The cavern was engulfed in a dense and suffocating silence, interrupted only by the faint patter of water droplets falling into stagnant pools. A distant echo of battles and shrieks reverberated weakly through the tunnels, but in this dark and forgotten corner of the cave, only the remnants of a brutal confrontation remained. Vesper, or what had once been Vesper, lay on the ground, covered by the claws and jaws of the Deathweavers. His body, an amalgamation of torn flesh and corrupted magic, had been destroyed by the very creatures he had controlled—creatures that had once obeyed the power of his staff. But now, the staff was in pieces, shattered by a single sword strike.
The Mysterious Lady, still masked and hidden beneath her kasa hat, observed the scene with chilling coldness. Her face was concealed, but her eyes gleamed with a mixture of pleasure and satisfaction. She had unleashed a devastating force, the Abyssal Treasure, and what happened next was inevitable: Vesper’s creatures had devoured him, mad and out of control.
She raised a pale hand, delicately elegant, and released one final surge of the Edict of Destruction. The Deathweavers, still screeching as they consumed the remains of their former master, began to writhe in spasms of unimaginable pain. Their screams were horrific, filling the air with a cacophony of pure agony. In the blink of an eye, each of them collapsed, their bodies shattered from within. The Mysterious Lady smiled, satisfied with the result.
Suddenly, her smile froze as an invisible presence caressed her senses. She slowly turned, her eyes cutting through the shadows to find what she sought: a ghost, a silent shadow watching from a prudent distance. The lady tilted her head slightly, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on her face.
"Tell your master," she said in a soft voice, laden with an undeniable threat, "that if he speaks a single word of what he has seen here... I will erase his existence from this world. And not even the Edict of Death will save him."
The ghost trembled at her words. Though it lacked a corporeal form, the pressure emanating from the lady was tangible, an overwhelming force that crushed any resistance. She raised a delicate hand, but one filled with unimaginable power. The pressure of the Edict of Destruction once again filled the air, making the cave walls vibrate, and the shadows twisted as if alive. The Deathweavers, already dead, trembled once more, emitting a final screech before disintegrating into dark dust, vanishing forever.
"Remember my words, spirit," she whispered as a mortal chill pierced the ghost's soul. "Or not even a trace of your presence will remain."
With a snap of her fingers, the ghost erupted into a cloud of spectral energy, destroyed by the power of the Edict. Nothing remained of it—not even a trace of its passage through this world.
When the pressure of the energy finally eased, the Mysterious Lady turned toward Kaion’s body, which lay unconscious on the ground. His face, partially hidden by her kasa hat, revealed an expression of curiosity and strange tenderness as she approached him. The wind chimes hanging from her hat jingled softly with her movement, filling the cavern with a soft, ghostly echo.
"Klavier... it seems you’ve fulfilled your part," she murmured to herself, kneeling beside Kaion. Her fingers, delicate and pale like the moon, brushed Kaion's face gently.
Kaion breathed heavily, but his chest rose and fell steadily. Despite the perilous battle that had just unfolded around him, he was alive. The lady took a moment to study him more closely. He was an extraordinary boy, and not just because of the strange white color of his hair, but because of something deeper, something she couldn’t fully explain.
Her touch, unlike with nearly everything else in the world, did not destroy him. Everything she touched with her hands, imbued with her element of destruction, would usually disintegrate, perish, or at least lose its essence. Yet, Kaion remained untouched, his skin warm and soft, as though it resisted even destruction itself.
"Curious..." the lady whispered, caressing Kaion's hair delicately. The pure white of his hair seemed to glow under the dim light, and she couldn’t help but smile to herself. "You are not strong enough yet to control me. But... it seems your body has something special, something that makes it perfect for beings like me."
She leaned in closer, whispering words barely audible, even to the sharpest ears.
"One day..." she said with an almost maternal tone, "when you’re ready... maybe then we can talk about what you really are."
