Chapter 47: 47. Return to Fort Nox

Owen stood in his humanoid form beside Yuki on the departure platform as they both looked back to Drak’thar environment, both of them packed and ready.

The slime—now named Uru—sat contentedly on Yuki’s head, pulsing with its green glow.

The five Greater Dragons had now gathered again to see them off.

Veridra then stepped forward with her emerald eyes fixed on Yuki and flowers blooming below her feet with each step she took.

“Before you go,” She said, “I have something for you.”

She reached behind her back, and when her hand reappeared, she held a katana.

The weapon was exquisite, the blade glowed with a shine that seemed to shift and flow like liquid, while the hilt was wrapped in dark green leather with scale patterns embossed into it.

“This blade was forged from one of my scales,” Veridra explained, offering it to Yuki. “It carries properties inherent to my nature. The edge never dulls. And anything it cuts…”

She paused as a dangerous smile crossed her lips. “…will suffer from a corrosive venom that eats through flesh, bone, and even mana itself.”

Yuki took the weapon with trembling hands, feeling the subtle flow of mana running through it. “I… thank you. I don’t know what to say.”

“Say nothing,” Veridra replied. “Just survive. And bring that egg home.”

Yuki bowed deeply, then carefully secured the new katana at her waist alongside her original blade.

Glacius stepped forward next, his ice-blue eyes boring into Owen. “You carry the Blood of Kings, young one. Do not disgrace it.”

“I won’t,” Owen promised, meeting that frozen gaze without flinching.

Zephron grinned, his storm-gray eyes gleaming with mischief. “And try not to die. I’m looking forward to sparring with you when you get back. After all that tower training, you should be interesting now.”

Then Chronara stepped closer, her old violet eyes locked on Owen. She moved slowly and stopped right in front of him.

She raised her weathered hand and placed it over his chest, at the position of his heart.

“”Listen to me, young king,” she said, her voice soft but commanding. “In the days ahead, you will face trials that might test more than your strength. You will question yourself. You will doubt your purpose. You will wonder if you are truly worthy of the blood the destiny before you.”

Her eyes seemed to look straight through him, past flesh and scale, into something deeper.

“When those doubts come,For they will come, remember this: the tower did not choose you because you were the perfect being. It chose you because you were more willing than others. Compassion over domination. That choice, that singular choice, is what makes you worthy. Don’t ever lose sight of your self.”

Owen felt something change inside him. He nodded, unable to speak.

Chronara smiled, a rare expression that softened her Elderly features. “Now go. And may the World itself guide your path.”

She stepped back, rejoining the other Greater Dragons.

Fey’rath cracked her knuckles. “Alright, brats. Time to fly.”

The other four Greater Dragons moved back, giving Fey’rath space. She walked to the edge of the platform, then turned to face Owen and Yuki. “Enjoy this show, kids!”

Then she erupted.

Flames consumed her humanoid form, red and hot, swirling in a vortex that made the air tremble and warp.

The fire twisted upward, expanding into a pillar of flames until the massive form of her true dragon body emerged from the inferno and burst out of the flaming pillar.

Her scales shone like polished rubies. Wings that could eclipse the sun. Eyes that raged like the centre of an active volcano.

She lowered one wing. “Climb on, human. Unless you’d prefer I carry you in my claws.”

But Yuki hesitated and looked to Owen expectantly,

Owen gave her a knowing smile and stepped back as he let his own transformation Unfold.

Golden light enveloped his humanoid form, expanding outward into a cocoon as his body grew and shifted. Black scales rippling across his skin. Wings unfurling. Tail extending. Within seconds, his juvenile dragon form stood beside Fey’rath, smaller but no less magnificent.

“Show off,” Fey’rath muttered, though there was amusement in her tone.

Yuki then climbed onto Owen’s back, settling between his shoulder blades. Uru jiggled happily, clearly enjoying the adventure.

“Ready for take off?” Owen asked telepathically.

“Aye Aye, Captain!” Yuki Jested.

The Greater Dragons watched from the platform as Fey’rath and Owen launched into the sky. The dimensional pocket of Drak’thar spread out below them, impossibly beautiful and already feeling like a memory.

They flew together, with Fey’rath in front, weaving through the paths between floating islands. Other dragons stopped what they were doing to watch, a Greater Dragon and a young king flying toward the edge of the dimension.

The landscape below shifted from the crystalline beauty of the inner dragon kingdom to the wilder, more rugged outer territories of the human kingdom Finally,

Then they reached the barrier that separated Drak’thar from the mortal realm.

Fey’rath slowed, hovering in place. Owen matched her speed, coming alongside.

“This is where I leave you, brats,” Fey’rath said, her massive head turning to regard them. “From here on, you’re on your own. Fort Nox is three hours’ flight northeast. Just follow the mountain range.”

