Xin swallowed hard as Old man Xue's words hit her hard like a ton of bricks. But she didn't know if she could really hold on a little longer just as her grandfather had said.The walls of the mercury cell were life sapping, like she had been electrocuted or something. "But grandfather, what if I'm unable to hold on? What if I succumb?" Xin asked, her voice filled with the uncertainty of the situation at hand."You can do it, Xin. I know you can. Remember who you are. You're the stone bearer - the one who is much needed in putting the world in balance."“I really hope so, grandfather. I really hope I'm able to hold on a little longer. But Just in case I fail, I hope I'll be able to stay with you here?" Xin pressed further, her nolstiaga very much palpable.Old man Xue walked closer, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulders. "If you succumb to death now, then this beautiful garden you see now will cease to exist. It'll be nothing but a dark forbidden forest. You must fight death, Xin
Thirty minutes earlier....Jack was deep in thought, pondering on everything that Rose had said. He couldn't believe that his daughter would have the affront to stand up against him.For twenty years jr had been working on perfecting that SFX-chip so as to carry out the launch of his dragonic creatures effortlessly, and he wasn't just going to stand back and watch Rose destroy all that. He had gone too far to want to quit now.Knowing fully well that Rose would do as she had said, he picked up his phone and dialed Flynn's number."Are you ready?" He immediately asked Flynn to answer the call."Almost ready sir," Flynn replied."I want you to help me keep an eye on Rose." Jack went straight to the reason why he had called."By why sir? Did something happen?" Flynn went ahead to inquire, his curiosity piqued."I wish I could explain, but I can't. However, I want you to do something for me.""And what's that sir?" He asked, trying to understand what it was that Jack wanted him to do.Fro
Serpens phone buzzed in his pocket and glancing at the caller, it was Rose. He exchanged glances with Tiara who nodded for him to go ahead and answer the call, hoping to hear some good news from Rose."Hello, Rose," Serpens began. "Serpens, we have a problem," Rose revealed, just before Serpens could ask how the situation of things were going with her.Serpens brow furrowed, "What problem are you talking about Rose?" He asked, turning to look at Tiara who looked surprised at Serpens' question."I'm currently trapped in an elevator and my dad is behind it. I've not been able to get to Xin and I don't know how much time she has left. I'm currently running out of air here and I'm not sure if I'll be able to hold much longer too." Rose replied, her breath heavy, indicating how distressed she was inside the elevator."Hold on, Rose," Serpens urged her. "We're coming to help you." He added, before dropping the call."What's the matter?" Tiara asked, seeing the panic look on Serpens' face.
The Serpens from the past who had left Tiara to go ahead to the Brynner's Agency, arrived at the old cabin where Lan was. They'd both talked on the phone and he had agreed to meet with her in the cabin.Lan couldn't imagine the possibility of seeing another version of the same person he had been with all day. It sounded unbelievable, but she kept looking forward to it.Serpens arrived, just as Tiara had described for him, as the cab pulled off in front of the cabin. Getting to the door, he have it a gentle knock, and in no time Lan came forward and opened the door for him."Serpens," she said, her eyes looking up at him. "This is really unbelievable," she sighed.As they settled in, Serpens decided to narrate everything that had happened, all the way from the time he and Xin went to visit the clam girl in the Bohai sea, down to every of their time travel adventure, and then finally about the SFX-chip and the dragonic launch."SFX- chip was created for the first time by my father," Ser
Flynn stood at the entrance of the mercury cell ready to hit the bottom which Jack had instructions him to hit. But while standing oin front of the cell, his conscience just wouldn't let him do it.He knew he had pledged his allegiance to Jack and had sworn to help him with his plans, but as he stood before the mercury cell that night, it was like an inner conflict was going on within him. Two voices speaking in his head."Go ahead, Flynn. Do it!" One of the voices barked within him."No, Flynn. Don't," the other voice came gentle and soothing.Flynn shook his head pondering over what next step to take when his phone buzzed with a call from Jeremy.He paused for a moment, wondering why Jeremy had called. Swiping to the left, he answered the call."Jeremy, Why'd you call?" Flynn asked."I was worried about you," Jeremy replied from his end. "Grandma has been asking when you're coming back home. It's been days since you left the house and she really misses you." "I'm fine where I am. A
Immediately after Flynn terminated the launch process, he went back to the control room and turned on the elevator, releasing Rose.For the first time in a long time, Flynn could see what he hadn't been blind to all these while - the fragility of life. He couldn't believe he had been so blinded by anger and the desire for revenge that he forgot to see that there were indeed innocent people in the world.Those who can't fight for themselves and who only live on hope and faith, that someday things will get better.He proceeded to shut down the charge uo system which Winter was connected to, disrupting the entire dragonic launch plan."What's going on?" Winter asked, realizing that the charge system had been interrupted."I'm doing what's right," he replied defiantly. Fearing that winter would attack him, he quickly pushed a button which brought an impregnable wall that immediately separated him from Winter."I'm sorry, Winter, but I can't be part of this madness any longer." He said as
