"Look after the child till he grows Zen, and you Ray boy live a happy life." The dragon god bid his farewell by blessing both of them. Zen clenched his fists resolving himself.
---------
The radiant light of the starry realm began to fade, and with a soft, warm glow, Ray and Zen found themselves back in the familiar temple. Zen let out a deep sigh, the tension slipping from his shoulders as reality settled back around them. But Ray's face shone with a contented smile, the weight of the encounter filling him with an odd mixture of peace and exhilaration.
Zen's eyes shifted to the two dragon eggs cradled in Ray's arms, their surfaces glistening faintly with traces of gold and silver. The sight stirred memories of the Dragon Queen, once bound to Nathan, and the words of the Dragon God. The pieces of a long-forgotten puzzle began to click into place, but Zen kept his thoughts to himself.
"Can we leave now? I'm exhausted," Ray's voice broke Zen's contemplation.
A soft chuckle escaped Zen.
"We both need some rest. But remember, tomorrow at sunrise, we continue on the training grounds."
And with that, Zen vanished, leaving behind only the faint echo of his voice.
Ray went back to his quarters, feeling the aches of the day, mentally, finally catching up to him. He fell onto his bed, the eggs carefully placed beside his pillow.
"Luna," he whispered into the dark,
"did you experience everything I did? Am I going crazy? I met a god, got this sword, and now these eggs... it all feels crazy somehow."
Luna's voice chimed in with her usual calmness.
[What you experienced was extraordinary, even by the highest standards. Acquiring legendary weapons and mana's blessing for all elements is one thing, but meeting a god and receiving gifts as dragon eggs?, that will become your future companions? That's beyond anything recorded. Knowing that there were people who once cared for you—it must mean a lot, doesn't it?]
Ray lay silently, reflecting on her words. The mystery of his past felt a little clearer now, not in answers but in purpose.
Whatever reason his parents had for leaving him, maybe it wasn't by choice but by fate. He vowed to find out more, and also uphold the promise for the peace of Eldric's soul. There was so much left to uncover, so much more he needed to become.
Before surrendering to sleep, Ray asked,
"Luna, tell me about my new trait, Creation, and the life element? Zen didn't seem to notice it."
[The Creation trait allows you to create, as simple as that, but its true potential remains locked, requiring higher authority for full access or to unlock, Just become more powerful...? Even I don't have answers to certain orders of world.] Luna replied.
[As for the life element, as you are blessed by the Goddess of Life, it grants superior healing capabilities beyond even the light element similar to your healthy body trait but this can be used on others too since it's magic and aligns you deeply with nature. Creatures and plants will naturally be drawn to you.]
Ray's curiosity was piqued, but Luna continued before he could ask more.
[Additionally, your synchronization with the Chronos Blade has partially unlocked a new skill, "Time-Splitting Sword". It allows you to cut through moments in time, splitting the past or future by up to two seconds.]
Ray's eyes widened, though fatigue numbed his amazement.
"Splitting time itself… that's insane," he muttered, a lazy smile forming as he drifted into thought. The possibilities were beyond comprehension. He shifted his focus to the eggs.
"Luna, how do I hatch them?"
[You need to provide your mana and dragon energy daily for a period of time. Using your life and fire elements will create warmth that encourages healthy hatching,] she explained.
Ray did as instructed, channeling his energy into the eggs, which hummed in response. Satisfied, he nestled them close and let sleep claim him, dreams filled with starry skies and the resonant voice of the Dragon God.
---
Three months passed in relentless training. Under Zen's watchful eye, Ray had mastered casting tier 4 and 5 spells with seamless efficiency, wielding Dragon Tongue, a skill, which allowed him to cast without incantations and triple a spell's potency. He had reached the level of Mage King in magic yesterday, and Sword King in swordsmanship two months ago when he uncovered the properties of his time attribute and aura with Zen's guidance.
Even though it sounds easy, it was the fastest in the history of Helios and Dragon realm combined, to reach the King realm both in Magic and Sword. Precedent Record being a hero of the first generation, champion of the god of death and goddess of life, taking 16 years in Sword.
Zen marveled at Ray's growth, especially his mastery of the Time-Splitting Sword, an ability so formidable even Zen had to acknowledge it as overpowered.
Ray's mastery extended to tier 6 in basic and deviant elements, while the life element remained a mystery to him, used only in moments of experimental healing. The dark element he had honed up to tier 4, but time magic had no tiers, only understanding and implementing.
The academy entrance exams loomed three weeks away. Ray would soon leave the Eastern Lands to journey to the Central Continent, a journey that would have taken two months by conventional means. Zen, ever the mentor, had offered to teleport him. So he stayed.
During his final week, Ray and Zen spent their days talking and exploring the temple grounds, sharing stories and moments of quiet peace. When the time came, Ray stood at the temple's entrance, a soft wind rustling his hair. He turned to Zen, whose eyes held a rare glint of emotion.
"Thank you for everything, Zen, till next time" Ray said, a mixture of gratitude and sadness in his voice.
Zen placed a firm hand on Ray's shoulder.
"The world will soon know your name, Ray. Stay true to yourself."
With that, Zen raised his hand, and space shimmered. In a blink, Ray gave a genuine smile to Zen, as the light engulfed him, and was transported to a bustling city near a spatial gate, the gateway to Bolivia.
Ray's heart raced with anticipation.
"Finally," he whispered, stepping into the new chapter of his journey.