As we approached the towering gate, I couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the sight of the cosmic mana strand that connected it to the vast unknown. The portal itself glowed with a bright, otherworldly light that seemed to pierce the very fabric of reality. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

It wasn't hard to guess what it was for— A genuine teleportation portal. I raised my head to glance at the thick cosmic mana strand that connected the portal to the vast beyond, far above the mana stream, extending to the void. My surprise and astonishment were clear on my face as I tried to make sense of how this gate was created.

Just to be sure, however, I turned to my grandfather, my eyes wide with wonder, and asked "Is it a teleportation portal?"

He turned to me and nodded slowly, as if weighing his words carefully. "One of the very few stable ones in existence," he said, his voice low and solemn.

My mind raced with questions. How was it created? Who had made it? But before I could voice them, my grandfather spoke again. "You are not the first cosmic pillar, child."

"The previous cosmic pillar?" I muttered, deep in thought.

"Aye, one of the few dragons that had lived from the very beginning," Grandfather said. He paused for a few seconds as if to gather his words before he continued, "I've seen my fair share of Light and Darkness pillars. Cosmic, however, was unchanging,"

His words made me fall deep into thought. Although I knew that dragons were long-lived, the idea of one that had existed since the dawn of time was almost too much to comprehend.

I hesitated for a few moments as Grandfather slowed down our flight and made us land by the lake's bank.

"Who exactly was the previous Cosmic pillar, grandfather?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I don't know," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I suspect few living dragons do, except for the King. The previous pillar was never in one place for too long, they were constantly on the move," Grandfather explained as we landed with a loud thud causing the ground to shake.

Breta reverted back to her original giant form, causing our little group to cast a tower over the small lake, casting shadows across the water as we stared at the colorful gate, mesmerized for a few seconds by its otherworldly beauty before I snapped out of my reverie and turned to my grandfather. I was about to ask when Breta suddenly beat me to it.

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"You call them the pillars of existence," she said, referring to both me and Sidus, "But it puzzles me, how little importance you seem to place on ones with a title as grandiose as theirs," she asked, her face devoid of any expression as usual, but I could tell that her eyes held a hint of intense curiosity.

Her words made me pause. She had a point, and I knew that. But I simply thought it was the normal thing. I did not bother looking too much Into it, nor did I bother asking much about it either.

Sidus on the other hand, had a frown on his face. He glared at the goddess with a fierce scowl. Undoubtedly because of her blatant disrespect to grandfather, but I knew she did not mean that, it was simply the way she was.

"Watch your words, Breta. You are not talking to an equal," he spat, his frown not quite leaving his face.

But Breta seemed unfazed. "I meant no disrespect," she said calmly. "I was simply curious."

"It does not matter," Grandfather interrupted, causing us to glance at him in curiosity.

"The plane has existed before them, and shall endure after their passing," spoke grandfather with a deep solemn voice "Rare are the ones that reach the pinnacle of their potential, and even rarer are those that shall fuse with their element, becoming one with the very fabric of existence."

He paused, his gaze piercing through me as if trying to discern my thoughts. "What have they, contributed to our cause that warrants any importance to be placed upon them?" His voice was low and intense.

His eyes glimmered with an otherworldly light as he continued, "The fate of the world does not depend on their actions. For now, they are but insignificant beings, fleeting in the grand scheme of things." His words were heavy with the weight of centuries of experience and wisdom as if he had seen the rise and fall of countless civilizations.

I couldn't help but feel a shiver run down my spine as he spoke, his words resonating with a strange power that I couldn't quite comprehend. And although his words were a response to Breta, they were essentially directed to me, and Sidus.

"Until their valor has been proven, they are not worthy of the honor bestowed upon them," his stern voice boomed, echoing throughout the lake.

"I understand," Breta nodded. Sidus's expression was a mixture of surprise and defiance. He gritted his teeth but remained silent.

"Aether, form a path for us to the gate. We are walking for the rest of the way," my grandfather commanded.

I nodded, my gaze fixed on the serene lake. With a flick of my powerful tail, I summoned the elemental mana, and the water began to react to my call. Soon, a massive arm of water extended towards us, steady and gentle. I led the way, confidently stepping onto the surface of the water. It held my weight with no problem, and I moved forward with grace and ease.

My grandfather followed suit, with Breta and Sidus close behind. With the power of the elements at my fingertips, I guided the water arm toward the shimmering gate. As we approached, the surrounding air grew thick with magical energies, and my heart began to race with anticipation.

The pull of the cosmic mana was hard to resist. The elements acted, almost as if they were familiar to me. But when I subconsciously reached out to them, in an attempt at guiding them according to my will, they did not respond.

It was almost as if they already had their order. Already had their task, so, they ignored my call and instead seemed satisfied by simply floating around me.