Chapter 70: I'm seriously dreaming, right?

Dao Wei stepped into the chamber, eyes narrowing at the flickering light. Torches lined the walls, casting dancing shadows across the rocky surfaces, their flames somehow burning steadily in this forgotten cavern. Confusion flickered in his gaze. "How the hell are those torches burning?" He thought. For a moment, he stood still, trying to comprehend the strange atmosphere. 'Is there someone else here?' It didn't make sense, but then again, most of what had happened lately defied any logical explanation.

"Maybe it was the creature the legend speaks about..." Jendayi's voice interrupted his thoughts, a soft yet uncertain tone in her words. Her wide eyes scanned the chamber, trying to make sense of their surroundings. 

Suddenly, the energy in the air spiked, and a strange glimmer caught her eye. "What a weird rock... It's shining, look!" she said, pointing toward the object gleaming faintly in the dim light.

Dao Wei's brows furrowed, his gaze following hers. "I don't think that's a rock..." He trailed off as the "rock" stirred, shifting as though awakening from a long slumber. His instincts flared, and in one swift motion, he grabbed Jendayi and yanked her back several feet. "Watch out!"

Jendayi's startled gasp echoed in the chamber. "Oh my God!" She struggled to process what had just happened, her heart pounding as she found herself tucked protectively behind Dao Wei. How did he even manage to move me that fast?

Then, a sound rumbled through the chamber, deep and resonant. The water in the far corner rippled, and from its depths emerged a massive figure. Scales gleamed, the dark blues of its body reflecting the light as a colossal dragon rose, standing imposingly before them. The creature's eyes, glowing like molten sapphire, locked onto them with ancient, unknowable intelligence.

"Zakrall! Armodiek?! Zukriel?" The dragon's voice boomed like thunder, shaking the walls of the cavern. The words were foreign, primal.

Dao Wei's mouth fell open slightly. "Holy shit... A dragon?" He whispered, momentarily frozen in awe. Of all the creatures he expected to encounter, a dragon was not on the list.

Jendayi trembled behind him, shrinking even further into his shadow. "No…" she murmured, barely audible. 

But then the dragon's eyes flickered with recognition, its voice shifting to something far more comprehensible. "Common tongue? Hmm… I haven't seen humans in a while... And certainly not here…" The dragon's voice was no longer threatening, but curious.

"Hold on.." Dao Wei blinked, not sure if he was hearing things right. "Wait… You can talk?"

The dragon huffed, smoke curling from its nostrils. "Interesting... You are him… No, wait… you are... both of them!" The beast lowered its head slightly, its demeanor shifting from dominance to one of respect. "You surprise me... Hiding inside a fragile insect... Speaking the common tongue after all this time. Why?"

Dao Wei blinked, his mind racing to comprehend what the dragon meant. But his instincts told him not to show hesitation. "I was led here by her," he began, nodding toward Jendayi, "but I didn't expect to find you. It's… a fortunate encounter."

The dragon chuckled, the sound deep and reverberating through the chamber. "Hah! Is it now? Why do you need me? You are the most powerful creature that has ever lived."

Dao Wei forced a smile, though his heart pounded in his chest. "I am powerful, but there are threats I must face. Your help would be… most welcome."

The dragon stepped back, revealing its full, awe-inspiring form—an immense, majestic creature with iridescent blue scales that seemed to shimmer with the energy of the ancient world. "My help, you say..." It narrowed its glowing eyes, intrigued. "I am puzzled. But I'll take the bait. I will help you if you help me."

Dao Wei tilted his head. "What do you need help with?"

The dragon's gaze darkened slightly. "Something dear to me has been stolen. A dragon's egg."

Jendayi gasped, stepping out from behind Dao Wei slightly. "A dragon's egg?"

Dao Wei's expression remained the same, "Wait a minute... How did such a thing come missing? Was it someone here in Mythrial?" he just couldn't fathom it. Who was brave enough to steal from a 'Dragon'?

The dragon's tail flicked, sending small ripples across the water. "No... The guardians wouldn't dare. The other lesser creature knows better."

Dao Wei's expression hardened. "Okay?"

The dragon let out a low growl. "Find my egg, and I will assist you. Now leave. You've disturbed my sleep long enough."

Dao Wei gave a slow nod, understanding the dismissal. "Very well. I'll return once I find your egg." He turned to Jendayi, and they quickly made their way out of the cave, the weight of the dragon's request pressing heavily on his shoulders.

