21: You've got some explaining to do

Iyo and Luna both gave curious looks to the strange little animal riding atop Icarus's head.

"So that was the Nu you were yelling about?"

Luna recalled the outburst Icarus had earlier and remembered the boy questioning the whereabouts of 'Nu'.

"Yeah, I met this guy in the forest."

Watching the creature during the exchange, Iyo couldn't help but think the creature was listening.

'What was Chrona thinking? This isn't a normal Nova Beast!'

"Hey, Icarus, could you explain how you and your friend Nu came to meet each other again?"

Icarus began to worry, 'Did she catch on that I was lying?'

Before Icarus could respond, the house door opened up, Chrona barging in out of breath.

"Honey, what's wrong? Why were you running?"

Chrona looked at Icarus and Nu both looked back at the man with looks of surprise.

"Icarus, you've got some explaining to do."

Icarus's eyes widened even further.

'I'm caught!'

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Icarus was sat at the dining table, hands resting with fingers interlocked, looking no more innocent than a convict. Sat down across from him were Chrona and Iyo, his interrogators, with looks of disbelief and concern on their faces. 

Chrona had informed his wife of what he had seen up the river in the forest, and that the perpetrator was none other than the small beast now hidden in Icarus's lap.

"What you refer to as a 'Forest Spirit' was a High-Grade Nova Beast that ruled over this area for a very long time, meaning no beast native to this area killed it. On top of that, the only thing capable of taking down that specific Blood Bear would have to be a Nova Beast that has ascended. So now, Icarus, anything you would like to share?"

Icarus had no recollection of what had happened after the bear had knocked him back so he truthfully had no idea what Chrona was talking about, having not witnessed Nu's transformation and the ensuing battle.

"I've told you everything that I know, and I didn't even know Nova Beasts could ascend."

Ascension is when a Novite surpasses Grade 3 Level 10 and becomes one with their Nova, becoming the living embodiment. Only Primus The First was able to achieve this feat, though it was years after the defeat of Jabberwock. 

"They can, but it would be different for Nova Beasts. Ascension for a Novite would be taking your physical body and becoming a body of pure Nova, while a Nova Beast, being made of pure Nova, would need to become a physical manifestation. Just as a Grade 1 Level 1 Novite creates a Nova Center, A Low-Grade Nova beast creates a physical body."

Icarus had a hard time following along, 'Is this guy saying Nu is some super beast? I mean he did heal me but isn't that going too far?'

He looked down at Nu, who had become significantly smaller, as he waved his tail back and forth.

Icarus broke out laughing, shocking Chrona.

"What's so funny?"

"You mean to say that Nu is on par with Primus The First? Of course, I find it funny!"

Hearing the words spoken like that Chrona himself thought it to be strange, 'The kid is right, what was I thinking? An ascended Nova Beast being the pet of Grade 1 Novite.'

Just as Chrona was about to agree with Icarus, Iyo cut in.

"Put Nu on the table."

"Pardon me?"

Icarus had heard her but couldn't understand why.

'Well, whatever it is I guess I have to go along with it. Sorry Nu.'

Icarus looked apologetically at Nu as he lifted him off his lap and placed him on the table.

Iyo placed her palms on the table in front of Nu, and the small beast looked at her with a questioning glance.

"Don't worry little one, this won't hurt."

Without any incantation or drawing of arrays, Iyo summoned a halo of white nova around Nu, and just as quickly as it appeared it was absorbed into the golden circle of fur atop his head.

A look of shock came across Iyo's face as her jaw hung.

Chrona and Icarus not understanding what had caused Iyo such shock, waited for the shocked woman to regain her composure.

Nu simply crossed his paws and yawned as he rested his head.

Iyo was the eldest daughter of House Eclipsis, Royal House of Nava, and had seen and learned of things many Novites would ever have the chance of being privy to. One of the things she had learned during her private lesson with the Royal Tutor was the existence of Ancient Deities that had lived long before Novites. 

There were five of these Ancient Deities, one residing in each region, and were known as the Five Great Elementals. There was Bennu, the Phoenix that resided in the Southern region, worshipped by the Imperial Phoenix Dynasty. Leviathan, the Might Serpent had long watched over generation after generation of the Nagaraja Clan, rulers of the Eastern region. The Elemental of the Western region Behemoth, the Colossus was also worshipped like the Phoenix in the south, but it did not come into contact with Novites.

The Elemental of the Central region, as well as the crest of House Eclipsis, was Bakuna, the Dragon of Eclipse. Bakuna, like Leviathan had watched over the Royal House for generations, protecting both the House and the region.

The most mysterious of all the Great Elementals, though, was the Elemental of the North. The Northern region was the only region in all of Isla Nava that had not been fully explored and this was due to the Moon Drop Mountain, and the unclimbable, unpassable wall that no Novite ventured past and returned. 

It was on that mountaintop that Raiju, the Snow leopard resided.

All things Elementals had in common was their ability to absorb Nova of any element of any purity, to them it was food. No other beings could directly consume Nova, especially if was of a non-compatible attribute. 

Iyo had surrounded Nu in her pure Moonlight Nova and Nu had simply consumed as if it was nothing less than a snack.

'This thing absorbed my Nova just like that?!?'

As she had come into contact with Bakuna in the past she knew only a Great Elemental was capable of this feat.

"This is no Nova Beast, your friend Nu is an Elemental, probably the offspring of the Great Elemental of the North, Raiju."

Chrona looked like he was about to faint upon hearing this.

Icarus had a look of confusion as he had no idea what an Elemental even was, let alone a Great one.

Nu, though, upon hearing the name Raiju looked right at Iyo, black and gold eyes fixed right on her throat.

It was clear Nu could understand their language and was following along with the conversation and it appeared that the name Raiju had significance with him.

Iyo sensing the change in Nu, lowered her gaze and spoke softly to him.

"I apologize for offending the ancient one."

Chrona and Icarus both looked at each other with shock in disbelief, thinking the same thing.

'What the hell is going on?'