---
The clearing was still, the air tense as the two attackers-Peronii and Krait-stood ready while conjuring knives with somnium. Knives looked like they were made out from green translucent material. Their green shiny eyes locked on me, sizing up their target. Peronii was the first to move, darting forward with incredible speed, her blades flashing under the faint light filtering through the trees.
She lunged, aiming for my throat, her conjured blades dripping with poison. I sidestepped her attack with ease, watching as her blade passed inches from my skin. She followed with a quick slash toward my ribs, but I raised my arm, summoning a pulse of heat from my core that caused her blade to melt before it could even touch me.
Peronii stumbled back, her eyes wide with shock as the molten remnants of her knife dripped onto the ground, sizzling as they hit the dirt.
Krait followed close behind, his face grim as he swung his blade low, aiming for my legs. I countered effortlessly, summoning a wall of heat that caused his weapon to evaporate on contact. His hand recoiled from the heat, and he hissed in pain, clutching at his burned fingers.
"That's it?" I muttered, unimpressed by their efforts. It felt like waste of effort to even use somnium against them.
Undeterred, Peronii conjured another pair of knives, these ones were looking even more lethal than before. The venomous energy swirling around them crackled with dark pulse as if alive. She rushed at me again, her movements quicker this time, more calculated.
I let her close the distance, waiting for the perfect moment. As her blade neared my chest, I twisted, sidestepping her strike once more. With a quick motion, I raised my hand and released a burst of somnium-infused heat, sending her flying backward. She crashed into a nearby tree, the impact reverberating through the clearing.
Krait charged, fury in his eyes, but his attacks were wild, reckless. I caught his wrist mid-strike, the intense heat from my grip burning through his skin in seconds. He screamed, trying to pull away, but I tightened my hold, his dagger disintegrating in his hand.
"You picked the wrong fight," I said coldly, before hurling him across the clearing. He hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop near his sister.
Peronii struggled to her feet, visibly shaken. Her hands trembled as she conjured yet another blade, but the confidence she had before was gone. I didn't give her time to recover. In a flash, I appeared in front of her, my hand glowing with the heat.
She froze, her breath caught in her throat as the air around us shimmered from the rising temperature.
"Leave now," I said, my voice low and firm. "This is your last chance."
Peronii's face twisted in frustration, but she knew there was nothing she could do. She staggered back, glancing at her brother who was still on the ground, groaning in pain. With a glare that promised future trouble, she helped him to his feet.
"Come on, Krait. We'll deal with him later," she muttered.
Without another word, they retreated, disappearing into the dense forest. The clearing fell silent again, the tension fading as they vanished from sight.
I released the my grip on somnium, letting the air cool around me. The sky once again darkened, reminding me how late it was. I could almost hear a voice from distant memory echo in my mind.
Don't let them go. Kill anything that is a problem to you.
I shook my head, watching the scorch marks fade from the ground. "No, Thankfully Kran wasn't here. Let's hope they won't make this mistake again."
Turning away from the clearing, I began the walk back to town, already preparing for whatever would come next.
---
"I was getting worried. Where have you been?" Rem asked, concern etched on her face.
"Nothing important. I didn't realize how fast the time flew. I sent Kran ahead when I noticed, but, well, you know how that turned out."
We stood in front of the inn, Rem looking a little relieved now that I'd shown up. Kran, whom I'd sent to find her earlier, had somehow gotten lost on the way—despite his usual bravado. I'd found him by following the mental link he established, but it was a small reminder of how things could spiral out of control even with the simplest of plans.
"It's fine," she smiled. "I'm just glad you're okay. Anyway, as Kran requested, our next destination is the City of the Fallen Worldtree. But there's no direct gate from this world, so we'll have to pass through an uninhabited one. Don't worry, though; it's nothing like the Wormeaters' world."
"Good to know," I said, moving toward the door. "We should get an early start tomorrow."
