's come.'
But Robin didn't give her the satisfaction of a reaction.
The archaeologist turned slightly, her eyes sweeping the hall until they landed directly on Alvida's triumphant smile.
She stared for two seconds.
Then looked away.
Not a gesture.
Not a word.
Nothing.
Alvida's smile faltered slightly.
The words forming in her mind died without strength.
"You two are dismissed."
Merlin's voice emerged like the soft beat of a drum, closing the scene with serene authority.
Robin gave a slight bow of her head.
Alvida took half a second longer but also bowed her torso with respect.
The tension fell like a damp cloth over the marble, and the two women walked away slowly, their footsteps echoing through the hall until they faded into the corridor adorned with oil lanterns.
The sound vanished.
Silence returned.
And then, only Merlin remained.
The mage stayed on the throne, alone but serene. Her eyes wandered to the ceiling decorated with floral details, but her mind was far beyond.
She took a deep breath, letting the world around her slow down.
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