I created my own system

Apollo's pov

The air was heavy inside the ruins.

Still. Cold. But somehow familiar.

After the shadow of Elias vanished, Alicia and I were left in silence. The only sound that remained was the faint humming of of birds and the light touch of wind. The two of us were left standing not knowing what to say after the things we heard from the shadow.

I let out a slow breath, eyes fixed on the decayed floor beneath my boots. But then something pulled me away from the turbulent flow of my thoughts.

What is this comforting feeling as if something warm and familiar continues to embrace me, I held that feeling tight not wanting to let go but then I realized where that comforting feeling is coming from.

"Its from the fragments"

The warmth was coming deep within my soul, and for some reason the fragments are healing all the cracks it has. It was very comforting. But at the same time it made me frustrated how I need to rely on it to heal myself.

I stared at my palm. "Should do it? I still do see why I need to, I don't really a strong motivation to do it, even though it can heal me I still don't see the urgency to gather them"

[How about Nero? He is collecting them according to the shadow]

I just nodded, "Nero is only a soul he cant absorb the fragments without a physical form, his not like me that can take the fragment straight to my soul"

[Are you certain with that Creator]

"Shouldn't you know the answer to that? You have his location and right now we both know the status of his soul is still the same as he was alive"

I continue speaking, "The information from Alicia also confirms that, though I don't know why the fragments were only being absorb physically by others while I could do it spiritually.

[Perhaps the crack soul coul be the reason?]

"Maybe, perhaps that is the answer I keep denying"

I don't really like to rely on something that could swallow me though there wasn't any records of Apollos losing themselves I cant really be too sure.

"You have absorb another fragment, how do you feel?"

Alicia asked me and immediately I responded.

"Better actually"

She didn't say anything to me but I know she is very worried.

"I think aside from the fragments we need to know how Nero is collecting them, he can't possibly do that right now since he is only a soul"

"Your are right perhaps he is using that foreign energy to gather the fragments stored in objects, after all that is the easiest thing to acquire unlike humans"

Alicia then approach me, she placed a hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry too much about that, though I dont know how he is gathering the pieces of the great sage's soul. But what I do know is—" her crimson eyes narrowed "—Nero won't be around for long just give some time to counter that foreign energy of his."

I looked at her as I feel her determination not to burden me, I didn't question the certainty in her voice. I just nodded. Maybe I was selfish for not pushing further. But taking a responsibility I don't need to take and certainly wont benefit me is not really appealing to me….. fortunately Alicia was here to help me.

"So what now?" I can't help but asked since what we wanted to find was already gone.

"Well since we are already here should we tour ourselves to wind up a bit"

I agreed so I and Alicia later decided to walk around the ruins. We wandered deeper into the ruin.

At first, it was just dust and stone. But then we saw it, I pointed it out her and as we approach it we saw engravings. Old, worn, but clearly mage work. Symbols and runes, partially scorched into the wall with faded gold ink. We began brushing debris aside, revealing what looked like a message… no, a record.

"This"

We both exclaimed having familiarity towards the old writings on the old stone wall.

"This symbols are very similar to those use by the mages in Mahika"

Alicia looked at me for a moment it seems she is surprised because I know that name but she later control her expression and nodded in agreement.

Not wanting to explain I just read the brealy readable message.

"This outpost used to be used by other fellow mages of mine now stays here waiting for you. It will remain hidden to all but those who carry the bloodline or the burden. To the next Apollo: I leave behind what I could not carry. I was dying. The corruption had already reached a point were I could no longer contain it. This shadow is my last offering accompany by it is a task I know it will accomplish. I hope it won't be a burden to you but take whatever it tries to give to you. May you succeed where I could not."

"Elias…" Alicia murmured.

I saw it yet again her eyes looking melancholy, it was full of regret as if she is blaming herself about something. I could not ask her about that, its not because she may not answer , its because I feel that it would only remind her of a past that really pained. So for now, I bury my questions, speculation and doubts, I will wait until the day she is ready to open up.

Back to the message I realized that the writer was Elias.

It seems he didn't immediately die after casting that protective spell in Mahika. After the Temple's fall, he came here. Set this place up. Left behind a shadow with his remaining power and made it gather the gather the fragments instead. This wasn't just a ruin. It was a memory, carefully preserved by a dying man, hoping someone could find it, fulfill the task he couldn't and finish the story that ended too soon for him.

I was still contemplating about the flow of events when I noticed Alicia walking towards another wall, as she clean it with all the vines that covered it I notice a message similar to the wall in front of me.

"I see" I realized, Eli doesn't know which part of the temple will survive to find this place so he marked every place he could. Wanting to make sure his message will be conveyed.

"I believe you have all the answers you need, though I am not sure how but by the looks on your face, what you want to know here as been achieved"

I smiled suddenly since she was able to read my expression so well.

"My information is not that complete yet but yes we are indeed done here"

"Then we should return with the others"

I agreed and immediately the two of us teleported away and appeared in the Mage"s Tower.

At the tower we were welcome while my friends were playing with the piled of snow outside the tower. We played with all sorts of things, we build snowmans, used snow boards and even have a snowball fight.

We ended up spending a couple of hours just… goofing off.

Alicia found an old training sword and challenged me to a duel—with a mop. I parried dramatically and declared myself the greatest knight in the empire, the defender of dusty corners and forgotten scrolls, I added as I call myself Sir knight Mop Klintning

We found old spellbooks too—nothing powerful, just basics—but somehow they were still fun to try. Braiden tried casting a low-tier levitation charm and ended up lifting herself into a cobwebbed archway. She didn't appreciate my laughter.

For once, we weren't being chased by some lunatics, monsters, or cursed relics. It felt… good.

Later that evening, we regrouped with everyone at the Mage's Tower.

All of them were gathered in one of the study halls—Alya, Matilda, Aaron, Jillian, even Helios had shown up with a drink in hand.

"So," Braiden said, leaning back on a chair, "still having mysterious headaches and visions of forgotten mages?"

"Surprisingly, not today," I said.

"But seriously," Alya chimed in, "if all of this is tied to being an Apollo, shouldn't you talk to someone who knows what that means? Like, oh—I don't know—your mom?"

I blinked. "You mean…"

"She is still a mage in the tower, right?"

I sighed. "Fine. I'll ask."

---

That night, I visited her.

She was sitting in her study, flipping through a thin book filled with glowing runes when I entered.

"You've been quieter lately," she said without looking up.

"I've been thinking."

"That's dangerous for a Lionheart," she teased.

I chuckled, then sat across from her. "Can I ask something serious?"

She closed her book. "Of course."

"…Why was I named Apollo?"

The question must've hit something, because her smile faltered for just a moment.

"…When I gave birth to you, the physicians noticed something strange with your soul. Unstable, flickering. Not dangerous, but fragile. The family had an old tradition—those born with such souls were given the name Apollo. Because every Apollo has the best chance to… stabilize."