Chapter 2 - Vengeance

"Lord Lysander," Thorian called as they exited the palace.

Lysander had no response to Thorian's comment about the king seeking his advice.

"Perhaps because you offered nothing more than belittling the sign before His Majesty. Who knows?" Lysander retorted before vanishing from the imperial entrance. In that magical realm, people openly wielded magic.

In the dark cave, the dragon stood beside its master, who sat on the floor. The man was completely bewildered by how he had ended up in this place, this spherical space, according to his advanced intellect.

Anyway, he still had no better understanding of the world he was always in, but one thing he knew was that he dwelled in darkness.

"What else makes me special?" he pondered, waiting for revelations.

And then, he learned that he possessed a potent demon system, but would be locked until he gained more power on his own.

"Tell me, Rowan, how did I arrive in that realm? You said I was born here, so how did I depart?"

Rowan explained that his entire family had been annihilated by the four sects under the emperor's orders. Vengeance surged through him, a familiar feeling.

"Craft me a sword, Rowan. They say no one can escape a dragon-forged sword's thrust. I cannot allow the mages of this world to live after destroying my family."

No matter how powerful a mage might be, they could not withstand a dragon-forged sword's thrust.

No sooner had he requested it than his sword was crafted into a divine, spell-imbued weapon.

The mountain god changed his attire before embarking on his quest for revenge, while Rowan's voice resonated in his mind.

"You're Arion, the most renowned mage to ever grace this world. You are untouchable."

"Arion?" he was taken aback by the name his dragon suggested. He didn't really grasp the concept of a "name" though. "Cool!"

Perched on a fragment of shattered rock, he cast a teleportation spell from the mountain and landed in a concealed area near a bustling market.

Upon getting to that place, he started to question the unfamiliar things he was seeing.

"Where is this? Why are they exchanging things?" At least, he recognized the yang stone used as currency.

But where was he? He was entirely clueless as he ventured into the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Sir, you have a striking countenance. Some stylish garments would enhance your beauty. Come take a look," a man in a blue long shirt with a big grin on his face beside an unfamiliar contraption attempted to divert his attention with "stylish garments."

For some inexplicable reason, his mind failed to provide information about the things he was curious about. Perhaps he had too many questions?

Nevertheless, Arion opted to remain ignorant and walked away from the man. As he advanced without looking ahead, he felt his body collide with another. He quickly deduced that the person; identified as a 'woman' and the other sex of himself by his sophisticated brain; was about to fall upon colliding with him.

Grabbing her shoulder, he prevented her from falling.

"She even has guards?" Arion pondered, surprised.

"Wow, she's exquisite!" whispers emanated from various directions in the market. The woman being admired from all sides was named Liora — a beauty as pure as ice, wielding the power of water.

Liora hailed from the Chen family, proudly Lysander's daughter.

Amidst the admiration, Arion noticed a small-sized golden tab with spells written on it dropped on the ground. Out of curiosity, he bent down and picked it up.

"Oh, that's mine!" Liora exclaimed, requesting its return.

When Arion glanced at her, he realized she belonged to one of the great sects, and the object in his hand granted free passage into the sect.

Without hesitation, he propelled himself to the top of a building and vanished into the air, clutching the tab in his hand.

"Thief! Catch him!"

 The tab was the seal given to the dwellers of Heka sect so that they won't have any restrictions from getting in as long as the seal was identified. Liora's guards set out to apprehend the seal thief. But how could they apprehend someone invisible in thin air?

"Father!" Liora called out loudly at the Heka sect. She entered her father's room, finding him immersed in his magical practice. Lysander did not appear curious about the situation.

"You lost your seal, didn't you?"

Liora was taken aback. "How did...?"

"You entered my sect, and there's a formation at the entrance door that allows me to read the minds of whoever passes through it. That's how the sect has remained unparalleled all these years."

He rose from his bed and approached his daughter with a smile.

"You need not worry. Anyone who stole the seal to gain access here will be apprehended as soon as they pass through the formation. Then I will inquire why they stole my daughter's seal and allowed her beauty to be tainted with tears."

They exchanged smiles, and Lysander informed her that someone awaited her in the garden.

She found Merrick there, the heir of the Jay family and the second season with the power of fire.

"Liora, how have you been?" he asked, but she couldn't help but wonder about his motives for visiting her.

Arion appeared at the entrance of the great Heka sect, determined to exact revenge on the leader involved in the mission to eliminate his family. However, he still remained oblivious to the reasons behind their eradication and his reincarnation as a mountain god.

Just as he was about to enter, a commanding voice ordered him to halt, and he turned to see who dared to do so.

"I am Darian, and despite my family's wealth, I am exceedingly powerful," the individual declared, pushing Arion backward, asserting that the wealthy should go first.

Arion sneered, finding this arrogance vexing. "As powerful as you claim to be, I'm far more formidable. You underestimate me!" He contemplated using his Devilmite beam.

What an unfortunate soul.