Lilia had no idea how long she had remained unconscious.She returned slowly through the sensation of coolness spreading across her burned skin. It moved gently over every wound like water poured upon smouldering ash. Her eyes fluttered once… then twice…When they finally opened, the blue floating sphere was gone.The ruined swamp had vanished with it.The forest had returned to the calm darkness of night, quiet beneath the silver moon. No crimson lightning remained. No boiling mud, no burning trees, only the natural hush of leaves and distant insects breathing life back into the woods.And amid that darkness, a tall figure crouched beside her.Blue Helis particles drifted from his frame in vibrant streams, illuminating the ground around him with a soft celestial glow.A whisper escaped her lips.“My lord…?”She pushed herself upright slowly.The blur in her vision faded little by little until she could finally see him clearly.The small feline form she knew was gone.In its place rem

[Tree House, Aslucian Territory, next morning]I woke from a deep sleep filled with strange satisfaction after the chaos of the previous day.The moment my eyes opened, I found myself once again inside the same tree house where I had first been brought after entering Aslucia. Morning light filtered softly through the open windows by the wooden walls, carrying the scent of leaves and wet bark with it.Above me, the circular carving in the ceiling released a gentle shower of tiny Helis particles.At its center, the wooden sculpture of a dancing woman seemed almost alive as blue light pulsed through the ancient dialects carved around her. The runes glowed in rhythm with the drifting particles, making it feel as though even the statues awakened in my presence.I remained lying on the soft white bed for a moment, watching the light rain fall from above.Lilia and I had gathered enough Heliron from the field of blue flowers during the night for the next domain upgrade. After that, we had re

[Lilia’s Chamber, Aslucia]Sierra, Niebee, and Krileekit stood side by side near the giant lotus blooming at the center of the chamber. Its wide petals stretched outward in elegant layers, each one swaying gently in its own rhythm as though moved by an unseen melody.The chamber was quiet.Too quiet.Sierra’s eyes remained fixed on Krileekit with open curiosity, while Niebee kept turning his head between them.The colossal Shadow Jaguar looked at Sierra once, then back toward the Aqualian king. Purple arcs of flame burned around the joints of his limbs in playful flickers. His tongue lolled from his open jaw while his tail swayed eagerly behind him, wrapped in the same violet fire.His expression made one thing very clear.He wanted someone to pet him.Krileekit narrowed his eyes.“You wish to ask something, human?”He planted the silver trident harder against the wooden floor, the butt of the weapon echoing sharply through the chamber.Sierra nodded immediately, almost like an excite

[Aslucian Territory Border, around the time the White Cape Council meeting was in progress] Lilia dragged me toward the edge of the territory in hurried steps as the sun had just begun its slow descent toward the west. The towering trees of Aslucia stood as mesmerizing as ever, their heights almost swallowing the sky while their thick canopy filtered the sunlight into scattered fragments.Those fragmented rays slipped through gaps in the leaves, casting glowing patterns over the tree houses. From a distance, the clustered structures appeared like floating spheres of golden light suspended in the forest.Yet something felt wrong.The air had turned heavy, almost suffocating, as it pushed past us carrying dried leaves along its restless flow. The usual warmth and harmony of Aslucia had vanished. The beauty remained, but the life within it had retreated, leaving behind a strange emptiness.It felt as if the entire settlement had gone silent in a single moment.When we finally reached the

When I opened my eyes after the blinding golden light faded away, shock immediately gripped my mind.The world of Calitra had vanished completely.I stood upon a tiny floating piece of land surrounded by endless golden clouds stretching in every direction. No matter where I looked, there was nothing else. Above me, beneath me, and beyond the horizon, countless masses of golden clouds drifted seamlessly like fragments of an endless ocean suspended in the sky.The small patch of land beneath my feet was covered in soft grass swaying beneath an invisible breeze, yet even that calmness felt unnatural inside this bizarre dimension.There was no sign of Karguran anywhere.It felt as though I had been trapped inside a world made entirely out of clouds and lightning.But my moment of shock did not last long.Suddenly, the entire dimension trembled violently.RRRRRRR!The golden clouds crackled with violent blue lightning as enormous masses collided against one another. The sky flashed repeate