Aaric took a deep breath as Duna landed in front of him, her wings kicking up a sharp gust of wind. He rubbed her head fondly and gave her a tight hug.”Thank you, girl,” he said softly.

Duna hooted in joy, nuzzling her beak against his shoulder before stepping back.

Luna saw Aaric approaching and ran toward him at full speed. She leapt at him, nearly knocking him over, her arms wrapping around him as she frantically looked him over for wounds. When she found none, she exhaled in visible relief, her grip loosening.

“What was it? What were you fighting?” Luna asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

Aaric just shrugged casually. “A big spider.”

Before she could ask more questions, he held up a small wooden box.”It left a gift for you,” he said with a small, knowing smile.

Luna blinked in surprise, then carefully took the box and opened it. Inside lay a grayish egg with faint red sparkles glimmering beneath the shell. She looked from the egg back to Aaric, wonder clear on her face.

“Keep it by a window, in the box with the lid open. It should hatch in about a week,” Aaric instructed matter-of-factly.

Luna’s lips curved into a gentle smile. Closing the box, she reached for his hand and laced her fingers with his.”Let’s go. The others must be worried.”

The two of them walked back to the shelter in comfortable silence, the tension of the past few minutes slowly ebbing away.

Meanwhile, far away in Nightshade Castle, Simon walked through the silent halls alongside Thimrill. They entered the sacred chamber containing the statue of Makara. Thimrill bowed deeply, then slipped out, leaving Simon alone.

Simon smiled faintly and closed his eyes.”You don’t need to come all the way here just to speak to me,” came Makara’s voice, smooth and calm.

Simon opened his eyes. “It’s become something of a ritual by now,” he said with a quiet chuckle.

Makara smiled, and for a moment, god and man sat together like equals, bound by a bond far older than words.

Volkrin padded up to Makara, tail wagging lightly. Makara stroked the wolf’s head with one feather-tipped finger, and Volkrin gave a pleased huff before bounding off to play with other spirits drifting through the divine realm.

“Another journey?” Makara asked casually.

Simon nodded. “Last one for me alone.”

Makara’s hummed with understanding. “So be it.”

Simon paused, his expression thoughtful.”Last time I went, I… felt someone watching me.”

Makara’s tone turned cold with disdain. “Some pests from that world. We’ve dealt with them.”

The sheer contempt in Makara’s voice made Simon chuckle.”Good,” he said simply, before his attention shifted to a glowing doorway that appeared beside him. Without hesitation, he stepped through.

Simon emerged once more inside Nightshade Castle—but something was different. He moved through the halls, noting familiar details, until he reached a window and looked out.

The view outside had changed entirely.

In the distance stood a colossal Nagavriksha tree, so vast its roots seemed to descend into the depths of hell, while its canopy touched the very heavens

The Nagavriksha tree Simon had walked past moments ago was also giant but not as Heaven defying as this was.

Villages surrounded the island’s base, alive and thriving.

Volkrin appeared beside Simon, his hackles raised as he sniffed the air curiously. Together, they exited the castle.

One of the nearby trees shifted, branches twisting and reshaping until it became Thimrill, now appearing far older and infinitely more powerful.

Thimrill bowed deeply, and Simon inclined his head in acknowledgment.

Above, the skies teemed with wonder. Dragons and phoenixes soared gracefully, some small and darting like swallows, while others were so immense they cast entire villages into shadow as they passed.

Simon rose into the air, flying alongside Thimrill. From above, he saw mountains where titanic dragons slumbered and mist-crowned peaks glittering with elemental environments.

They descended at the edge of a bustling town. Streets overflowed with people of every shape and color, their voices rising in a joyous hum. Children ran and played until they caught sight of Simon and Thimrill, freezing mid-stride with wide eyes.

As Simon entered the town, the crowd parted. Whispers spread, and countless eyes turned toward him with reverence.

An elderly merchant stumbled out of his shop, falling to his knees. His hands trembled as tears welled in his eyes.”All these years, my lord,” the man said hoarsely. “And you look as though we last shared supper only yesterday.”

Simon laughed softly, kneeling to help him rise.”Hardly, old friend. Look closely—you’ll see the white hairs creeping in.”

He held up a single black strand amidst his other dark hair, making the crowd laugh through their tears.

The merchant chuckled. “Ah, if only I had such troubles.”

Laughter spread through the crowd, and Simon joined in warmly. He lingered for a while, exchanging stories, while Volkrin played happily with a group of children.

Eventually, Simon departed, waving goodbye with a fond smile.

“We have a… guest, my lord,” Thimrill said suddenly, his voice more serious now.

Simon arched an eyebrow. “Oh?”

Lightning flashed, and in an instant, they were standing at the very edge of the island. A thick fog stretched endlessly before them, the dark shapes of massive sea creatures gliding beneath the surface.

Thimrill raised his hand, parting the fog to reveal a narrow, straight path across the water. Far ahead, a small ship appeared, its black sails fluttering.

The moment the path opened, the ship began moving toward them—but it crawled forward at an agonizingly slow pace.

“This is taking too long,” Simon muttered, lips pressing into a thin line.

With a wave of Thimrill’s hand, the winds surged. The ship’s sails billowed, and the waves pushed it swiftly forward.

When it finally docked, a lone figure descended. He was an old man with stark white hair, walking with slow, deliberate steps.

The moment his eyes landed on Simon, he froze, stunned. For a long heartbeat, he simply stared.

Simon smirked.”Good to see you, Flamebrain. You finally got up from that spiky chair to greet at old friend?”

The old man’s face broke into a grin before he laughed loudly.”You could have made it more comfortable! But no, you had to sit on an island.”

The two clasped hands firmly, both smiling like they’d shed decades in that moment.

At a gesture from the old man, two elderly women emerged from the ship, supported by a silver-haired young man and woman. More crew followed, their heads bowed respectfully as they disembarked.

“They are good men and women who have suffered much,” the old man said quietly, looking toward the crew. “I hope they can stay.”

Simon gave a careless shrug.”You’ve already got one and a half feet in the grave. Let them take care of you for for the brief time you will live.”

Relief softened the old man’s face, and he let out a weary breath.”I should have died in my own kingdom,” he muttered. “Now I’ll have to endure every jest you make about me as long as I live.”

The two elderly women chuckled at his misery, clearly amused.

Simon’s grin widened. “Come now, let’s eat. Wouldn’t want this old fool to die on the shore.”

Lightning flashed—and they were gone, leaving only the whisper of waves behind.

A/N:I’m pretty sure most of you already know who these people are, but I’m just being unnecessarily cryptic.Power stones and reviews, please!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep