Ikurus arrived back at the estate barely an hour after parting ways with Igris. The encounter in the alley had ended without answers. No matter how he pressed the remaining men, their leader had chosen death over information. The man shattered his own mana core and bit off his own tongue, destroying himself before Ikurus could stop it.
Ikurus clicked his tongue at the memory. A waste. And irritating.
He pushed the thought aside the moment the manor came into view. Warm sunlight washed over the stone walls, and from the second floor a familiar figure leaned out of a window.
Abella spotted him instantly and lifted her hand in a bright wave, her smile wide enough to soften the tight knot of annoyance in his chest.
"Come on love, wash up and get ready, I've left your clothes in your room."
Ikurus breathed out, letting the tension ease from his shoulders.
"Thanks mom! I'm on it."
He said burning away a smudge of blood from his cheek before leaping up the stairs and into his room to change, Ikurus glanced down at the clothes laid out before him and quickly realized he would be expected to wear a suit.
Unfortunately, the one presented did not suit him at all. Even the color felt wrong. His thoughts raced as irritation crept in, and before long, he raised his clawed fingers and began cutting into the fabric.
With precise movements and focused intent, he invoked his matter control, reshaping the cloth as he worked. Threads fused seamlessly, panels shifted and reattached, and soon the original garment was gone entirely, replaced by something wholly his own. The final result was a greyish blue, long-sleeved shirt, dipped low at the chest and fitted just enough to show off his toned build.
A cape was fastened around his waist, flowing lightly behind him rather than draping his shoulders. His pants were slim fitted, cleanly tailored to his legs, and tucked neatly into polished black boots. To finish the look, he tied his long hair back into a neat ponytail. He stood still for a moment, admiring his creation with quiet pride.
Just then, his mother's voice called out to him. Without hesitation, he grabbed his small waist bag, swung a leg over the sill, and leapt cleanly through the window.
About three hours into their journey:
The caravan was forced to halt when one of the carriages snapped a wheel. With six carriages traveling together, the entire group came to a stop. Soldiers quickly moved to assess the damage and began working on repairs, while the rest of the travelers took the unexpected pause as a chance to rest.
From inside one of the carriages, Abella noticed Ikurus peering curiously out the window. She smiled softly.
"Go on," she said. "Explore a little. Just don't go too far."
Ikurus turned to her with a grin. "Thanks, Mom. Can Allec come too?"
"Of course," she replied. "But remember, don't go too far. I'm going to grab a snack."
The boys wasted no time. They swung the door open and immediately dashed down the hillside and into the trees beyond. As they reached the edge of the forest, Ikurus called out.
"Meet me back here in five. Bring something cool!"
"You too!" Allec shouted back as they split up, each vanishing into the greenery in a different direction.
Ikurus leapt over a small hill and landed lightly in the branches of a nearby tree. From his perch, something caught his eye. Just beyond the foliage, partially concealed by cascading water, was a narrow cave tucked behind a waterfall.
Curiosity sparked instantly. He climbed down and made his way toward it, pushing through the mist until he slipped behind the falling water and into the darkness.
At first glance, the cave seemed shallow, but once inside, he realized it stretched far deeper than its entrance suggested. He summoned a small fireball, guiding it to hover near his head and illuminate the path ahead. The walls glimmered faintly as he walked, the air cool and damp, until the tunnel suddenly widened.
The passage opened into a vast chamber.
Ikurus froze.
Before him lay an oasis hidden deep underground. Clear water reflected the soft glow of bioluminescent plants, and a lush garden flourished where stone should have ruled. At the very center of it all stood a massive flower, its petals layered and radiant, pulsing faintly with energy. Floating just above it was a black bracelet, formed of two interlocked bands that slowly rotated in the air.
Drawn in despite himself, Ikurus stepped closer. He reached out, fingers stretching toward the artifact.
"And the fuck you think you're doing?"
The voice was sharp, female, and burning with fury.
Ikurus recoiled, spinning toward the sound.
Standing at the edge of the garden was a young girl, glaring daggers at him. Red horns curved from her head, and behind her swayed a white, scaly tail that scraped softly against the stone floor. Power radiated off her in waves, unmistakable and dangerous.
