When Daed departed, Igniss swallowed his BlackStone and activated his Kin Rune, transforming into his original Dragon form – a mountain-sized, four-legged, winged behemoth covered in black scales. A pang of sadness echoed within him as he realized this would be his final transformation, forever missing his right arm.
Following Aethel's instructions, he triggered the Shatter Rune and began forming a condensed Shatter sphere, channeling StreamBreath into the volatile bomb while scanning his surroundings with Aura-Sight. He stood firm, head held high, ready to face his fate.
Eight minutes into his vigil, a fleeting touch on his neck plunged him into darkness.
He awoke disoriented, a hand gripping the back of his neck as he floated in an unfamiliar expanse. His thoughts felt sluggish, his senses dulled. He was no longer in his Dragon form, but back in his humanoid form, naked and paralyzed. Panic clawed at the edges of his mind, but he forced it down, focusing on the bizarre scene unfolding before him.
The hand lifted him higher, revealing a sight that defied comprehension. A rapidly expanding black hole, born from the fiery destruction of the fourth planet and a portion of the star system, dominated his vision. The shockwaves, instead of continuing their outward trajectory, were reversing, debris and flames retracting towards the point of origin. Time itself seemed to slow to a crawl. He recognized Aethel's handiwork, a sense of awe and gratitude replacing his fear.
The hand released him, leaving him adrift in the void. His body turned, and he saw his captor: the immortal, his lips moving in a silent utterance. Igniss could not decipher the words, his thoughts still sluggish, but a sense of acceptance settled over him. He had fulfilled his purpose, and death held no terror for him now.
Iskander tilted his head, his expression unreadable, then pulled Igniss close, sinking his teeth into the Dragon's neck. He tore out a mouthful of flesh and swallowed it with a detached air before gently pushing Igniss away. The immortal whispered another word, still incomprehensible to the Dragon, and extended his arm. A white haze flowed towards it, and Iskander absorbed it until it dissipated entirely.
Confusion filled Igniss. What had just transpired?
With a touch on Igniss's shoulder, they vanished from the void.
They reappeared, hovering above a ground with an atmosphere eerily similar to the fourth planet. Igniss, still paralyzed, gazed at the blue sky, the single sun, and the massive planet visible in the distance. Time flowed normally here. "Could this be a moon?" he wondered, a flicker of fear igniting within him.
"From the look on your face, you think we've left the Sphere," Iskander stated, landing nearby. "To answer your question simply, we haven't." He approached Igniss, a smirk playing on his lips. "Regrettable. I should have dealt with Aethel first."
Igniss remained silent, his mind racing. He knew Iskander was trying to break him, to revel in his despair. But he wouldn't give him the satisfaction.
"Aethel was competent, but also an idiot," Iskander continued, pacing around the paralyzed Dragon. "Competent sentient beings focus on the effects of their actions, neglecting to consider one crucial factor: their existence. Aethel was no exception, and that was his biggest mistake. The gifts I acquired thanks to him will..." He trailed off, vanishing into thin air.
"Where did he go?" Igniss wondered, his gaze fixed on the sky. He glimpsed the enormous planet, then blinked. It was gone. Panic surged through him as he tried to make sense of what had happened.
Seconds later, Iskander reappeared. "Apologies. I had to take care of something," he said casually. "Anyway, I must thank you. Shall we begin?"
"Thank me for what? Begin what?" Igniss could no longer contain his curiosity. "Where are we truly? And what did you just do?"
Iskander approached him again, kneeling beside his head. "I told you, we're still within the VoidBubble, but on a different... what do you call them again? Ah, yes, a different Plane." He smirked, enjoying the Dragon's confusion.
"You're lying!" Igniss retorted, refusing to believe him.
"Why would I lie to a dead man?" Iskander countered, his smirk fading.
"Because that's what you do," Igniss spat back.
"Perhaps. But not now." Iskander's voice was firm, brooking no argument.
The possibility that they were on another Plane within the Sphere lingered in Igniss's mind, but the speed of their travel was incomprehensible. "I know your game," he accused. "You want to torture me before I die. That's why you brought me here."
"No. I am here to collect what you Riders value most."
Knowledge, Igniss thought, a sense of dread creeping over him.
"Aethel was competent, yet an idiot," Iskander chuckled. "It's true that no sentient being can survive here. However, this Sphere held other important things, things he valued more than life itself. Because of this, he now regrets his actions. Fortunately, I have salvaged more than what was destroyed."
"You mean..." Igniss's voice trailed off, a horrifying realization dawning upon him.
"It is as you think," Iskander confirmed. "They were few, flawed, some even idiots. But my kin once ruled existence, and our civilization was unmatched. So tell me, why do you think Riders could find no trace of our great nation? Why do you think no one could find proof of our existence, or discover what you call the Primordials Archives? Because all of those ruins, all of the marvels we created, are here, preserved within this Sphere," Iskander declared, his voice filled with pride.
"And along with them, all the Archives, not just from the Primordial Era, but from the first three Ages as well. I couldn't save what was in Elysium, but I managed to salvage the remaining four great libraries."
Igniss was speechless. The Plane that had vanished housed a repository of knowledge, the culmination of the Primordials' civilization. But how had Iskander managed to save it? And where was it now?
"You're saying you built your entire nation within the confines of a few star systems?" he finally asked, struggling to comprehend the scope of it all.
Iskander's grin vanished. "I told you, we were few, so naturally we enjoyed each other's company. That's why we chose to live close together. But that never quenched our thirst for exploration. Well, until your kind emerged," he added, his expression hardening.
The raw anger in Iskander's eyes convinced Igniss he was telling the truth. "So, you want revenge on me, a Dragon, whose kind drove yours to extinction," he said, a bitter laugh escaping his lips. "What a pathetic creature you are. You want to enjoy killing a defenseless man!"
Iskander's anger subsided, his face becoming an emotionless mask. "No. You will understand what I want from you after you witness something first. But before that, I need to confirm something."
Igniss's laughter died down, but his smile remained. "You're the opposite of what you pretend to be," he scoffed. "You sure like to talk a lot."
"Speaking honestly with a dead man is the only authentic conversation someone like me can have. And I sometimes crave that," Iskander admitted with a slight grin.
Igniss responded instantly, his voice filled with conviction. "I will not betray my own."
"That's not what I want," Iskander said, shaking his head in disgust. "I simply want to know if you remember where this sphere is located, the name of the Plane on which it rests?"
Igniss paused, considering the question. "Of course I remember. That Plane's name was..." He trailed off, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Wait! What was it again?"
"Good. Now, can you tell me why you came to this Plane?" Iskander asked, his eyes glinting with curiosity. "And why did you enter this VoidBubble?"
"I knew that, too. We came for someone!" Igniss answered, then paused again, his mind drawing a blank. "But who?"
"Good," Iskander replied, a knowing smile playing on his lips. "Fortunately, I remember."
Igniss realized then that his memories were gone, erased by the Akashic Records' effects due to a trade. He could no longer recall the details of their mission or their location, only the initial objective.
"I see you're wondering who made the trade," Iskander chuckled. "There was only one among you unshackled from the restraints placed on Sigils."
Igniss's eyes widened in realization. "Aethel!" he whispered, the name heavy with betrayal.