“Thank you,” Owen said. “For everything.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” Fey’rath replied. “Save that for when you actually succeed.” She paused, then added more softly, “But for what it’s worth… I believe you will.”

With that, she swerved hard left, wings catching thermal currents as she veered away toward a different section of the mountain range. Within moments, she was gone, a red streak in the distant sky.

Owen and Yuki were alone now, or not so alone with Uru there.

“Three hours to Fort Nox,” Owen said. “You good?”

“Yeah,” Yuki replied, adjusting her grip on his scales. “Let’s go.”

They flew northeast, following the jagged spine of mountains below. The landscape gradually shifted from wild peaks to cultivated valleys, from untamed forests to organized farmland. Civilization crept back in as roads and villages started appearing like veins across the land.

Finally, Fort Nox came into view, the walled trade city sitting at the crossroads of three kingdoms, neutral ground where commerce flowed and tensions rose just below the surface.

Owen descended toward a forest just outside the city walls, landing in a small clearing hidden from the main road. Yuki dismounted, with her legs shaky from hours of flight.

“Okay,” she said, stretching. “Now comes the tricky part.”

Owen transformed back into his humanoid form, golden light enveloping him before fading to reveal his six-foot frame. But the problem immediately became apparent—his black scales, his horns, his wings, his tail. He still looked distinctly inhuman.

“Yeah, that’s not going to work,” Yuki said, eyeing him critically. “The city guards would stop us before we made it ten feet past the gate. Remember that dragons are revered here, right?”

Owen sighed. “Guess I’m going back into storage.”

She concentrated, and Owen’s form shimmered before vanishing entirely into her [Beast Space]. A moment later, Uru also disappeared, leaving Yuki standing alone in the forest clearing.

She took a deep breath, steeling herself. Fort Nox. The city where everything had gone wrong. Where Oak and Lucien had died. Where Felicity had screamed accusations that Yuki still heard in her nightmares.

“You can do this,” she whispered to herself. “You have to do this.”

She emerged from the forest and joined the flow of travelers heading toward the city gates. The guards barely glanced at her—just another adventurer among dozens entering the city.

Perfect.

The city embraced her with familiar sights and sounds. The market district buzzed with activity. Street vendors hawked their wares. It felt both nostalgic and painful, like revisiting a place where something precious had been lost.

Yuki navigated the streets from memory, heading toward the inn where she’d stayed with Lyra before everything fell apart. The Golden Dragon Inn, with its wooden sign depicting a dragon coiled around a beer mug.

The same receptionist from before looked up as Yuki approached the counter.

“Excuse me,” Yuki said, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m looking for someone who stayed here about a month ago. A woman named Lyra? You must’ve recognised her with me, yes?”

The receptionist’s expression was apologetic. “Oh, her. Yes, she checked out a month ago. Haven’t seen her since.”

Yuki’s heart sank. “Do you know where she went?”

“Sorry, miss. Guests don’t usually tell us their next destination”

“Right. Of course. Thank you.”

Yuki turned away from the counter, disappointment settling heavy in her chest.

Lyra was gone. Isaac was probably gone too. And Felicity… Felicity had likely left the city to get as far away from the memories as possible.

She walked out of the inn, feeling lost. Without Lyra and Isaac, recruiting a team would be significantly harder for her as she would preferred people she already knew rather than strangers.

They had been her connection to capable hunters, her best chance at forming a reliable party.

She found herself walking toward the Adventurer’s Guild out of pure habit,Maybe she could find leads there. Maybe someone would know where Lyra had gone.

The guild building loomed ahead, exactly as she remembered it. Yuki pushed through the door and then—!

“Yuki?”

The voice came from behind her, it was familiar and sharp with surprise.

Yuki spun around.

Lyra stood there, her dual blades still strapped to her back, her sharp eyes wide with shock.

Beside her stood Isaac, his massive frame as imposing as ever, his shield propped against his shoulder. Both of them stared at Yuki like she was a ghost.

“I… Lyra? Isaac?” Yuki stammered, relief flooding through her. “I thought you’d left the city. The inn keeper said—”

“We moved to different accommodations,” Lyra said, still staring. “After… after what happened. But Yuki, where have you been? It’s been over a month. We thought—”

She didn’t finish the sentence, but Yuki heard it anyway. They’d thought she was dead. Or had fled the city in shame. Or worse.

“I can explain,” Yuki began. “I’ve been—”

But then both Lyra and Isaac’s eyes shifted to the side, looking at something past Yuki’s shoulder.

Yuki’s heart stopped.

She turned slowly, following their gaze.

And there, standing frozen in the guild entrance with her eyes wide with shock, was Felicity.

Their eyes met as neither of them moved, both just gazing at each other with mixed expressions.

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