Silence filled the cavern again as the lady remained kneeling beside Kaion, watching over him like a protective shadow. The echoes of the battle that reverberated from the nearby tunnels seemed to grow louder. Rozhar, Aria, Zephyr, and the others were still fighting fiercely, unaware of the greater danger that had unfolded right before them. But the Mysterious Lady seemed unconcerned. She knew her intervention had been crucial, that she had played a role in saving Kaion from something far worse than death.
Finally, the lady stood with a sigh. Her kasa hat tilted slightly as she looked once more at Kaion, who was still peacefully asleep.
"I hope I’ve been of help, Kaion," she murmured, her lips barely moving. With one last glance, she began to fade into the air, and her wind chimes rang out again, a soft echo that reverberated through the depths of the cavern. Then, the lady’s figure disappeared in a magical mist, vanishing into the air, leaving Kaion alone in the shadows—no longer defenseless.
The cavern sank back into a disturbing silence. Kaion, unconscious but alive, shifted slightly in his sleep, as fate wove new threats around him.
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Rozhar, Aria, and their group were cornered. The Deathweavers, sinister creatures that moved between the rocks, filled the air with a wet, disgusting sound as they scraped the stone surfaces. Their eyes gleamed with a sickly light as they surrounded the team, lurking and waiting for the moment to strike. After the massacre of the nests, these beasts had become even more frantic, and the group was prepared to fight until the end, knowing that death seemed imminent.
Rozhar raised his massive sword with fierce determination, while Aria prepared her staff, channeling magical energy quickly and precisely. Zephyr, in his human form, tensed his muscles, ready to transform into his qi beast form if necessary. Ragna, however, suddenly staggered. He fell to his knees with a gasp, coughing blood that slowly dripped from the edges of his bone mask.
"Ragna?" Zephyr asked, visibly alarmed, as he approached him.
Before he could touch him, Aria and Rozhar shouted in unison, their voices filled with urgency:
"Something’s coming!"
The air grew thick, an overwhelming pressure crashing down on the group like a suffocating wave. An unknown, dark, and dangerous energy filled the cavern. The energy of the Edict of Destruction enveloped everything, like an unleashed storm. The Deathweavers began to retreat, their bodies twisting in a dance of madness and pain, shrieking as the energy affected them deeply. While it did not destroy them instantly, it left them confused and vulnerable.
The group stood motionless for a moment, their bodies shaking under the weight of this destructive energy.
"What is this power?" Rozhar whispered, his eyes wide with fear and fascination. He felt like an insect under the gaze of an immortal predator.
Zephyr, with his beastly senses, tried to locate the source, but the origin of the power was oppressive and chaotic. The Deathweavers began to recover from the energy surge, and Aria, ever vigilant, raised her voice:
"They’re coming again—prepare yourselves!"
But before the creatures could attack, a rain of fireballs fell from the cavern ceiling, engulfing the Deathweavers in flames. Their shrieks echoed with fury and agony as their bodies were incinerated, and the few that survived fled in all directions, terrified by the intensity of the fire.
The group, still stunned, looked around, searching for the source. Rozhar was the first to recognize the spell. A smile spread across his face when he spotted a familiar figure in a nearby tunnel.
"Mother!" he exclaimed, recognizing Eolka, his mother, who was conjuring the fireballs with grace and flawless precision. The magical energy flowed from her as if the fire itself obeyed her will.
Eolka lowered her hand slowly, the crackling flames dissipating as the air filled with the last remnants of tension.
"Right on time," Aria said, more relieved as she watched Eolka’s every move.
Eldric, a few meters away, raised his hands, and with a fluid motion, conjured portals in the ground. The Deathweavers that still resisted fell into the openings, screaming as they were devoured by the molten magma on the other side of the portal.
"Glory to the Great Elders!" shouted the surrounding warriors, raising their weapons to the sky in a triumphant gesture.
The morale of the group, which had plummeted, surged once more. Rozhar moved forward, sword in hand, toward the last lingering creatures, crushing their twisted bodies with renewed ferocity. Aria, unwilling to fall behind, channeled her magic into a powerful spell.