Fifteen minutes earlier...The assailants who chased after Serpens and Tiara were indeed ruthless and relentless in their pursuit. They increased their speed, closing in on them and ramming unto them violently from behind.Serpens tried his best to make sure he outrun them, but it appeared fate had other plans for them, as he looked into the car's dashboard and realized that they were already running out of petrol. He couldn't believe that of all times, the petrol decided to get finished when their lives were in danger. He glanced at the rearview mirror and saw one of the assailants pulling out a rifle through his own window aiming for his tires. He knew this would be the decisive moment of his life.He had stayed in a coma for years and just when he thought everything would be back to normal, he had to deal with the harsh reality that death was calling on him once again.As Tiara's panicked cries filled his ears, coupled with the fact that the car was about giving them up to their a
Jack stood in solemn silence as the realisation dawned upon him that his plans had failed and that the dragonic project didn't go as he had planned. He couldn't believe that Flynn could betray him like that after trusting him so much.He had invested hundreds of millions of dollars into the project and nothing had come out of it. Flynn had not only terminated the process, he had also destroyed the SFX- chip, which was the reason he sent those men to kill him.He had been working on that SFX-chip for over twenty years trying to perfect it to suit his plans and just when he was about to celebrate being phenomenal, Flynn had to beyray him, leading to a total failure of his ground breaking project.He was still in deep thoughts when one of his walked in. "What's the latest development with Tiara and the gentleman that was with her on the car when the accident happened?" Jack inquired, his tone firm and serious."They're currently in the ICU sir. They had miraculously survived the acciden
The priest stood solemnly at the edge of the grave, his weathered hands clasped around a simple wooden cross. His voice, steady and calm, reverberated through the air as he spoke the final prayers, his eyes reflecting the sorrow of the moment. The soft rustle of leaves was the only sound as Rose was laid to rest, the earth slowly covering her.Serpens stood nearby, tears silently welling up in his eyes, his heart heavy with grief. As the ceremony ended, people began to approach him one by one. Xin placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, his face solemn. Lan, always reserved, offered a quiet nod of respect. Serena’s eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she whispered her condolences. Dr. Sun, with a grave expression, grasped Serpens' hand in solidarity, while Inspector Lui, ever the stoic, simply said, "I'm sorry." Finally, Tiara approached, her eyes filled with understanding and empathy, and she gave him a brief, supportive hug.After everything was said and done, as the crowd disper
In an instant, Rose disappeared into the portal, her figure merging with the energy of the Dragon Stone. There was a flash of blinding light, and the portal sealed shut, its power absorbed into Rose’s being. The energy of the Dragon Stone flowed through her, and the stone itself crumbled to dust, its dark power dissipating into the air.Serpens and Xin watched in awe, their hearts heavy with the sacrifice that had just been made. Rose had given herself to save the world, her courage and selflessness breaking the cycle of darkness that had threatened to engulf them all.For a moment, all was quiet, and then, from the stillness, a gentle breeze began to blow, carrying with it the promise of a new dawn."No!" Serpens cried as he rushed towards her. Rose fell on his arms, her form as cold as ice. "Don't leave me, Rose," Serpens cried. "Please come back," The strange lady spoke, "This was bound to happen, greet dragon. She's your fourth sage, the one who would help you win the war agains
Serpens struggled to his feet, his heart pounding with fear and frustration. Winter was too strong, even with the combined might of the dragon lords. They couldn’t overpower him—not like this. But what frightened him more was the sight of Xin, now standing on the rock, her hand trembling as she raised the dragon stone toward the point where the sunlight met the sea."No!" Serpens cried out, his voice breaking with the weight of his despair. But his words fell on deaf ears. Xin, lost in Winter’s spell, placed the stone on the rock. The moment the stone touched the surface, the sunlight intensified, its beams converging on the stone and then spreading outwards, enveloping Bahamut in a blinding light.The light was quickly swallowed by a sudden darkness, a pitch-black void that seemed to emanate from Bahamut himself. The last chain around the dragon’s neck glowed fiercely for a brief moment before shattering into a thousand pieces. The sound of the chain breaking echoed like thunder acro
