Portal

The group watched in silence as the scene unfolded before them.

The red gem ignored Evara’s complaints and dragged them further into the building. With a rough push, they shoved Evara to the ground and crossed their arms.

“Maybe I should’ve just broken your legs and kept them hidden until you learned your lesson.”

"Violence against younglings is prohibited!" Evara protested. She'd heard threats like this before, but the adults never followed through, so she treated it as nothing more than empty wind.

“Leaving and sneaking out of the creche is also prohibited,” the red gem shot back.

“Come now, calm down, Flareen,” another gem approached, their form tinted with green hues. They wore the same style of flowing robes as Flareen. “You know Evara’s just curious.”

Evara looked up hopefully, praying this adult would bail them out of the usual lecture. It wasn’t the first time they had clashed with Flareen, and honestly, Evara had better things to do than sit through another scolding.

“That curiosity is going to get them killed,” Flareen growled. They turned back toward Evara, their gaze sharp and heated. “You think you can do whatever you want, but you don’t understand anything about the outside world. So stay put and stop acting reckless.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Evara muttered, clearly dismissive.

“You—!” Flareen reared up, ready to lash out with more words, but the green gem gently cut in.

“Come now, Evara. You’ll be allowed to leave the creche eventually. Let’s be patient, alright?”

Evara gave a sullen look, then sighed. “...Fine.”

“Wow, you were a real brat,” Erika remarked as she watched the scene. Still, she couldn’t blame Evara. She knew what it was like to feel trapped, desperate for freedom.

“I suppose the young me was indeed... immature,” Evara admitted, watching their younger self sulk back toward the other younglings. The memory faded, and the room around them returned to silence. The voices dissolved into nothingness, a haunting reminder of the present reality: a world long dead.

"Where should we go next?" Alwyn asked. After witnessing the Echo, perhaps Evara had recovered some of their memories. The gem’s glow had definitely grown stronger compared to when they first met.

"Outside… I think…" Evara said softly. "There, in the distance… do you see it?"

The three teenagers turned toward the horizon. Far away, barely visible, stood the ancient and crumbling silhouettes of what looked like buildings. Without wasting time, they followed Evara’s direction. The sand dunes stirred under their boots as they made their way forward. Though the ruins appeared close, it was mostly due to the vast, flat terrain and the sheer size of the structures.

Eventually, their path came to an abrupt stop. Not because of a wall or obstruction, but because the ground simply vanished. A massive abyss stretched out before them. On the far side, their destination stood tall: ruined towers and broken buildings resting on a separate floating landmass.

Looking down, Han finally realized it. The land they stood on was just one of many floating islands suspended in the void.

"Hmm… it’s too far for me to make a bridge with my threads," Erika said, assessing the gap. "Hey, Alwyn, can you summon a big bird or something we can ride?"

Alwyn narrowed his eyes, judging the distance and checking the surroundings. There didn’t seem to be anything that would interfere, and as long as they weren’t attacked mid-flight, it should be safe enough.

"Let me try," he said.

Opening his book, he summoned a massive bird, formed from ink and condensed aether. The creature cawed softly as it settled in front of them. The three climbed onto its back carefully, as there were no harnesses or saddles to hold them in place. To make the flight a little safer, Erika tied thick thread around the bird’s neck and then fastened the ends to their wrists.

Once they were ready, the bird leapt into the air and glided across the abyss.

As they soared over the chasm, Han peered downward. "Whoa… there are more places down there."

Erika glanced down as well. There were indeed other floating landmasses below them, smaller and farther apart. Still, if they weren’t careful, one wrong move could send them tumbling into the void.

"We’ve got Alwyn and his giant summon to get across, but what about the other teams?" Erika wondered aloud.

"If they don’t have an Aether Art that helps with mobility, then some probably brought transportation artifacts," Alwyn replied.

"Wait, why don’t we have one then?" Erika asked, irritation creeping into her voice. It would’ve been much more convenient if each of them had their own means of transportation, instead of relying entirely on Alwyn and his summoned bird. "Ugh, that stingy master of ours. You’d think he could’ve given us something actually useful for once."

"Do you know how expensive those artifacts are?" Alwyn said with a sigh. Most people would never even see an artifact in their lifetime, let alone one powerful enough to carry a group across an Echorift.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Surely not more expensive than the lives of his disciples, right?" Erika replied.

"Anyway, it’s not like everyone else has one either," Han said.

"Well, if we run into someone who does, I’m definitely stealing it," Erika declared without hesitation.

----------------------------------------

A ship drifted silently through the void that housed the Ashdune Vale. There was no water beneath it, no wind to guide it. It relied solely on the raw power of aether to stay afloat.

Onboard was a small group of passengers, led by none other than Jiang Ruiheng. With his arms crossed, he stood at the bow, eyes focused on the abyss below as the ship glided forward.

"How much longer, Wei Xinyan?" Jiang Ruiheng asked, irritation threading his voice. They had been traveling for quite some time, and their destination still hadn’t appeared.

Although he had asked this many times already, the young man standing behind him replied calmly. "We’ll arrive in about five minutes."

His face was partially hidden beneath a hood, though strands of dark blue hair slipped out from underneath. His violet eyes remained lowered, staring at the floor.

