★177
NYXON POV
A few hours later. We've managed to make it past the Black Desert.
I turned, looking at the endless expanse of the Black Desert behind us. The current soil is brown, like the normal ones. According to Vera, this is a sign we're close to the gate, also known as portal.
"If we head over that hill, we will be able to see it from there."
She said, pointing at the horizon.
"Come on, let's go."
"Don't you think we should get some rest?"
"A Star is tired. How weird."
"I'm not. It's just the wise thing to do. We haven't encountered any Void Dragons since we left. And beyond that gate is their territory."
"It's wise, but you're not tired, and neither am I. So why not keep moving?"
"Ok. If something goes wrong due to fatigue, I'm not going to help."
"..."
She didn't reply, just adjusted her grip on the cloak around her shoulders and started walking, so I followed without pressing her any further.
We moved in silence as we made our way up a long, uneven hill. The climb wasn't steep, it dragged. When we finally reached the crest, the view ahead forced both of us to slow down.
In the distance stood a staircase, if it could even be called that, stretching impossibly high into the sky. It wasn't carved into a mountain or supported by pillars; it simply rose upward, step after step, vanishing into the clouds.
At the very top, far beyond what should have been visible, a pale light glowed steadily.
"That's the Gate."
'And there's a guardian emanating immense energy. Just what the hell is guarding this gate?'
I asked. Whatever it was, it is huge.
"Something's up there."
I said, drawing her attention. If she came through, she must know a thing or two about whatever up there.
"That's Obsidian Wyrm, a B-Tier Dragon."
"B?"
For this amount of pressure to be emanating form a B-Tier Dragon, the A-Tier must be way more than this.
"Yes. Void Dragons are grouped into A, B,C & D Tier. Obsidian Wyrm is a Caraxis Family Dragon. The Family that is occupying the top spot in the B-Tier."
'So there's a Tier within the Dragons, too. I wonder what's their requirements.'
"The Caraxis Family are usually lean, yet fierce and deadly creatures. They are known for their extremely aggressive nature. He won't let us pass with ease."
'If that's the case, how did you get in?'
"So, how did you go in?"
I asked, knowing there's a probability she'll lie or ignore the question.
"No-one was guarding the Gate when I came in."
"How lucky."
I replied shortly, unable to tell if she's telling the truth or not.
"Yes."
She gave me a smiled.
"Are we going to wait for him to take a break?"
"We don't have time to waste."
"Do you have a plan?"
She asked.bI pushed myself up and stretched my arms over my head without giving an immediate reply. As if we were about to take a casual stroll instead of walking toward something that pierced the sky.
"Just follow my lead."
I didn't wait for her answer this time. I stepped forward and headed straight for the base of the staircase.
Up close, the structure felt even stranger. We began the climb.
The higher we went, the more movement filled the sky around us. Dragon-kin swept past in wide arcs, some gliding lazily downward, others beating their wings as they ascended toward the light above.
Scales caught the glow and reflected it in flashes of bronze, obsidian, deep violet. A few glanced at us mid-flight, their slit pupils lingering a second longer than necessary before they continued on.
I kept my pace steady, eyes fixed upward
'If Obsidian Wyrm is absent, I doubt these puny flies will follow him. How exactly did Vera escape and come to Veyra? That's a mystery, but I'll soon find out.'
We stepped onto the final stair, and the Gate stood right in front of us, tall and open as if it had been expecting our arrival all along. That's...unnatural.
'Wait... there's no one here? That pressure must've been leaking from the other side. No...it's behind...'
The realization had barely settled when something massive tore through the air and slammed down onto the platform with a thunderous crash.
The impact rippled through the stone, the entire structure trembling as if it might give way. Dust and fragments skidded past us, and the wind from its descent whipped my cloak forward.
'The weight to shake this structure. This isn't a lean dragon. Which means this isn't Caraxis.>>
I kept my composure and didn't turn. I didn't need to. This wasn't enough to make my heart jump. That couldn't be said for Vera, though. She didn't turn but she was sweating.
The unknown creature's breaths were so hot that Vera's sweat was evaporating.
'Interesting.'
The creature circles us before positioning itself between us and the gate. Obsidian scales that absorb light, this was undoubtedly the creature I saw upon arrival. And one thing's for sure, it's slender as depicted.
"I have questions, and I demand answers."
It spoke with a storm-like tone, each word carrying shockwaves that varied due to how long each word is and his weird syllabus.