"Keraunos!" she shouted, launching a devastating bolt of lightning toward a group of fleeing creatures. The electric strike hit them with celestial fury, incinerating them in a blinding flash.
When the last Deathweaver fell, a heavy silence enveloped the area. The battle had ended, but the air still held a latent sense of danger.
The battlefield cleared, and Eolka, satisfied, approached Aria while Eldric spoke with the leaders of the clans present. Members of the Stoneclaw Clan and Draconia’s vanguard began to move, rescuing the survivors trapped in the cocoons the Deathweavers had woven for their prey.
Eolka looked at Aria with a mix of pride and solemnity.
"Among the survivors… we found people from Pyros. Those we thought lost long ago," said Eolka gravely.
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Aria’s eyes shone at the news as she took a breath before replying:
"How… how are they?"
"Alive," Eolka replied with a faint smile, "but weak. We’ll have to get them out as soon as possible."
Eolka, her face still stern, moved closer to Aria, holding out a dark cloak with the Graves family crest embroidered on the back.
"Lysa asked me to give this to you," Eolka said with a soft laugh. "Wear it with pride, young one. It’s time to save your brother."
Aria took the cloak with trembling hands, her heart tight with emotion. She donned the cape, which immediately amplified her magical power, feeling the weight of her family’s responsibility and hope. With a lump in her throat, she looked up at Eolka.
image [https://i.postimg.cc/wBWDLf3f/Whats-App-Image-2024-09-06-at-17-33-46-1.jpg]
"Thank you, Great Elder. I will," Aria replied, her voice brimming with determination.
Eolka gave her an unexpectedly warm smile, touching Aria’s shoulder before turning back to the tasks at hand.
"It’s time to go save that troublesome boy," she added with a light laugh, easing the tension that lingered in the air. Aria returned her smile, fully aware that the moment of truth was drawing near.
Eldric approached, joined by Zephyr and Ragna, who was now visibly limping. His bone mask was cracked, and blood streaked his face.
"Where did that energy come from?" Eldric asked, his eyes sharp with concern as he glanced toward the cavern hidden amidst the cocoons and rocks.
Ragna, his pain evident, coughed before responding.
"My specters sensed the energy from over there," he said, pointing to the cavern. "One of them… was destroyed by the impact without even seeing what caused that surge. That’s what left me like this."
Aria moved closer to Ragna, worried for his condition.
"Are you all right?" she asked, looking at him with genuine concern.
Ragna nodded weakly, brushing off his discomfort.
"I just need a bit of rest. Don’t worry about me."
Eldric stepped in with authority, looking at Ragna with approval.
"You’ve done more than enough. Rest now. We’ll take care of what’s left."
Eolka took charge of rescuing the survivors trapped in cocoons, while Rozhar and the others gathered the wounded. Eldric, casting a determined look at the cavern, gave the final order.
"Aria, Zephyr, it’s time to rescue Kaion. Our brothers from Pyros need to tend to their wounded. Prepare yourselves. We’re heading into the cavern."
And so, the group pressed on toward their next destination, knowing that what awaited them could change the fate of both Draconia and Pyros.
Eldric, Aria, and Zephyr ran through the damp tunnel, their footsteps echoing off the stones as they pushed through webs that hung like abandoned nightmares. The air was heavy and oppressive, a constant reminder that this place was hostile to the living. The tunnel walls, coated in moss and glowing lichen, glimmered here and there with a ghostly light from no clear source, heightening the sense of dread.
"I hope Kaion is all right…" Aria murmured, her tone laced with worry as she brushed aside a web. Despite her usual calm, there was a note of anxiety in her words.
Zephyr, in his human Qi Beast form, kept his eyes fixed ahead, though his sharp ears caught the doubt in Aria’s voice.
"To be honest, I’ve never felt anything like that energy before," Zephyr said seriously. "It was as if the air itself became heavy, almost impossible to breathe."
Eldric, walking a few paces ahead, listened to their concerns but remained silent. He knew that what they were about to face required mental preparation, yet the truth he needed to share was unavoidable and severe.