Jiang Ruiheng exhaled sharply, the monotony starting to wear at him. His thoughts wandered until they landed on something more entertaining.

"Hey, Wei Xinyan. I noticed you didn’t try to cozy up to Ruhua back at the base. I really thought you’d be following him around like a lost pup."

"That would not be appropriate," Wei Xinyan replied with a calm, unreadable expression. He knew Jiang Ruiheng was trying to get a reaction.

Jiang Ruiheng snorted. "Yeah, right. Like I’d believe you’ve stopped caring about that bastard."

Wei Xinyan said nothing.

After a moment, Jiang Ruiheng continued. "How about this? Prove yourself useful and I’ll let you become my long-term bodyguard. I heard how the other Crimson Blades treat you."

He gave a sharp grin.

"With a strong backer like me, you wouldn’t have to put up with that kind of disgrace. Sounds like a good deal, doesn’t it?"

Wei Xinyan pressed his lips together. After a pause, he said, "It would be an honor."

"Honor, huh?" Jiang Ruiheng repeated, amused. "Alright. Then earn it. Stab Ruhua."

He leaned slightly closer, voice low and pointed.

"Extra points if you manage to kill him. But I doubt that paranoid bastard would ever let his guard down, even in front of an old friend."

Wei Xinyan’s hands clenched at his sides.

"No answer?" Jiang Ruiheng asked, his gaze narrowing.

"If that’s your order," Wei Xinyan said flatly, his expression flat.

Jiang Ruiheng let out another snort, then finally turned away.

The ship eventually came to a halt beside a floating plateau. At first glance, there was nothing particularly remarkable about the area. Dunes of sand and the remains of crumbling structures littered the ground just like the rest of Ashdune Vale. Still, this was the location they had been searching for.

The group disembarked and headed toward a marked spot. In Jiang Ruiheng’s hand was a compass-like artifact guiding his steps. Once they reached the desired location, his two bodyguards paused behind him, giving him space.

Jiang Ruiheng knelt and placed several high-grade aether crystals in a circle. Then, he took out a talisman etched with intricate runes and slapped it at the center. From his spatial pouch, he retrieved a short blade. Though small, its gleaming edge made it clear that it was extremely sharp. With one firm swing, he struck the talisman.

Ink bled from the paper, spreading across the ground to form a glowing array. As it absorbed the aether from the crystals, the lines pulsed with light. Jiang Ruiheng stepped back as a portal formed in front of them.

Figures in black cloaks stepped through, entering the sands of Ashdune Vale. The one in front pulled back his hood, revealing a middle-aged man with glasses and dark brown hair. He gave Jiang Ruiheng a casual smile.

"I almost thought you had forgotten us," he said.

"I wouldn’t be surprised if he had and just gone straight for the target," a cloaked woman added. As she raised her head, sharp gray eyes and long purple hair came into view.

Jiang Ruiheng's expression darkened, though he held his tongue. As much as he despised being talked down to, he knew better than to provoke these two. Lucien Cross and Xia Zhenhua were not just anyone. They were two of his father’s most capable agents. Even as his son, Jiang Ruiheng could not act carelessly around them without risking his father's anger.

"Don’t be so harsh on the boy. He tried his best. Besides, we’re still within our planned timeframe," Lucien said with an easy grin.

"So where is this target we’re supposed to find?" Xia Zhenhua asked, her gaze sweeping over the sandy horizon.

"We still have to travel a bit further," Lucien replied. "The thing we’re after isn’t easy to find. I hope the retrieval goes smoothly, but we should be prepared for resistance."

"I hope there is. Otherwise, this will be a waste of my time," Xia Zhenhua said flatly.

Lucien chuckled. From his pouch, he took out an artifact and tossed it into the air. It expanded instantly into a large, floating ship.

"Shall we?"

“Hold on, I’ll come with you,” Jiang Ruiheng said, stepping forward.

“Your duty is over, young master. I doubt your father would be pleased to hear we put you in unnecessary danger,” Lucien replied, his tone polite but firm.

Jiang Ruiheng narrowed his eyes. Like hell that was the real reason. He could tell they just didn’t want him around because they thought he’d slow them down.

“Even so, I believe I’ll be safer if I accompany your group,” Jiang Ruiheng said.

“Please don’t jest, young master. We’re likely to face difficult encounters from this point on,” Lucien said, then gestured to Wei Xinyan and the other bodyguard beside him. “And it’s not as if you’re unprotected.”

Jiang Ruiheng clenched his fists but didn’t argue further. He knew there was no point. Lucien had made up his mind, and nothing he said would change it. So he stood in silence, watching the group board the ship and take off to continue the mission without him.

Wei Xinyan waited a moment before speaking. “What should we do next, young master?”

Jiang Ruiheng was on the verge of snapping, thinking the question was meant to mock him. But just then, something caught his eye in the distance. He squinted, focusing his aether-enhanced vision on the faint shape moving against the horizon.

It was hard to see at first, but then he realized what it was. A massive bird, not made of flesh and feathers, but clearly formed from aether. And there was only one person he knew who could craft something like that.

A slow smirk formed on Jiang Ruiheng’s lips. “Well, it seems it’s time I had another chat with my dear brother.”

Wei Xinyan’s only response was a subtle narrowing of his eyes.