Chapter 248 Chapter246-Dragon
"We're close."
Within the dense jungle, Quel discerned their direction and then turned to address Ethan and Kadiven trailing behind him.
Hearing Quel's words, Ethan too lifted his gaze forward.
Ahead, the forest remained thick and impenetrable.
Towering trees veiled the sunlight, with shrubs and wild grass carpeting the ground.
Decaying branches and leaves were scattered everywhere, with many menacing snakes hidden amongst them, along with various venomous insects.
However, none of these posed any threat to the trio.
These creatures, while not particularly intelligent, had a keen sense of perception when it came to detecting auras.
By merely emitting a hint of his own aura, Ethan ensured that these beings swiftly retreated, not daring to provoke the trio that was fervently making their way forward.
Half an hour later, Quel spoke again.
"We're here now. This is the entrance to Dragon Garden."
Ethan looked up once more.
The scene before him was somewhat awe-inspiring.
An open clearing presented itself amid the forest, covered only with lush green grass.
There were no towering trees, no teeming insects—just an enveloping silence.
Above the clearing was a striking rainbow.
It was vividly present, defying logic by appearing in the sky even though it was a clear day and no rain had graced the forest.
What's more, beneath the arch of the rainbow, one could faintly discern another, mysterious forest.
"This is the entrance to Dragon Garden," Quel reiterated, before launching into an explanation. "Dragons are creatures that soar through the skies, proud beings naturally disinclined to remain on the ground. Yet, many dragons, in their youth, possess wings not fully grown, incapable of supporting their vast frames in flight. It was during such a time that a Rainbow Dragon created this sanctuary for young Dragon to practice flying."
"However, as time passed, the Rainbow Dragon that had created the Dragon Garden left."
"Other dragons that dwelled in the Dragon Garden began to disappear gradually. When humans discovered the garden and realized it was abundant with precious materials, it quickly gained renown within the human kingdoms."
Quel's exposition shed light on the history of the Dragon Garden for both Ethan and Kadiven.
But at this moment, the duo wasn't there for a history lesson.
"We should head in now," Ethan urged.
With that, he took the lead, soaring into the confines of the Dragon Garden.
Quel and Kadiven followed suit.
Upon entering the Dragon Garden, Ethan immediately noticed a difference.
He felt heavier, or more accurately, the gravity here was distinct.
Kadiven, sensing the same, turned to Quel for an answer.
Quel, with a chuckle, responded, "I didn't deliberately keep this from you. While I'm familiar with Dragon Garden, my knowledge isn't extensive. The difference in gravity is something you only come to realize upon entering. Thus, we should tread with caution. There might be other lurking dangers in the Dragon Garden."
"You're right, Quel," Ethan concurred.
The trio then began their meticulous search within the Dragon Garden.
Built within a space rift, the expanse of Dragon Garden was vast.
Finding Rose and Oberlis was no simple task, especially given that many landmarks bore striking resemblances to each other.
On several occasions, they stumbled upon locations where the Clown Flower grew, but none matched the exact spot depicted in the image they had.
"Halt, there's something ahead," Ethan, leading the group, suddenly gestured for Quel and Kadiven to stop and remain silent.
Without hesitation, Quel and Kadiven complied.
At that moment, a soft rustling emanated from a pile of underbrush ahead.
It seemed as though something was moving atop it. Turning their gaze in that direction, the trio spotted a rotund creature.
The creature was nearly spherical in shape, with a slight protrusion on top that appeared to be its head. It had large eyes and short limbs.
"Ah!"
Upon noticing Ethan's group, the peculiar creature let out a startled cry and attempted to flee.
However, it managed only a step before it toppled over onto the grass.
Given its rounded shape, the creature flailed its limbs in a comedic effort to right itself, much to the amusement of Ethan and his companions.
"Who would've thought such a clumsy being existed?" Ethan remarked, trying to stifle his laughter.
With an amused expression, Quel quickly interjected, "It might look silly, but it holds grudges. And it understands our language."
Seemingly in response to Quel's words, the creature, still struggling on the ground, clenched its tiny fists and bared its teeth at Ethan, looking incredibly indignant.
Ethan was taken aback by the creature's reaction.