"What you felt," Eldric finally said, his voice cold and calculated, "was the Edict of Destruction."
Zephyr furrowed his brow, while a knot tightened in Aria’s stomach. The name alone was enough to send chills down their spines.
"The Edict of Destruction?" Aria repeated, trying to process his words. "Are you saying someone… has unleashed it here?"
"Exactly. Someone who has surpassed even the levels of a master," Eldric replied bluntly.
Zephyr and Aria exchanged a nervous glance, but Zephyr was the first to speak.
"Someone stronger than you?" he asked cautiously.
Eldric held silent for a moment that felt like an eternity, then offered a faint, somber smile.
"Just be ready for whatever we may find at the end of this tunnel," he said in a grave tone.
They both swallowed hard, sharing a look of reluctant resolve that drew a wry smile from Eldric, who always appreciated these moments of humanity amid the darkness.
Finally, they reached the end of the tunnel, where the space opened up to reveal a vast underground cavern. The soft roar of a waterfall filled the air, its water cascading into a crystalline lagoon that reflected faint lights flickering across the cavern walls. In the center of the lagoon, a small island stood, and there, in the middle of it, lay Kaion, seemingly unconscious.
"Kaion!" Aria cried out upon seeing him, taking a step forward to rush to his side.
Zephyr was about to follow, but Eldric raised a hand to stop them, his gaze fixed on shadows moving along the cavern’s ceiling.
"Not so fast," he murmured gravely. "We’ve got company."
From the depths of the cavern, the shadows came to life. The Deathweavers descended slowly from above, their many eyes gleaming with malice. With their sharp limbs and venom-laden tentacles, they were poised to attack.
Eldric, always calm and calculating, wasted no time. With a motion of his hand, he opened several portals on the ground. Through the portals, a surge of blistering heat and the glow of magma poured in, transforming the space into a blazing inferno. The Deathweavers dropped into the rivers of lava like dried leaves, shrieking in agony as they were consumed.
"That place… those are the lava rivers of Pyros," Zephyr murmured, his eyes glinting with curiosity.
"Perfect for getting rid of pests," Eldric replied, not missing a beat.
Aria, meanwhile, invoked the power of her cloak, her family’s emblem glowing on her back as she summoned chains of lightning. The bolts electrified the air, linking one creature to another and striking down several at once. The scent of ozone filled the space, heightening the tension.
Zephyr, seeing that the cavern was spacious enough, shifted into his giant owl form. With a powerful beat of his wings, he generated wind blades that swept through the remaining creatures, slicing them as if they were mere twigs caught in a storm.
The battle was swift and brutal but effective. The three stood their ground, and within minutes, the Deathweavers were eliminated. Aria, still on high alert, mounted Zephyr’s owl form, and they flew to the center of the lagoon, landing beside Kaion’s body.
"Kaion…" Aria whispered, kneeling next to him, checking him over with a desperate look. She touched his forehead, relieved to find he was still breathing.
Zephyr watched from nearby, but something about the altar on the other side of the island caught his attention.
"That altar…" he murmured. "Something’s strange about it. Look at those runes."
Aria looked up and saw what Zephyr was pointing to. The altar was strewn with fragments of a shattered black vessel, as if it had exploded, and dark chains sank into the depths of the lake.
"We don’t have time for this right now. We need to get Kaion back to safety," Aria said, her voice thick with urgency.
Though still uneasy, Zephyr nodded. He took flight, and with Kaion secure in his sister’s arms, they returned to where Eldric waited. However, they found him crouched over something unusual near the rocks.
"What’s going on?" Zephyr asked, landing near Eldric.
Eldric stepped aside slightly, allowing Aria and Zephyr to see what he had been examining: the body of a man, broken, his flesh ravaged by the Deathweavers.
Aria and Zephyr were horrified at the state of the corpse lying on the ground. The mangled body, barely recognizable, lay in a pool of dark blood, skin shredded and reduced to a grotesque pulp. Bite marks and wounds from the Deathweavers covered him from head to toe.
