Apollo was floating through the forest. It was quite a nice forest. Trees cloaked in hundreds of shades of green, sunlight filtering through the canopy, and the screams of the goblin he was chasing. Such beautiful scenery.

Mama had decided that they all needed to increase their skills, herself included. And so, after the birds had been restored, the [LIEUTENANTS] had left to practice. Midas would remain in the lighter woods near the hole at the top of the Aviary. Mirage had flown up to the peaks of the mountain range.

And Apollo found himself in the progressively denser and darker forest halfway up the mountain. He took a glance at his status, just to refresh his memory.

[STATUS LOADING...]

[STATUS]: APOLLO

[CLASS]: [WILL-O-WISP], [LIEUTENANT], [RESONANCE OF MEANING]

[LEVEL]: 10

[AFFINITY(S]): FIRE, LIGHT, SONIC

[BONDED]: [DUNGEON CORE]{LASAIR}

[ABILITIES]: FLIGHT, MINOR PYROMANCY, BEACON OF LIGHT, ADVANCED SENTIENCE, MANA-DRIVEN SONG, MINOR LUMENMANCY

He quite liked his abilities. Especially [MANA-DRIVEN SONG]. But he needed to be stronger. For Mama. You see, Mama could be quite dumb sometimes.

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Leaving the cold guy alive, spending all her energy on [ARTIFACTS] that she just gave away, even this training that sent all her strongest protectors away. Mama was not very smart. But he wouldn't go against her. He didn't think he could live with himself if he betrayed Mama's trust.

So he aimed to get stronger, to open up more options than just 'set anything that moves on fire'. So that he could protect Mama from even her own mistakes. And his training was paying dividends.

[MANA-DRIVEN SONG] spooled out around him, spreading throughout this small pocket of the wilderness. The deep percussion of a marching bear, on its way to a river for dinner. The flighty strings of birds and squirrels and bugs. The boastful brass of a pack of wolves.

A beautiful harmony. But it would bow to his own. Several tones began to emanate from his very core. Climbing higher and plunging deeper. A symphony and cacophony all at the same time. And then, one single tone became clear among the rest as it rose higher.

And higher.

And higher.

And higher.

Stop.

The tone steadied out, pausing its ascent. These were not the minds of a cunning elf, or a shadowy blessed. They were simple creatures, barely kept alive by evolution and luck. He was including the goblin in that statement.

He did not need to go higher. Every single creature within his sight was frozen as if it was a statue. The goblin was stopped as it was glancing back to check how close Apollo had come. The wisp now hovered no more than a few centimeters from his face.

The goblin's body was frozen, but its eyes still darted around, filled with desperation and fear. Its music became a sweltering crescendo as it stared into his fiery gaze. Apollo allowed his tone to resume, and slipped into it a single strand of fiery mana.

And higher.

And higher.

And higher.

"May your God have mercy on your soul. I won't."

Burn.