'Nonlinear shockwaves. This happens when the pressure is above ~194 dB in air and sound becomes so intense it creates nonlinear shockwaves, meaning it's no longer just 'sound', but a physical blast.
This guy is collapsing buildings and rupturing organs with each word. A cough can clear a country and a sneeze flatten continents. A roar would definitely...'
Vera nudged me, calling me for help.
"Do I need to give you permission to ask your questions?"
I said.
"Silence!"
Haha, he raised his voice. This was deadly but not to me. For me, yeah. But I need to be careful so as not to put Vera in a tough spot.
"I didn't pick up your entry into the Wild Edge? So, how did you get in?"
"You were rusty enough not to pick up our signatures. I picked up that cheap trick of yours from miles away."
A bluff. I hadn't known it was capable of separating it's presence until few seconds ago.
"So I think the question is 'where were you, Obsidian Wyrm?"
"How dare you question me?"
He moved the instant the words left his mouth, one massive claw cutting through the air with enough force to split the platform in half. The wind from it alone was violent, meant to crush before the strike even landed.
I raised one hand and caught it. His claws stopped inches from my face, my fingers wrapped around one thick talon as if it were nothing more than a careless swing.
The impact still thundered through the platform, cracks racing outward beneath our feet, but my arm didn't bend.
'Not as strong as I've expected.'
"How dare you bear your fangs at me?"
I flashed my red eye, emitting faint murderous intent with a ripple. He recoiled, a hesitation which is advantageous to me. I took it and I crushed his bones. He reacted to the pain with a roar, but I couldn't draw attention to the Gate. I can't have dragons form Pyrral marching into Veyra.
I shifted instantly, drawing on a thinner strand of my red aura, stripping it of its flare and leaving only weight. The red shadow-like force coiled around his jaw before he could pull back, forcing his mouth open.
I caught his tongue mid-roar and yanked him forward, slamming his head down against the platform hard enough to spiderweb the stone but not collapse it.
Before he could bellow again, I placed a finger against my lips, the curve of my smile sharp and humorless.
"Shh."
His wings twitched, claws scraping against stone as he struggled, but every movement only ground his skull harder into the floor.
Behind me, Vera didn't speak. I could feel her staring, frozen between fear and disbelief. I didn't look back at her. My focus stayed on the Obsidian Wyrm, his breath ragged beneath my restraint.
"You asked how we got in."
I continued, my voice steady.
"Maybe instead of roaring at shadows, you should be asking why you didn't notice."
For a moment he stayed where I forced him, claws digging into fractured stone, his pride warring with instinct. Then his instinct won.
Slowly, the Obsidian Wyrm pulled himself upright. His movements had lost that earlier arrogance; there was caution in the way he straightened, in the way he avoided meeting my eye too quickly.
He gave a heavy shake of his head, as if clearing more than just pain, then folded his wings in tight and lowered his massive body.
"Forgive me, your majesty."
'Majesty? Does he think I'm an A-Tier or something?'
Whatever it was, I can use it to escape this situation.
"Rise."
I commanded, and he lifted his head.
"Someone has infiltrated Veyra. I don't know how they managed to get in, so I came to check."
"I did pick up a fresh signature a few months ago. I went to check, but it disappeared as soon as it came."
He replied. But his revelation struck hard. Not only was my presence detected, I've spent a lot of time in here.
'Months? I was waiting for the suns to set and get some rest, but it seems like I've been walking for months.'
"Some Syrax brats came to look for a rumoured dar..."
"Enough."
I'm not ready for your pov. He lowered his head, waiting for me to speak.
"Increase the number of lookouts. There might be a rift hidden somewhere."
"I'll get right to it. On whose orders, your majesty?"
'Wait what?'
I turned, unable to process whether it was an insult or not.
Before I could act, Vera spoke for me.
"Nyxon from Silverwing Blood."
She said. And whatever it was seems to work.
The Obsidian Wyrm nodded once, as if committing it to memory.
"Noted."
He stepped aside, lowering his head in a brief bow that felt more genuine this time. The massive bulk of him shifted, clearing the path to the Gate.
Without wasting time or words, we moved forward. The Obsidian Wyrm remained behind as we approach the Gate.
...
..
.
From the corridor, I can feel the heat on the other side. The air thick with ashes and heat haze. We stepped out of the Gate, and the Dragons on guard had already had their heads as low as possible.
We didn't need to say a word, so we made our way down.
To be continued...