Rem nodded. "Exactly. Get some rest tonight—we'll head out at dawn."
I headed to my room while she disappeared down the hall, her usual flutter of energy around her.
Kran, sitting on my shoulder, perked up the moment we entered the room. "You know why we're really going to the City of the Fallen Worldtree, right?"
I already had a feeling. "You said there's something there I need?"
"Exactly. The last material needed to make the heart of the Dragonlord consumable is there. Honestly, I thought it'd take you a month at least to get to this point with your somnium control, but you're... Freakishly fast. Faster than I expected. I wasn't there, but you barely broke a sweat against those two attackers today, didn't you?."
He was right. Beating Peronii and Krait had been far easier than I anticipated. The fight had been more of a demonstration than a challenge.
"Even I'm surprised at how much progress I've made," I admitted. "But it feels... natural now."
Kran puffed his small metal chest. "All thanks to having a brilliant teacher like me." He peered at me with hopeful eyes. "Now, how about a treat? Something small for all my hard work?"
"You're literally sustained by somnium," I reminded him. "You don't need food."
He looked up at me with wide, pleading eyes, resembling a puppy begging for scraps. "Come on, I've earned it."
I sighed. He even knows what I'm thinking. Relenting, I pulled a small chunk of meat from the supplies in the bracelet and handed it to him. The portion was nearly the size of his body, but he dug in without hesitation, small bites tearing into the piece.
"Oh, and by the way, no training tonight. Your mind needs rest too," he said between mouthfuls.
I agreed. The day had been draining, especially after the fight. The tension and use of somnium had taken its toll on my mental focus. I collapsed onto the bed, the exhaustion pulling me under almost immediately.
---
Kran stopped eating once he was sure Ashborn had drifted into a deep sleep. With careful precision, he clambered over Ashborn's body, using his tiny claws to tug at the fabric and reveal his back. Beneath the layers of cloth, a mark had started to form—five vertical slits lined horizontally across his skin, with the middle one being the largest, tapering off toward the edges.
"And he claims to know every inch of his body..." Kran muttered, his tone laced with a mix of irritation and concern. "I didn't expect the effects to show up this quickly. I have to make him stronger—fast. If I don't, it'll be a total loss for both of us."
He pulled Ashborn's clothes back into place, fixing them neatly before turning his attention to the bracelet. Kran placed his hand over it, concentrating deeply. After a few seconds, somnium flared, and out emerged a large, ancient book and a broken shard of glass—objects that hadn't been there when Ashborn had last inspected the bracelet's contents.
Grunting with effort, Kran dragged the enormous tome to the table, its size dwarfed his small metallic body. He flipped through the fragile pages, skimming over the runes and symbols until he found what he was searching for.
"Who would even agree to help me now?" he muttered, pacing. "Pinky's useless... Blackhead's too erratic... White wouldn't pass a glass of water without payment." His claws scratched against the cover in frustration. "I guess she's the only option left. Let's just hope that thousands of years haven't changed her too much."
Kran etched delicate symbols onto the surface of the glass shard with his claw. As he completed the final stroke, the shard came to life, swirling with a thick mist. He watched, hope flickering in his eyes.
"Come on... pick up... pick up..." he murmured anxiously.
After a minute, the fog inside the shard shifted, and the image of a strikingly beautiful woman with vibrant purple hair and matching eyes appeared. Her expression was both elegant and cold, her voice carrying a mechanical edge as it rang through the shard.
"Who is calling me at this hour of the night?" she asked sharply, her voice a mixture of mild irritation and curiosity.
Kran grinned, leaping into view. "An old, very close friend! I'm alive!"
Her eyes narrowed, her gaze scrutinizing him. "I don't recall befriending a scrap of metal. Wait... that voice..." Her expression shifted slightly, recognition dawning.
"Yup! It's me!" Kran said, practically beaming.
Her reaction was far from welcoming. Her voice dripped with venom. "Do you want me to send someone to finish the job properly this time?"
