The gap between the two groups closed. Marya's gaze locked onto Hino and Cohei with the flat assessment. Her hand remained on Nisshoku's hilt, her body coiled and ready.
Hino's attention shifted to Jannali, his dark eyes widening as he noticed her trance-like state for the first time. His voice dropped to a murmur, recognizing he had seen this before. "She is like the oracle."
Cohei raised a brow, his curiosity piqued. "Sir?"
Hino stopped, his massive frame blocking the path. The dust settled around his feet as he studied the entranced woman.
Marya's eyes narrowed, her jaw tightening as she continued to follow Jannali's steady, unbroken stride. "Keep walking. No matter what happens, stay with Jannali."
Sanza's brow furrowed, his grip tightening on his practice sword. "Big sis—"
Jelly's head swiveled in confusion, his form rippling as he spotted a bug and immediately forgot the tension. His mouth opened, ready to strike.
Marya's hand moved to Nisshoku's hilt, her fingers closing around the grip with the practiced ease.
Hino's voice carried across the gap, his tone warm and unthreatening. "Friends."
Marya's eyes narrowed, her fingers tightening on the hilt.
Hino continued, with a measured cadence to defuse tension through calm authority. "May we inquire as to your destination?"
Marya's voice was flat, with clipped delivery. "No. We are just passing through."
Hino and Cohei exchanged a look, their silent communication carrying the weight of shared experience.
Marya, Jannali, Sanza, and Jelly passed by, their footsteps steady and unbroken. Jelly waved from Sanza's shoulder, with the cheerful oblivion of a creature who had no idea what was happening. "Bye-bye!"
Hino and Cohei turned, their footsteps falling into rhythm behind the group. They scurried after them, their movements carrying the urgency of soldiers on a mission.
Marya's jaw flexed as she heard them closing in. With cold dismissal. "What are you doing?"
With charm through persistence Hino replied, "We are well versed on the area. We may be able to offer some assistance."
Marya glanced over her shoulder, her golden eyes flat. "Thank you, but we are not interested."
Cohei's voice cut through the air, his energy undimmed. "Then you are aware you are headed in the direction of the High Slate Highway."
Marya's eyes shifted, her attention now fully on the eager lieutenant.
Cohei continued, his words tumbling out in a rush. "It can be quite treacherous if you are not familiar. We could—" He glanced at Hino, who nodded in approval. "Guide you through."
Marya's lips pressed together, her eyes narrowing. "You look like military."
Hino, with nothing to hide, replies, "That is because we are military. I am Coronel Hino Rohin of the Senshimin Sentry. This is Lieutenant Cohei Duukk of the Ginmin Shield."
Marya nodded, her expression unreadable. "You must have some place to be."
Hino shrugged, his massive frame shifting with the motion. "It can wait. We value making new friends."
Marya raised a brow, with dry humor and ability to see through pleasantries. "Is that so?"
Hino's gaze shifted to Jannali, with quiet curiosity. "Your friend there—"
Marya's eyes shifted to Jannali, then back to Hino. "She is not your concern."
Hino nodded, his expression unreadable. "Of course. So what do you say?"
Marya sighed, with the weight of a decision made under duress. "Would it matter what I said? It appears you have already made your decision."
Cohei chuckled, with brieght enthusiasm. "You are not wrong."
Marya took a slow breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I am Marya. This is Sanza." She gestured at the small boy, who puffed up with importance. "The little blue blob is Jelly." Jelly bounced, his form rippling with excitement. "And my entranced friend is Jannali."
She paused, her golden eyes fixed on the two officers. "If you decide to follow us, there are two conditions."
Hino nodded, his expression open. "And they are?"
Marya's voice carried the clipped delivery. "You do not touch Jannali. And I am not responsible for you."
Hino and Cohei exchanged a look, their silent communication carrying the weight of shared understanding. "Understood."
---
The towering mountain ridge of the High Slate Highway loomed before them, its sheer cliffs rising like the walls of a forgotten fortress. The path wound upward, disappearing into the clouds with the impossible geometry of a road carved by desperate hands.
Sanza's stood in disbelief. "We have to climb that?"
Cohei, having made the climb a hundred times. "Beyond that is the Great Rift Bridge. It's incredible—you can see the entire valley from—"
Marya's voice cut through his enthusiasm, her tone flat and practical. "Does this path have an end?"
Hino's replied, "Yes. Astralux. The Lost Citadel."
Marya held her chin in consideration, her golden eyes fixed on the distant peak. "Astralux."
Hino continued, "Is that your destination?"
Marya shook her head, her expression unreadable. "I don't know." She paused, "What is at this Astralux?"
Hino and Cohei exchanged a look, their silent communication carrying the weight of a decision made.
Marya smirked, her golden eyes gleaming with knowing amusement. "Is it a secret?"
Hino shook his head, "No. It's just that—"
Marya finished for him, "We are outsiders. And it's only known among your people."
Cohei was energy to share. "Something like that, but—" He glanced at Hino, who shrugged. "Several hundred years ago, the island was invaded. The Quiloa Ruins were damaged."
Marya raised a brow, her interest piqued. "The Quiloa Ruins?"
Cohei nodded, his words tumbling out in a rush. "Yes. There were three Poneglyphs there. One of them was shattered during the attack, and the other two were relocated to Astralux for safekeeping."
