[Location - The Skyward Region]
After soaring through the vast expanse of the sky for a few more moments, Raiking and the Guild finally arrived at the airborne capital of the Skyward Region.
Suspended just beneath the cloud cover lay an immense landmass, serving as the vibrant heart of the Dragon Kingdom. Even from this considerable distance, several colossal dragons could be seen in their true forms, majestically encircling the capital's towering spires.
However, that was not where their journey led them.
Their attention was instead captured by the four smaller floating islands orbiting the Dragon Kingdom. These islands were physically connected to the central landmass by enormous, enchanted steel chains, stretched taut across the sky and resonating with ancient, forbidden magic.
Each of these floating realms was home to a distinct race of sky-dwelling creatures. To the northeast were the peaks of the Wyvern territory, an offshoot of the draconic lineage.
To the northwest hovered the Sacred Island, a domain so exclusive that even the Dragon King would not dare to trespass boldly. Whispers suggested that its inhabitants were not purely mortal but were rather the descendants of humans and an immensely powerful entity from the Great Era. Today, these winged warriors are simply known as the Valkyries.
To the southwest lay the lush, vibrant domain of the descendants of the Fairy King and Queen, known simply as Fairy Island.
Lastly, to the southeast, was the Guild's destination. In stark contrast to the bustling activity of the other three, this landmass was eerily and hauntingly quiet. It was the ancestral land that once belonged to the majestic Phoenix Clan, now left completely barren and desolate.
"The legendary domain of the skybeasts..." Ezmelral whispered, her silver eyes taking in the vast and awe-inspiring vista of the tethered empire.
Before anyone could reply, Libinea halted abruptly in mid-air.
An unusual disturbance quickly manifested in the open sky, precisely in line with their path. A collection of levitating rocks began to multiply, rapidly forming a humanoid shape. As the dust settled, it unveiled a towering figure clad in light, earth-toned armor. His head was uncovered, revealing the robust and distinctive earthen scales covering his face and neck. A striking red and black cape billowed dramatically in the high-altitude winds, trailing behind him.
It was the Earth Dragon King.
His reptilian eyes narrowed as he gazed at the massive Azure Phoenix.
"I thought I caught the foul scent of your return to my skies," the Dragon King sneered.
Ezmelral's silver eyes gleamed with a dangerous resolve. Her hand instinctively reached for her sword, poised to silence the Dragon King in response to his insolent remarks. However, before she could take action, Raiking interceded, raising his free arm to effortlessly obstruct her path.
"You have more pressing matters to attend to," Raiking stated with composure. He gently transferred the peacefully slumbering Faye from his embrace into Ezmelral's arms. "I will take care of him."
With the child now entrusted to her, Raiking vanished from Libinea's back.
Although the Queen had much she wished to discuss with the dragon ruler, she understood that time was not in her favor, as the abdication ceremony was scheduled for that night during Nirvana.
"We will signal you once our task is complete!" Libinea communicated telepathically. Without pausing for the leader who had exiled her people, she skillfully maneuvered around him, ascending with a beat of her wings, and continued her journey toward the ancestral Phoenix lands.
In response to her blatant disregard, the Dragon King let out a roar, surging forward to obstruct the Queen's path.
But he was far too slow. Or rather, Raiking was terrifyingly swift.
The God of Death materialized directly in the Dragon King's flight path, halting the monarch's advance with his overwhelming, oppressive presence.
"Do not overestimate yourself, King," Raiking declared, his void-black eyes devoid of any warmth."Had it not been for the fact that you are her destined foe, you would have met your end long before you ever laid eyes on her."
Raiking's cold, absolute words stirred a sensation within the Dragon King's chest that he had never felt in his centuries of rule. Was it fear? Or perhaps his most primal instincts warning him that he was in the presence of a far greater predator?
Regardless, entirely unbeknownst to his conscious mind, the Dragon King instinctively leaped several dozen meters backward before his brain could even register the action.
"Who... what are you?" the Dragon King demanded, his voice carrying a subtle tremor.
---
[Location - The Azure Feather Clan's Mountain]
As the Dragon King grappled with an overwhelming sense of unfamiliar dread high above, the proud son of the Golden Feather Tribe faced his own terror below.
Illinos was sprinting with all his might through the pitch-black forest. He was desperate to return to the village, but the journey was proving to be the most physically and mentally taxing ordeal he had ever faced. The eerie, melodic laughter of a little girl echoed from every shadow, relentlessly tormenting his increasingly fragile mind.
To make matters infinitely worse, he was acutely aware that she was far more powerful than he was—a True Divinity powerhouse. Yet, she chose not to kill him quickly. Instead, she toyed with him, deliberately prolonging the life she had already deemed worthless.
Despite knowing it was a cruel game, Illinos kept running. He pushed his burning lungs to their limits, fiercely hoping her sadistic arrogance would give him just enough time to alert the Clan Leaders and somehow avenge his fallen comrades.
---
High in the dimly lit canopy above, Morgal moved effortlessly among the branches, keenly observing the terrified noble as he stumbled through the dense underbrush below.
"It seems he's finally picking up the pace," Morgal muttered to herself, a devilish smile spreading across her otherwise innocent-looking face. "Perfect. It's time to move to the next stage of the plan."
Morgal raised a single, pale finger, directing it at the young noble racing beneath her.
The jagged, Crystalline Void Guardian gliding beside her acknowledged the unspoken command with a simple nod.
Yet, instead of leaping down to destroy its target, the creature violently disassembled itself. With a nauseating, glass-shattering crack that echoed through the hushed woods, it exploded, fragmenting into dozens of razor-sharp, void-infused shards.
Like a sudden storm of jagged blades, the deadly projectiles descended through the foliage, raining down precisely upon the desperately sprinting Illinos just as the warm, glowing lanterns of the village came into sight.
Although his cultivation was only at the Immortal Stage, his combat instincts were sharp. Sensing the impending attack, he spun swiftly on his heel, drawing his blade in a sweeping, desperate arc to cleave the falling shards in half.
Unlike Anastasia, who had been taken completely by surprise by the rare, otherworldly magic of the Void Guardians, Illinos had endured the agony of watching her die by it. But that trauma also worked in his favor—he now knew exactly how the crystalline beasts operated.
The results of that desperate knowledge were immediately apparent. His blade blurred in the moonlight, successfully deflecting multiple jagged projectiles into the dirt.
That is, until one shard traveled significantly faster than the rest, violently bypassing his frantic defense to pierce directly through his leg.
"...Arrrgggh!"
His cry of pain was abruptly accompanied by the dull thud of his damaged feathered leg-plates striking the forest floor. He didn't have time to focus on the burning agony. He instantly shot his head upward, raising his sword to intercept the next wave of attacks.
But there was nothing.
Not even the sound of the eerie, melodic giggling.
Have they retreated? he wondered, his chest heaving.
There seemed to be no other logical explanation. He could only assume that being near the azure tribe, the creatures had no choice but to escape before the village's defensive formations detected them. Dragging his limping, bleeding body forward, he pressed on toward the final obstacle, eager to pass the treeline into complete safety.
He was completely unaware of the sadistic, calculating smile still fixed on Morgal's face as she watched him cross the threshold.