"Don't be like that, Lilith. Can't you be just happy that I'm back?"
"You still have the face to come back? You failed your one and only duty, and others paid the price. Have you even seen-"
Kran's playful demeanor evaporated. His voice deepened, growing darker.
"Yes. I saw everything—felt everything—that happened. I couldn't stop it, couldn't do a damn thing but watch it all. I'm not here to continue my old duty. I'm here to make them pay. And I brought a Fated Sovereign with me to do it. Now I need your help... Witch of Purple."
There was a long pause. Lilith's expression softened just slightly. "No one calls me that anymore..." she said quietly, her tone now contemplative. "But for you, I suppose I can listen. What do you need?"
"Thank you—wait," Kran paused, his eyes narrowing. "Why doesn't anyone call you that anymore? Did you change colors or something?"
Lilith let out a soft giggle, a sound unexpected from her otherwise cold demeanor. "No, nothing like that. I'm the Queen of Azdria now."
Kran barked out a laugh. "Good one! I didn't realize you'd developed a sense of humor after a few thousand years."
Her expression remained dead serious. "I'm not joking."
Kran blinked. "...By the Rules, how the hell did that happen?"
"I married the Fourth Highlord of the Azdrians," she replied, her voice calm but firm.
Kran let out a deep sigh of relief. "Ha! I might've believed you if you'd said you took the entire nation by force, but marriage? That's a step too far."
A long silence stretched between them, and for several tense moments, Lilith said nothing. Then, quietly, she added, "I am also a mother of two."
The small metal dragon's jaw dropped. "...I have reached the point of enlightenment. Nothing can surprise me anymore."
Lilith allowed herself a faint smile before steering the conversation back on track. "Enough catching up. What do you need? I can't promise to help, but I might be able to point you in the right direction."
Kran straightened. "It's about the Fated Sovereign I'm traveling with. He's progressing too fast. Came from the third plane and started mindscape training only three days ago, but he's already mastering somnium like he's been doing it for years. Somnium obeys him naturally, and the mark's starting to become visible. If anyone recognizes it... he's not ready, not yet."
Lilith sighed, covering her face with her hand. "You realize what you're asking, don't you? I'm the ruler of one of the Thirteen Nations, and you want me to assist a Fated Sovereign?"
Kran hesitated, fidgeting with his claws. "I didn't know you were a queen when I called. If I did, I might've reconsidered."
Lilith's tone grew serious, her voice dark and thoughtful. "Tell me more about this Fated Sovereign."
"He's 23, if I remember correctly," Kran began, pacing as he spoke. "His world was destroyed by some monstrosity. He was chosen to become the Enforcer of Destruction, but he refused. Says he doesn't care about the world he lost... but it's obvious he's bottling it up. He doesn't even know what he is yet. He's just looking for his sister, who was taken by a Mouth of Dreams to somewhere in second plane."
Lilith remained silent, her hand still covering her face. The silence stretched, heavy with unspoken thoughts.
"Say... Where are you right now?" she finally asked.
"We're in a world of gnomes and fairies," Kran replied, his voice careful. "Heading for the Fallen Worldtree tomorrow."
Lilith's hand slid down, revealing a contemplative expression. "I can't help you. Not directly. If I did, it would bring far too much attention. But..." she trailed off, not sure to continue.
"But?" Kran's voice perked up with curiosity.
The image in the shard shifted, revealing a young woman with striking features, wielding a sword with an intense expression.
"Wait... is that your—"
"No questions," Lilith interrupted, her voice cold. "Find her, and I'll use everything Azdria has to offer. Don't contact me again unless you've found her."
The shard's glow faded before Kran could respond.
"...Looks like a lot really has changed," Kran muttered, placing the book and glass shard back into the bracelet. He curled up on the table, his small metal body settling into a restless sleep, thoughts still racing from the unexpected conversation.
---