Marya's smirk widened, her golden eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Interesting." Her voice carried the casual curiosity. "Do you know what they say?"
Cohei and Hino shook their heads in unison. Hino replied, "The meaning was lost to us centuries ago. We don't allow anyone to investigate because of concerns about what might come of it."
Marya nodded, her expression thoughtful. "Poneglyphs, huh." Her voice was casual. "What else was in the Quiloa Ruins?"
Hino shrugged, his massive frame shifting with the motion. "Nothing really. There is a legend about some river guardian named Ginga, but that is all."
Marya's head whipped around, her golden eyes blazing with sudden intensity. "Ginga, you say?"
Hino nodded, his dark eyes narrowing with curiosity. "Yes. Is that important to you?"
Marya's lips curved into a slow, dangerous smile with the satisfaction of finding found the missing puzzle piece. "I wonder what those boys will discover there."
---
They arrived at the base of the High Slate Highway. The path rose before them, its surface worn smooth by centuries of feet, its edges crumbling in places where the cliff face had given way. The wind howled through the narrow passage, carrying the sharp bite of altitude and the faint, metallic tang of ancient stone.
Sanza looked up, swallowing hard as he traced the path's impossible ascent. In weary disbelief. "We have to climb that?"
Jannali had not stopped moving. Her feet carried her forward with the steady, unbroken rhythm of a sleepwalker, her murmured words lost to the wind.
Marya glanced at Cohei and Hino, "We will see you up there."
Cohei and Hino stood, their expressions shifting to confusion. Before they could respond, Marya placed her hands on the shoulders of Sanza and Jannali.
Jelly waved from Sanza's shoulder, with cheerful obliviousness of a creature who had no idea what was happening. "Bye-bye, new friends!"
Marya's form dissolved into mist.
The transformation was instant and seamless. Marya, Sanza, Jannali, and Jelly dissolved into a swirling cloud of silver-white vapor that hung in the air for a moment before rushing upward like a ghost on the wind.
Cohei and Hino covered their eyes, shielding themselves from the sudden gust of dust. When they lowered their hands, the group was gone.
Cohei stood in bewilderment. "They're gone."
Hino shook his head, his gaze fixed on the cliff face above them. "No." He gestured upward with his massive hand. "They are already at the top."
Cohei followed his gaze, his eyes widening as he spotted the mist reforming on the plateau far above. With a low whistle of admiration. "Well, that's—"
Hino's voice cut through his words. "Let's not get left behind."
He began to transform. His silver-grey fur rippled, his muscles swelling with explosive power. His massive horn elongated, curling into a magnificent spiral of silver light. His frame expanded, his body becoming something more than flesh and bone, something that belonged to the realm of legends and nightmares.
Cohei followed suit, his grey-brown fur dissolving into a cascade of silver-white moonlight. His horns elongated, curling into elegant spirals of light. His compact frame swelled with power, his body becoming a blur of barely contained energy.
Like streaks of lightning, they shot upward, their forms bouncing off the cliff face in a series of impossible trajectories. They ping-ponged from ledge to ledge, their bodies moving with the speed of thought and the grace of dancers.
They reached the top in seconds, their forms reforming into their base states as they rushed to catch up with the group.
Marya glanced at them, her golden eyes gleaming with amusement. Impressed against her will. "Nice trick. I thought Minks could only do that in the moonlight."
Hino's voice replied with quiet pride. "It is a secret technique of our tribe. We have surpassed the confines of moonlight several hundred years ago."
Marya nodded, her expression thoughtful. "I see."
Hino's asked, "That is an interesting trick you possess as well."
Marya nodded, "I am a power holder."
Cohei's eagerly replied with enthusiasm, "Really? I have heard stories, but I have never seen one. Is it true you have lost your ability to swim?"
Marya nodded, "It is."
Sanza interjected, refusing to be overlooked. "I am a power holder as well."
Hino's brow furrowed with interest. "Are they more common from where you are from?"
Marya shook her head, "Not really. Just among my travel companions."
Hino's ears perked with interest. "Companions? So there are more of you?"
Marya nodded, "Yes. But we are only passing through."
---
In the distance, the Great Rift Bridge loomed, its massive span half-submerged in a thick blanket of mist. The ancient structure seemed to float on a sea of white, its cables disappearing into the fog like the threads of a spider's web. The mist coiled and shifted, carrying the faint, metallic tang of ancient stone and the distant sound of water falling into impossible depths.
Marya's gaze fixed on the bridge, her golden eyes tracking the mist with the patient intensity.
Sanza moved closer to her, "Big sis?"
Marya's hand came to rest on his shoulder, "I see it."
Jannali's murmurs grew louder, with the fragmented intensity of a prophecy struggling to be born.
And somewhere in the mist, the Great Rift Bridge waited, its secrets hidden in the fog.
If you enjoyed this chapter, please consider giving Dracule Marya Zaleska a Power Stone! It helps the novel climb the rankings and get more eyes on our story!
Thank you for sailing with us! 🏴☠️ Your support means so much!
Want to see the Dreadnought Thalassa blueprints? Or unlock the true power of Goddess Achlys?
Join the Dracule Marya Zaleska crew on Patreon to get exclusive concept art, deep-dive lore notes, and access to our private Discord community! You make the New World adventure possible.
Become a Crewmate and Unlock the Lore:
https://patreon.com/An1m3N3rd?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink
Thanks so much for your support and loving this story as much as I do!