Clouds parted as Ray soared higher, the wind brushing past his face. Below, a sea of trees stretched endlessly, blanketed in shadows. Far in the distance, the mountains rose like jagged fangs, cloaked in mist and legend. At their peak, nestled between cliffs and caves, lay the domain of the Skyborne Drake—a territory no mortal dared approach.
Ray's gaze sharpened.
He could already sense it: ancient mana, coiled and heavy, like the breath of something half-asleep but dangerous. The Drake's Vine would be near the lair, feeding off the dragon's residual aura. A rare plant. Delicate. Annoying to grow without that ambient pressure.
He adjusted course and moved faster, shimmering invisibly against the brightening sky.
---
Back in the forest, Kael stared into the clearing where the white-haired stranger had vanished.
"Just a neighbor..." the words echoed in his mind.
That man—Ray—had flown. Not leapt, not jumped. Flown. And the aura... Kael had felt something vast pressing on his bones even when the man was simply standing nearby. But more than fear, what lingered in Kael's chest was something warmer.
He looked down at his empty hands.
Food. No lectures. No mocking. Just kindness—and strength.
He turned his eyes toward the mountains, the same direction Ray had flown.
The beasts would be thicker that way. Stronger. Hungrier. But Kael clenched his fists and took a step forward anyway.
"I'm not going to die here."
---
Ray slowed as he neared the mountain ridge. Here, the air changed—charged with pressure, mana, and memory. Blackened trees dotted the lower slopes, their trunks clawed and scorched. Bones littered the terrain—some belonging to massive beasts, others to adventurers less fortunate.
He hovered near a cliff edge and scanned the terrain.
Then he saw it: glowing with faint silver light, wrapped around a moss-covered boulder just outside a yawning cave.
The Drake's Vine.
He descended silently, landing beside the herb. But before he reached to harvest it, his eyes turned to the cave entrance.
The dragon was awake.
A low, rumbling breath echoed from the shadows.
Ray sighed. "Of course."
A shape stirred inside. Scales as dark as obsidian. Eyes glowing faint gold. Smoke curled from its nostrils as it crawled halfway out of the cave, staring directly at Ray.
"You." Its voice rumbled like thunder. "You are not from this world."
Ray stood calmly. "Neither are you. But I'm not here to fight."
The dragon's wings unfurled, shaking the mountaintop with force. "You carry the scent of the divine. That makes you prey or predator."
Ray cracked his neck. "I'd prefer to be neither. Just taking this herb."
The dragon roared.
Rocks shattered, birds fled, and the earth itself trembled.
Ray didn't move.
Then, with a flash of motion too fast for most to follow, the dragon lunged. Claws like spears, fangs like blades—
Ray raised one hand.
A ripple of pressure swept outward. The dragon froze mid-charge, its body locked in the air as if time had been slowed.
Ray stepped forward and plucked the Drake's Vine calmly.
"I told you I didn't want to fight," he said softly. "But if you insist…"
The pressure increased. The ground beneath the dragon cracked, flattening as invisible weight pressed down. The creature's pupils shrank.
Ray turned, cloak fluttering, and leapt into the sky again.
"I'll leave the rest of your herbs. Be grateful."
The dragon remained motionless until he vanished into the clouds.
Then, slowly, it slumped to the ground, drenched in sweat and awe.
---
Meanwhile, deep in the forest…
Kael had climbed a ridge, arms and legs scraped, stomach hollow. The beasts had come close—twice. He'd hidden in a log, clutching a sharp stick and praying they wouldn't smell his fear.
But now, he stood on a slope with a clear view of the sky.
And far above, he caught a glimpse of something—like a star streaking across daylight. His eyes widened.
Ray.
He was still watching over him, Kael was sure of it.
A sense of direction filled him. Not safety, not certainty—but purpose. He might've been thrown away, but he would not stay discarded.
He stepped forward once more, teeth gritted.
"Whatever this world is," he whispered, "I'm going to survive it."