Chapter 112: Chapter 107: Flight Across the Forgotten Realm
The hidden world trembled.
John soared through the artificial sky, each powerful beat of his wings sending ripples through the golden air. Behind him, Aerion rode currents of silver mana, while Lythriel bounded from floating island to floating island with astonishing speed. Sylvara floated at the rear, surrounded by shimmering magical circles that continuously analyzed the unstable mana saturating the realm.
From above, the true scale of the hidden sanctuary became terrifyingly clear.
It was enormous.
The World Tree dominated the horizon, its trunk so vast that entire mountain ranges could have been carved into its bark. Rivers of liquid light wound around its roots like glowing serpents, feeding countless floating islands suspended beneath its colossal branches.
But corruption had already claimed nearly half of this forgotten paradise.
Crystal forests had become fields of black glass.
Golden waterfalls poured streams of darkness.
Entire islands drifted lifelessly, their protective runes extinguished forever.
"It spreads faster than before," Sylvara called over the rushing wind.
She extended one hand, allowing strands of corrupted mana to swirl around her fingers.
"It isn’t simply infecting this place anymore."
"It’s consuming it."
Aerion’s expression hardened.
"The prison is collapsing from within."
John remained focused on the World Tree.
Every second mattered now.
If Cassian reached the Heart beneath its roots before they did...
He refused to finish that thought.
---
Far below, movement caught John’s attention.
Hundreds.
No—
Thousands.
Dark figures emerged from the corrupted forests.
Some resembled wolves formed from black crystal.
Others looked like enormous insects with razor-sharp crystal legs.
Several slithered across the ground like serpents made entirely of living shadows.
Lythriel frowned.
"They’re gathering."
John looked ahead.
"They’re not chasing us."
"They’re going somewhere."
Aerion followed the direction of the horde.
"They’re answering a summons."
As if confirming his words—
A deafening roar echoed across the hidden realm.
The corruption surged like a tidal wave.
Every corrupted creature immediately accelerated toward the World Tree.
Sylvara’s face paled.
"Cassian’s calling them."
"He’s creating an army."
John increased his speed.
"Then we move faster."
His wings unleashed a burst of abyssal mana.
The air exploded behind him as the group shot forward like arrows.
---
Several minutes later—
The peaceful silence shattered.
A beam of crimson light erupted from the corrupted side of the realm.
It streaked across the sky directly toward them.
"Incoming!"
Aerion reacted instantly.
His sword flashed.
A crescent of silver energy intercepted the beam.
**BOOOOM!**
The collision rocked the air.
Shockwaves rippled across the floating islands below.
John looked toward the source.
Perched upon a broken crystal tower stood a humanoid figure clad in black armor.
Its eyes burned crimson.
Its body seemed fused with jagged crystal.
Unlike the mindless guardians above...
This creature watched them with intelligence.
It slowly raised an enormous spear.
Then another beam fired.
Lythriel grinned.
"Finally."
"A real fight."
She leaped from a floating island, spinning through the air.
Her spear met the crimson attack head-on.
The impact exploded into countless sparks.
Instead of retreating—
She charged.
The armored creature roared.
Black wings unfolded from its back.
It launched itself into the sky.
John immediately sensed the difference.
"Be careful!"
"It isn’t ordinary!"
Too late.
The creature vanished.
Lythriel’s instincts screamed.
She twisted her body.
A black spear passed inches from her neck.
"So fast—"
The enemy struck again.
And again.
Each attack came from a different direction.
Even Lythriel struggled to keep pace.
Aerion entered the battle.
Silver and crimson clashed repeatedly across the sky.
The armored guardian laughed.
A harsh, distorted sound.
"You are..."
Its voice sounded as though several people spoke at once.
"...too late."
John narrowed his eyes.
"It can speak."
The creature smiled.
"My master..."
"...is awakening eternity."
---
Without warning—
Three more crimson lights appeared.
Then six.
Then twelve.
More armored guardians emerged from the corrupted landscape.
Each possessed different weapons.
Each radiated terrifying pressure.
Sylvara’s breathing caught.
"They’re all elite guardians."
John’s dragon instincts flared.
"No."
"They’re stronger."
The First Warden’s warning echoed in his mind.
**Many powerful warriors have reached this place.**
John suddenly understood.
These weren’t ordinary constructs.
They had once been heroes.
Champions who had failed the Heart’s trials.
Their bodies had remained.
The corruption had claimed them.
Aerion seemed to reach the same conclusion.
His grip tightened around his sword.
"They were protectors..."
"...before they became slaves."
---
The first elite charged.
John met it head-on.
Their fists collided.
**BOOM!**
The sky itself seemed to crack.
The force hurled both combatants backward.
The guardian recovered instantly.
Black flames erupted around its body.
It swung a massive greatsword downward.
John crossed both claws.
Metal screamed against dragon scales.
The impact drove him through a floating island.
Crystal exploded in every direction.
John burst from the rubble.
Abyssal mana roared around him.
"You picked the wrong dragon."
Dark energy gathered along his claws.
"Abyssal Rend!"
He slashed.
Five arcs of darkness crossed the sky.
The guardian blocked three.
The remaining two carved across its chest.
Black crystal shattered.
Yet...
The wounds regenerated.
John frowned.
"It healed?"
Sylvara quickly analyzed the enemy with several detection spells.
"The corruption!"
"It keeps repairing them!"
Aerion heard her.
"Then destroy the source."
"But where?"
The answer came unexpectedly.
Lythriel’s spear pierced one guardian’s shoulder.
For a split second—
She noticed a crimson crystal embedded within its chest.
"There!"
"The heart!"
John’s eyes locked onto the glowing crystal.
"So that’s your weakness."
The guardian roared and charged again.
This time—
John welcomed it.
He feigned another clash.
The guardian raised its sword.
At the last instant, John folded one wing, spinning beneath the attack.
His tail wrapped around the guardian’s waist, locking it in place.
The construct struggled violently.
Too late.
John’s claws pierced straight through its chest.
His hand closed around the crimson crystal.
The guardian’s eyes widened.
Cracks spread across its body.
John crushed the crystal.
**CRACK!**
The guardian froze.
Its black armor lost all color.
The corruption evaporated like smoke.
For one brief moment...
The figure inside became visible.
An ancient warrior.
His face peaceful.
He looked at John and smiled faintly.
"...Thank..."
Before the final word left his lips—
His body dissolved into countless golden particles that drifted upward toward the World Tree.
Silence fell around the battlefield.
John stared at the fading light.
"They really were..."
"Heroes," Aerion finished quietly.
The remaining corrupted champions turned toward them as one.
Their crimson eyes flared brighter.
One after another, they lowered into combat stances.
Then the air split apart.
From the corrupted half of the hidden realm, dozens more elite guardians rose into the sky.
Then hundreds.
An entire legion.
Lythriel looked at the approaching army and laughed in disbelief.
"I think..."
"...we’ve officially gotten ourselves into trouble."
John slowly exhaled.
His abyssal aura surged around him, mixing with the golden light of the hidden realm.
Above them, the branches of the dying World Tree swayed violently as another pulse of corruption erupted from its roots.
Far below, beneath the ancient tree, Cassian stood before the True Heart with both hands pressed against the final chains. Behind him, a colossal shadow slowly pushed against the prison from within.
The last seal was beginning to crack.
---
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