At that, Quel elaborated, "This is the fruit of a mystical plant in Dragon Garden. They possess considerable intelligence and often serve as guides for many within Dragon Garden."
"Dragon Garden truly is wondrous," Ethan couldn't help but marvel.
By then, Quel had already helped the peculiar creature to its feet.
"Each of these little beings has its own unique name," Quel continued.
However, still seemingly peeved about the earlier incident, the now upright creature charged at Ethan, though it was evident it couldn't really harm him.
"It seems you've made a lasting impression on this little one," Quel said with a chuckle.
But his amusement was short-lived.
The moment the creature made contact with Ethan, it seemed to sense something.
Swiftly, it clambered onto Ethan's shoulder, rubbing its rotund body affectionately against him.
A silvery glow emanated from it, as if attempting to establish some form of connection with Ethan.
After a brief moment, Ethan spoke, "Its name is Atta."
With a look of astonishment, Quel gazed at the now-affectionate Atta and expressed with bewilderment, "How is this possible? Aren't these creatures known to be exceptionally vindictive?"
"Indeed," Ethan nodded in agreement, then added, "Atta does hold grudges, but it told me I bear the noble Dragon Bloodline, and thus it has forgiven me this once."
Hearing this explanation, Quel fell silent.
Kadiven stepped closer to Quel, spread his arms wide, then pointed up to the sky.
This place was named Dragon Garden, and Ethan possessing the potent Dragon Bloodline meant it wasn't far-fetched for him to be accorded certain privileges within.
With Atta's presence, their search became significantly easier.
Although Atta wasn't aware of Rose's exact location, it was well-acquainted with the areas where Clown Flowers thrived in Dragon Garden.
Guided by Atta, the trio quickly stumbled upon the region depicted in the image.
"This is it, no doubt," Ethan murmured, crouching down.
He pointed to a vast stretch of skeletons on the ground, remarking, "These are the skeletons, and there's the blood of the Rainbow Dragon on them."
On the bleached, decaying bones shone a trail of iridescent blood.
"Let's scour the surroundings carefully; we might uncover some clues," Ethan continued.
Their decision was undeniably wise, for it wasn't long before the trio stumbled upon some intriguing signs.
They stood before a towering tree, on which a sleek fissure was prominently visible.
"This mark was made by a space blade, and it retains the essence of Oberlis," Quel observed first.
Kadiven placed his hand on the crack to sense its aura, then nodded in agreement.
Yet Ethan was mired in perplexity.
Turning to Quel and Kadiven, he posed, "If Oberlis had clashed with someone, it's unlikely that only this single mark from a space blade would be left. Unless his adversary was so formidable that Oberlis was captured after just one use of his space blade."
"But that's next to impossible," he added. Dealing with a magus who wielded space magic, whether to kill or capture, was always an immense challenge.
"It seems we're facing a complication," Quel noted, as Ethan's words brought the gravity of the situation to light.
The trio continued their search in the vicinity, but this round proved fruitless.
"Could we have overlooked something?" Ethan pondered aloud.
Quel fell deep into thought. After a moment, he proposed, "Ethan, could you possibly trace Rose's whereabouts again?"
"To trace again should be feasible," Ethan affirmed with a nod.
The three found a remarkably flat patch of ground and cleared it of debris.
Ethan then retrieved the item he had traded with Rose and meticulously etched a Magic Circle on the ground.
He prepared to use the Soul Language of Nature once more to discern Rose's trail.
At that very moment, the unexpected occurred.
Roar—
The furious bellow of a dragon echoed once more, sounding as if it were right beside Ethan's ear.
"In the sky!" Quel instinctively exclaimed.
Yet, when the trio simultaneously cast their gaze skyward, they discerned nothing.
"Surely, we couldn't all have misheard?" Quel queried with a hint of disbelief.
Ethan, deep in contemplation and scanning the surroundings, eventually rested his eyes on the mark left by Oberlis's space blade.
"I believe I've figured it out," Ethan pronounced.
"What have you discerned?" Quel inquired promptly.
Pointing at the fissure on the tree, Ethan elucidated, "Rose and Oberlis aren't in the Dragon Garden. They're within a space rift inside the Dragon Garden."
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