The ocean stretched endlessly beneath me, a vast sheet of blue broken only by the glint of sunlight on waves.
My crimson wings cut through the air without effort, each flap carrying me forward like a spear piercing the sky.
As I flew, I felt the force of my movement gathering around me, the raw energy of the air tearing apart under my speed. I pulled it into myself, absorbing it, refining it, shaping it into Essence. The flow was constant, and I directed every drop into my constitution. Four hundred points in one push.
The change was instant. My body hardened, bones and muscles reinforced by Essence. My wings grew stronger, every flap sending me forward faster than before.
The air bent more easily to my will, and the resistance that should have slowed me down instead became fuel, carrying me faster across the ocean.
My speed doubled, and then climbed again, until even the vast waters beneath me blurred into streaks of silver and blue.
Soon, the outline of land appeared at the horizon. Another continent.
I recalled the map in my mind and set my course. The largest city here was a port city, bustling and wealthy, and that was exactly where I needed to go.
I rose higher into the skies, climbing until the city below looked like a painting spread across the coastline.
My perception unfurled and covered everything, the beaches with their white sands, the endless line of ports where ships came and went, the shining skyline of high-rise buildings that spoke of wealth and trade.
The place was beautiful, almost dazzling compared to the corruption I had left behind.
But my focus locked instantly on a single spot. A penthouse at the very top of the tallest building in the city. And inside it, the Grandmaster.
"Knight," I whispered.
Shadows gathered at my side, and his sleek form materialized from the darkness itself. His eyes met mine, calm and sharp. I pointed toward the penthouse.
"He’s there. Take care of it."
Knight stepped forward once. A ripple spread across the air like glass cracking, and in the blink of an eye his body vanished. Shadows surged inside the penthouse, rising like black waves, wrapping around the Grandmaster before he could even react.
A sphere of darkness snapped shut, swallowing him whole. Not a scream, not even a sound escaped.
Minutes passed before the shadows peeled open again. Knight walked out calmly, his body slipping back into the sky beside me. His expression didn’t change as he spoke.
"Two more Grandmasters remain. Each in the other two cities of this continent."
I nodded, sending him back to the core. My wings unfurled wide, and with a single beat I shot forward once more.
Half an hour later, I stood in the dim light of a hut far from the wealthy ports.
The air smelled of nature. At my feet lay the body of an old man, wrinkled, frail, and lifeless. He had been the last Grandmaster of this continent, but in the end, Knight had ended him without effort. Age hadn’t saved him. Rank hadn’t saved him.
I stood over the old man’s corpse for a moment, watching the last of his life fade into nothing. Then I lifted my gaze to the horizon, the endless sky stretching before me.
"Six down," I muttered under my breath.
I felt no worry about alarms being raised. I hadn’t taken much time, and Grandmasters were a different breed. People were used to their absence. A day, even two, they could vanish without notice, it wouldn’t cause immediate suspicion.
Stepping out of the hut, I inhaled deeply, filling my lungs with the cool mountain air. The forest stretched all around me, quiet and green, untouched by the city’s noise.
The man had lived alone here, far from people. A hermit. He had stumbled into the rank of Grandmaster late in life, scraping his way upward until age caught up with him. In the end, he was nothing more than a relic clinging to strength.
I shook my head, pushing the idle thoughts aside. What mattered now was the path ahead. The next step of my journey would take longer, but I still expected to reach the Lamp Zone soon. That mysterious place did excite me.
Everything I had read about it, everything whispered about its nature, only made me more curious.
Crimson mist spread once more from my back as my wings unfurled. Wide, sharp, and strong. I gave them a single flap, and the ground fell away beneath me as I soared back into the open sky. And the old man and the hut scattered into dust.
The continent blurred beneath me as I flew, the forests shrinking into streaks of green and the mountains fading into shadows. My perception spread wide in every direction, alert for anything that might stir.
When I reached another stretch of endless ocean, I decided to give myself a break.
With a thought, I summoned Silver. His massive body shimmered into existence, scales catching the sunlight as he screeched softly against the wind.
I descended lazily and landed on his broad back, letting him carry us forward.
’This is unfair.’ His voice echoed in my head the moment my feet touched down.
"What is?" I asked, leaning back casually. I folded my hands behind my head and let my body sink into the warmth of his scales.
’You’re only calling out Lyrate and Knight. I’m just sitting here, bored out of my mind.’ His tone was half complaint, half sulk.
I chuckled. "Well, those two are the only ones who are even remotely stealthy. If I summon you in the middle of a city, how exactly are you going to stay hidden?"
There was silence for a few seconds, then his voice returned, thoughtful now. ’It looks like I’ll need to do something about my size.’
I hummed, amused at the idea. "Maybe. I’ve heard some interesting things about the next rank. Who knows? You might achieve exactly what you’re hoping for."
Silver didn’t answer right away. Instead, his wings beat stronger, carrying us across the ocean with steady, powerful strokes.
We flew in silence completely feeling like home in a hostile world.