A dragon.
Ikurus felt the pressure of the chamber shift. The air grew heavy as a deep, murderous intent surged from the girl. Instinctively, he responded in kind, allowing a sliver of his own power to bleed through.
Normally, no one but his mother could sense his aura at all. Its divinity was carefully sealed, hidden from the world. Only beings of higher realms could truly perceive what lay within him. The young divine beast standing before him was one of those beings.
Even if it was only a fraction of his power, she felt it.
The moment his aura leaked free, his essence began to erode hers, devouring it on contact and forcing it to retreat violently back into her body. The killing intent shattered instantly. By the time the pressure faded, the girl had collapsed to the floor, trembling uncontrollably, her claws digging into the stone as she struggled to breathe.
"W-what are you?" the young dragon whimpered.
Ikurus facepalmed, irritation flickering across his expression.
"Dammit." He thought.
He exhaled slowly, reins tightening as he reassessed the situation. He felt again, properly this time. There was no malice in her aura. No corruption. Only desperation.
"Great. Poor kid probably lashed out because that bracelet means everything to her. And with a barrier like that inside the cave, she has definitely been stuck here for a long time."
He crouched beside her and softened his presence further. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a blunt and lit it with a flick of his thumb. He took a slow drag, then gently blew the smoke toward her face.
The jazmine carried subtle medicinal properties, calming the nerves and easing fear. Her shaking gradually slowed as the tension drained from her body.
Ikurus leaned back, taking another puff, a small smile forming.
"Good. Now maybe we can start over."
He extended a hand toward her, relaxed and open.
"I'm Ikurus. And you are?"
The girl hesitated, her breathing finally steadying as the last of the fear drained from her body. She studied Ikurus for a long moment, golden pupils narrowing as if weighing something far older than herself.
"…My name is Ayenth," she said quietly.
Her tail curled closer to her legs as she spoke, and the air around her shifted, heavy with ancient grief.
"I am the daughter of the Dragon God."
The words were not spoken with pride. They carried exhaustion.
Long ago, when the skies were still ruled by draconic courts and the Dragon God's word was law, Aerynth had fallen in love with a human warrior. Not a king. Not a mage. Just a man whose will burned brighter than his mortality should have allowed.
He had crossed blades with giants, stood against monsters, and faced death with laughter on his lips.
It was that laughter that drew her to him.
But love between dragon and human was unforgivable in the eyes of the court. Whispers spread quickly, accusations of treason slithering through marble halls and echoing across the skies. They claimed she had betrayed her blood, her god, and her kind.
The Dragon God needed no convincing.
He already despised the young warrior.
Years earlier, the man had slain the Dragon God's eldest son in open battle. A clean fight. An honorable death. The eldest had died smiling in his rivals arms, proud to fall to a worthy foe, his spirit soaring as a true warrior's should, happy his sister had found such a strong and loving partner.
But the Dragon God could not accept that.
To him, there was no honor in his son's death. Only loss. Only rage.
And when he learned that his daughter loved the very man who had killed his firstborn, something inside him shattered.
The Dragon God descended upon the warrior with everything he had.
The battle lasted four days.
Four days of firestorms and broken mountains. Four days of shattered skies and oceans boiling beneath falling scales. The land itself screamed beneath the weight of a god's fury and a mortal who refused to kneel.
In the end, it was not victory that decided the outcome, but survival.
Ayenth and the warrior fled.
Wounded and hunted, they fell from the sky and crashed into this very cave. With the Dragon God's wrath still tearing through the world above, the warrior did the only thing he could. He poured the remainder of his life, his power, and his soul into a single act.
He sealed the cave.
A barrier woven of will and love wrapped around the cavern, hiding it from gods and sealing time itself away from her. When the light finally faded, the warrior was gone.
That was six thousand years ago.
Aerynth lowered her gaze, fingers trembling as they brushed the black, double-banded bracelet floating above the great flower.
"This is all I have left of him," she whispered. "And this place is my prison."
Her eyes lifted back to Ikurus, ancient pain burning behind them.
"So tell me," she said softly, voice edged with fear and defiance, "are you here to take it from me too?"