Eldric approached them, his face grim and voice steady but solemn.
"It’s Vesper," he announced heavily. "One of the most powerful Elders of Draconia. Worse still, the Staff of the Mind was stolen from the treasury."
He showed them a fragment of the staff he had found on the ground, causing Aria’s eyes to widen in shock and horror.
Aria’s heart stopped for a moment. Vesper was a legend among mages, someone thought invincible. Zephyr, now in human form, stared at the body in disbelief as he muttered,
"What could have killed someone like him?" He turned his head toward Kaion, lying asleep on the island in the middle of the lagoon. "Did Kaion have something to do with this?"
Eldric shook his head.
"Kaion doesn’t wield a sword."
Gently, Eldric moved Vesper’s body, revealing a clean, precise cut where his right arm had once been. The wound wasn’t caused by bites or a chaotic strike; it had been executed with deadly precision from a distance. Nearby on the ground, another deep slash marred the rocks, as if a blade had sliced through both flesh and stone in a single stroke.
"This cut was made by someone with terrifying skill," Eldric murmured, his gaze sweeping the cavern as he analyzed every detail, piecing together a deadly puzzle. His attention focused on the altar across from the lagoon. "This place… this is the Grotto of Lost Dreams. A cursed site in Draconia, infamous as the grave of those who challenge it."
"What happens now?" Aria asked, clutching her unconscious brother tightly, worried not only about Kaion but also about the new threat looming over them.
Eldric looked up, opening a crackling portal of energy leading to Draconia.
"Take Kaion back. I’ll stay here to investigate further and move Vesper’s body with the search team. There are survivors who still need rescuing."
Aria and Zephyr exchanged a look. Fear and uncertainty were palpable, but they knew the most important thing was to get Kaion safely back to Draconia. With one last glance at the altar and Vesper’s shattered corpse, they stepped through the portal. In his human form, Zephyr murmured,
"None of this makes any sense..."
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Eldric watched as the portal closed behind Aria and Zephyr, leaving the grotto steeped in an unsettling silence. He approached the altar, his gaze fixed on the runes carved across it and the shattered remains of a black vessel. Black chains sinking into the lake emitted a strange sense of weight, as if imbued with some ancient curse.
He sighed deeply, scratching his head as he inspected the altar’s details. Finally, he muttered to himself with an ironic smile,
"The Graves always bring trouble, no matter where they go."
The air in the grotto felt dense, as if something were watching him from the shadows. Eldric straightened, turning his attention to Vesper’s body. As he studied the mutilated remains, his mind kept circling back to unanswered questions.
"Who or what could have been powerful enough to kill Vesper? And why here, in this cursed place?"
The fragment of the Staff of the Mind he had found next to the body vibrated faintly in his hand, resonating with an echo of the potent energy it had once held.
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The journey back to Draconia was silent, tense. Aria, still holding Kaion, couldn’t shake the image of the altar and the corpse from her thoughts. Zephyr, walking beside her, was equally pensive. The cavern’s wind had given way to Draconia’s icy calm, but the weight of what they had left behind still followed them.
Finally, Aria broke the silence.
"What do you think that vessel was?" she asked, more to ease the tension than to get a real answer.
Zephyr, still disturbed by what he had seen, only shook his head.
"I don’t know... but whatever it is, I don’t like it. This all feels like a well-planned trap. Kaion’s safe for now, but that grotto…" He paused, looking up at Draconia’s sky. "It was no ordinary place. The Deathweavers, the altar, the chains... something else is going on."
Aria nodded, knowing answers wouldn’t come easily.
"The important thing is that Kaion’s safe... we need to get back to my mother," she said, looking at her sleeping brother. Yet her gaze kept drifting back to the fragment of the staff Eldric had shown them. Something about that object filled her with a deep sense of unease.
They both knew that what they had witnessed in the grotto was only the beginning of something far larger. Something that might involve forces they could not yet understand.