The Third World Sea stretched endlessly before Serpens, a vast expanse of shimmering waters that reflected the dark, starless sky above. The air was thick with a mystical energy, a sensation both familiar and foreign, tugging at the edges of his consciousness. As he stood on the shore, the quiet lapping of waves against the rocks was the only sound, but Serpens could feel the presence of something ancient and powerful nearby.From the depths of the sea, a massive form began to rise, the water cascading off its scales like liquid silver. Doromu emerged with a grace that belied his immense size. His golden eyes, warm and wise, fixed upon Serpens with a gaze that seemed to peer into the very depths of his soul. The dragon’s scales shimmered with a soft, radiant light, contrasting the dark waters around him."Welcome, Serpens," Doromu said, his voice deep and resonant, echoing across the stillness of the sea. He lowered his head in a deep, respectful bow. "Great Dragon, it is an honour to
The uproar in Draketwon that night increased people ran to find safety from the threats of the dragons which descended upon the city like a flock of birds.It wasn't long after that the armed forces of Draketwon set into action. Helicopters, their blades slicing through the night air, emerged from the darkness. It was a show down of the humans versus the dragons, as fire bathed the entire city like a flood.The roar of the engines filled the cockpit as Captain Marcus Rourke, the seasoned leader of the air force squadron, adjusted his headset. His eyes were steely, focused on the horizon where plumes of smoke rose from the city below. The once-vibrant metropolis was now a war zone, engulfed in chaos as dragons soared through the sky, their fiery breath raining destruction upon the streets.“Echo Squadron, this is Captain Rourke,” he spoke into the radio, his voice calm but laced with urgency. “We’ve got eyes on the target. Multiple dragons are engaged, laying waste to the city. They’re
Tiara sat at her usual spot in the school courtyard, the sun dipping lower in the sky as the hours ticked by. The news of the Zorvath's going through Serpens' locker in school, had become the news of the day, but that wasn't her problem.Her concern was in the fact that Serpens whom he had called to tell what had happened didn't show up in school. She couldn't help but wonder why he didn't show up after he told her he was already on his way when she called him earlier that day.After the first set of classes of the day, she decided to go to the courtyard and hoped that before the afternoon classes would commence, Serpens would show up.Her gaze flicked anxiously toward the school gates every few minutes, hoping to see Serpens' familiar figure stride through. But as the shadows lengthened and the students trickled out in groups, laughing and chatting, there was no sign of him.By now, the courtyard was almost empty, save for a few stragglers. Tiara’s worry had shifted to a gnawing unea
As Serpens pondered Zorvath's enigmatic riddle, a figure emerged from the trees surrounding the lake. It was a young woman with piercing green eyes and long, curly brown hair. She approached Serpens with a confident stride, her gaze fixed on him."Ah, Serpens," she said, her voice husky and mysterious. "I've been searching for you. My name is Lyra, and I possess knowledge about your past and your connection to Xin."Serpens's eyes narrowed, unsure if he should trust this stranger. But something about Lyra's words resonated deep within him."What do you know?" he asked, his curiosity piqued.Lyra smiled, her eyes glinting with secrets. "Let's just say that I can help you unlock the truth about your draconic powers and the reason behind Winter's pursuit."Zorvath, who had been watching the exchange, suddenly spoke up. "Lyra, you shouldn't be here. This is a matter between Serpens and me."Lyra turned to Zorvath, her expression unfazed. "I'm afraid I have a stake in this too, Zorvath. Se
The morning routine was almost automatic. Serpens crossed the room to his wardrobe, where his clothes hung neatly on the door. As he buttoned his shirt, his mind kept drifting back to the urgency of his quest, the need to find Xin and the draconic gem.After pulling on his trousers and fastening his belt, Serpens moved to the bathroom. He splashed cold water on his face, the chill waking him up fully. He stared at his reflection in the mirror—his dark hair tousled from sleep, his eyes sharp and alert despite the fatigue that lingered at their edges. With deliberate care, he combed his hair, making sure every strand was in place, trying to impose order on at least this small part of his life.He grabbed his school bag, checking to make sure he had everything he needed: books, notebooks, the pendant that Professor Layton had given him back then, was still there—a small token that served as a reminder of his mission.Before leaving his room, Serpens took a moment to gaze out of the wind
The night was a gentle embrace, soft and inviting, perfect for slipping into the realm of dreams. The sky was clear, a deep velvet canvas dotted with a thousand twinkling stars that seemed to pulse with a quiet, rhythmic light. The moon, full and luminous, bathed the world in a silvery glow, casting long, soft shadows that danced lightly across the ground. A cool breeze whispered through the trees, rustling the leaves in a soothing lullaby that filled the air with a sense of calm and serenity.The world seemed to have slowed its pace, the hustle of the day giving way to a peaceful stillness. The sounds of the night were gentle and comforting—the distant chirp of crickets, the occasional hoot of an owl, and the soft rustle of nocturnal creatures moving about their nightly routines. Even the air itself felt different, cooler and lighter, as if it carried the essence of dreams within it, urging all who breathed it in to close their eyes and drift away.The scent of blooming jasmine and n