Valantz, sensing the change in mood, decided to break it. "Look on the bright side, Aster. There's also a chance that Gelsomina managed to escape on her own."

The words, simple yet filled with optimism, had the desired effect. Aster snapped out of his thoughts and lifted his head slightly. A faint spark of hope lit up his eyes, and he gave a small smile. "That's true... she might have escaped."

But the consolation didn’t last long. Nyxial cut in bluntly. "Even if she escaped, she might still be in danger. Nymphs don't know how to fight. Not like us Pegasi—we are born to fight."

Those words hit like an arrow striking its target. Aster lowered his gaze again, biting his lower lip. His thoughts returned to Gelsomina, picturing her lost and vulnerable, with no one to protect her.

Valantz, perhaps to change the subject or out of necessity, reached for the pouch at his belt, pulling out a small potion. The liquid inside shimmered blue, with delicate silver veins that floated like liquid smoke. He let Nyxial drink the potion.

Aster, curious, asked the Pegasus, "Are you thirsty?"

But Valantz answered in his place. "Nyxial isn’t thirsty, but this potion helps him maintain his ascension. He can stay like this, in his ascended form, for an hour. After that, he’ll return to his normal size."

Aster nodded, gazing at the mighty Pegasus with a mix of admiration and curiosity. The sky around them remained vast and endless, and the trail’s end seemed as distant as ever. After a long silence, Valantz spoke again.

"You know, Aster, you did well to ask Laura for help instead of the Pink Sentinels."

"Pink Sentinels?" Aster asked, raising an eyebrow in confusion.

Valantz burst out laughing, shaking his head slightly. "You don’t know what they are? The Pink Sentinels are the law enforcement of the Farindale Peninsula."

Aster scratched his head, trying to recall. "The law enforcement of the Farindale Peninsula? But… aren’t they those pink plush toys? I thought they were mascots or something like that."

Valantz laughed heartily, his body shaking with amusement as he held Nyxial’s reins firmly. Then, turning serious again, he explained, "Those 'plush toys,' as you call them, may not be intelligent, but I assure you, they’re incredibly strong. Especially when they act as a group. Once, there was a riot of a thousand players in the city of Valtharion… Well, guess who put it down?"

Aster’s eyes widened in disbelief. "The Pink Sentinels?"

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"Exactly," Valantz confirmed with a sly smile. "I promise you, by the time they were done, not a single person was left standing. They may look adorable, but I strongly advise you never to underestimate them."

Aster was left speechless, unable to imagine those pink plush toys—resembling children's playthings—as a formidable force of law and order. But in his heart, that story added yet another layer of strangeness to this world, making it even more mysterious and unpredictable.

After another hour of relentless flight, accompanied by yet another potion for Nyxial, Valantz suddenly tightened the reins of shadow and fire, his eyes gleaming with a rare excitement. "The end of the trail… I see it!" he exclaimed, his voice charged with energy.

At those words, Aster felt his heart race. For a moment, he forgot everything else: the exhaustion, the anxiety, the pain. His face lit up as never before, a wide and genuine smile spreading across his lips, transforming his usual worried expression into one of radiant joy. His eyes sparkled with hope, as if the infinite sky around them mirrored the happiness he felt. He straightened slightly, filling his chest with fresh air, almost as if he wanted to shout to the world that they had made it.

But that joy was short-lived. Focus took hold of him again, and his smile grew more serious. Gelsomina was out there, in danger, and he would stop at nothing to save her. With a firm voice, full of determination, he said to Valantz, "No matter what we find. I’ll do whatever it takes to save Gelsomina."

Valantz glanced at him out of the corner of his eye, giving a small smirk. "We won’t need to fight that orc," he replied, pointing at something ahead of them. "Look over there."

Aster followed his gesture and widened his eyes. A tower loomed in the middle of a vast, desolate plain, shrouded in an aura of unease. It was towering, so imposing it seemed to challenge the very sky. Its walls were cracked and blackened, as if time and battles had left deep scars. Yet, despite its decayed appearance, it emanated a terrifying majesty—a presence that seemed to oppress anyone who gazed upon it. It was abandoned, yet every stone seemed to whisper stories of suffering and danger.

"The trail leads to the top of that tower," Valantz continued. "If the trail is still visible, it means Gelsomina is alive. But she’s also in more danger than ever."

"Why?" Aster asked, his heart tightening.

"That tower…" Valantz took a deep breath. "It’s the nest of a Shyvrakth—a creature you never want to encounter."

Aster stared at him, confused. "A Shyvrakth? What is that?"

Valantz explained in a grave tone. "A predator of darkness. Gigantic, ferocious, and bloodthirsty. Its feathers are black as night, so thick they resemble armored plates. Its wings can summon storms, and its beak… well, it’s as sharp as a thousand swords, capable of shattering even stone. It doesn’t fight to defend itself. It fights for the pleasure of killing."

Aster felt a shiver run down his spine, as if the air around him had suddenly grown colder. Fear crept into his thoughts, making him tremble.

"Are you… are you saying it could attack us at any moment?" he asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.

He didn’t need an answer. A shrill, nightmarish screech tore through the air, shaking every fiber of his being. It was a sound both piercing and guttural, like the wail of a damned soul, accompanied by an echo that seemed to rise from the depths of the earth. That screech oozed death and malice, making even Nyxial shudder.

All three of them turned toward the source of the sound. In the distance, a massive shadow loomed against the bright midday sky. The Shyvrakth’s wings spread wide, covering nearly half the horizon as its form became clearer. Its eyes gleamed a deep midnight blue, cold and unrelenting.