Ones Held Dear is the 9th chapter of The Beginning After The End Novel.
Summary[]
Arthur Leywin encounters a towering, horned monster seated on a stone throne, exuding an aura of power and tranquility. Despite his past as a king, Arthur feels humbled in its presence. The creature, named Sylvia, displays a casual demeanor, humorously addressing Arthur’s shock and offering him sustenance from special roots in the cave. Sylvia reveals she will transport Arthur home via a dimensional rift, asking for nothing in return but his company. Curious, Arthur begins to ask questions about Sylvia’s origins and her reasons for helping him.
Sylvia reveals that they are in a hidden zone between the Beast Glades and the Forest of Elshire, a place she has protected from outsiders. She shares her loneliness, having no one left to be with, and admits to having many enemies due to something she possesses. Sylvia saved Arthur out of a sense of companionship, moved by his bravery during a battle. As they converse, Sylvia prepares a portal to send Arthur home, cautioning that it will take time to ensure his safe arrival. Meanwhile, Arthur learns that his family is safe, and he spends his days with Sylvia, discussing various topics and learning about mana usage, while waiting to reunite with his loved ones.
Arthur, reflecting on his time with Sylvia, realizes that despite her fearsome appearance, she embodies kindness and wisdom. She advises him against harboring hatred, emphasizing the importance of moving forward and learning from experiences.
As Arthur trains his mana core, Sylvia suggests a novel approach to mana absorption during movement, a technique not commonly practiced by humans. This advice challenges Arthur’s understanding of mana, prompting him to integrate absorption and manipulation in his training, a skill that could give him an edge due to his youth and untapped potential. Arthur, under Sylvia’s tutelage, learns to fight while maintaining a flow of mana, a skill he dubs “Mana Rotation.”
As their bond deepens, Arthur discovers Sylvia’s worsening condition, which she reveals is due to her efforts to create a portal for his return home. In a sacrificial act, Sylvia transforms into a dragon, explaining that she’s been dying from a wound inflicted by her enemies. She prepares to pass on a responsibility to Arthur as her time runs short, her transformation signaling her captors of her whereabouts.
Arthur, in a poignant moment, receives a mysterious, aura-emitting stone from Sylvia, who instructs him to keep it secret, wrapping it with a feather from her wings to conceal it. As Sylvia imparts a part of herself into Arthur, an explosion reveals an armored figure demanding Sylvia’s surrender. Despite the figure’s offer to heal Sylvia’s wound, she refuses, prioritizing Arthur’s safety over her own life. She freezes time and prepares a portal for Arthur’s escape, urging him not to look back, as she faces her fate alone. Arthur’s plea for Sylvia to join him is met with her resolve to protect him, even at the cost of her own life.
In a deeply emotional farewell, Sylvia, the dragon, reveals her true motives to Arthur. She confesses that her desire to spend time with him led her to delay his return. As she faces her end, she asks Arthur to acknowledge her as his grandmother, a request that overwhelms him with emotion. Despite Arthur’s desperate pleas for her to escape with him, Sylvia remains steadfast, sacrificing herself to ensure his safety. In her final moments, she expresses gratitude to Arthur, who sees a human-like smile on her face as she sends him through the portal.