As soon as they were outside, Jendayi released a long breath, her shoulders slumping. "Oh my God, I was so scared… A 'dragon'!" Her voice was a mixture of disbelief and exhilaration.

Dao Wei smiled faintly. "That was… unexpected." Before he could continue, the ground beneath them began to tremble.

Rumble!

"What's happening?" Jendayi's voice trembled as she glanced around in panic.

"It's…" Dao Wei looked up, and there, soaring high above them, was the magnificent blue dragon, its wings spanning the sky as it flew above them. 

"Wow…" Jendayi breathed her wide eyes following the dragon's every movement. "I can't believe something so incredible was inside the cave this whole time."

Dao Wei glanced at her, his curiosity piqued. "You didn't know it was a dragon?"

She shook her head. "I'm sorry… My people never had a name for that creature. We only knew of its legend."

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Well, now we know. Let's go back home then." He paused for a moment, his gaze still on the dragon circling in the sky. 'I need to learn more about this dragon, and about the egg it spoke of. There must be someone who knows more about dragons around here.'

Jendayi looked up at him, uncertainty in her eyes. "Yes… Home…"

Dao Wei caught her hesitation, turning to her fully. "Jen, listen. Now that I'm here, I'm not just your Lord. I'm family." He paused, noting the flicker of pain in her expression. "I don't know what life was like for you in the village, or what family you had, but—"

"I have none," Jendayi interrupted quietly, her voice laced with sorrow. "My parents died in battle. I was an orphan… The village raised me."

Dao Wei's eyes softened. "Just like me, back when I first arrived at the Abyssal Chasm. Well, as far as I'm concerned, you're family now. That makes you my little sister."

Jendayi looked at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "I… I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Dao Wei responded warmly. "But I don't want to have this conversation again. The Tower is your home now. I'll find a way to… help you have human legs so you can enter it as you wish."

Her expression brightened, a shy smile creeping onto her face. "I'll wait for you then..."

"Good." He gave her a small smile. "Now let's head back home... little sister."

Jendayi giggled, a blush coloring her cheeks as she pranced forward, leading the way. "Eep! Right!" She galloped ahead as they began their journey back to the Tower, a sense of newfound companionship lingering in the air.

Elsewhere...

In a vast waiting hall hummed with an undercurrent of tension, thick as the magical masks obscuring the faces of its occupants. Ten geniuses from across various realms sat in silence, each cloaked in their own aura of mystery. Four females and six males, their identities hidden by the enchanted masks they wore, their power unmistakable. A mix of curiosity and anxiety swirled in the air as if the Heavens themselves anticipated the gathering storm.

The hall was an exquisite space, adorned with intricate carvings and glowing runes. The atmosphere was both oppressive and expectant, a tangible weight that pressed upon each person, reminding them of the significance of this moment. For these ten individuals, this was not just another meeting; it was a summoning by the most powerful beings in the three realms.

Suddenly, the ambient tension heightened as a black fog swirled into existence at the center of the hall. The ten geniuses shifted their focus, eyes narrowing behind their masks. The fog twisted and churned, taking on a menacing shape before a figure emerged—a man clad in a pristine white suit, his hair and eyes as white as freshly fallen snow. A golden halo hovered above his head, casting a soft, divine light that contrasted sharply with the darkness from which he had come.

The man in white surveyed the group with a gaze that seemed to pierce through their very souls. "God is ready to receive you. Please, enter the rift," he commanded, his tone brooking no argument.

Without hesitation, the ten geniuses rose from their seats and followed the man into the rift, a shimmering portal that had appeared behind him. The transition was swift, a disorienting blur of light and color that deposited them into an entirely different realm—a majestic garden, both serene and foreboding.

Before them loomed a grand castle, its spires piercing the heavens, its walls shimmering with an ethereal glow. This was no ordinary castle; it was the meeting place of the Heavenly Emperor, a location known only to the highest echelons of the divine and demonic hierarchies. The garden, lush and vibrant, was an anomaly in its isolation, a symbol of the delicate balance between life and death.

Their guide, the man in white, led them through the garden with purpose, his steps echoing on the cobblestone path. They soon arrived at another hall, smaller than the first but no less grand. The air here was thick with power, the kind that made one's skin crawl with both awe and dread. The man in white turned to face the group, his expression was as calm as ever, yet his presence commanded absolute attention. Behind him stood a gathering of beings that could only be described as angels and demons, their forms radiating both light and shadow.