n

n

n--Phase 2: Endure--

n*****

nA dark figure hovered high above the city of Valhalla. It was a beautiful woman with flowing dark hair, golden eyes, and translucent black wings extending from her shoulders.

nApate looked down at the strange Human and his companions from above the clouds. She'd watched everything.

nFrom his odd transformation to murdering that woman, then bringing her back to life and gaining the recognition of a much higher Tier creature.

nShe had intended on stepping in to help him unlock his Bloodline, but it seemed he didn't need assistance. He even devoured that entire Bloodline Orb in one go!

nHe showed compassion to the Direwolves yet slaughtered his own kind ruthlessly outside of the Dungeon. It didn't make any sense.

nShe followed the large group to an odd... city?

nApate could hardly call it a city. It had high-standing walls and was an impressive size for a Human development, but it was so... empty!

nThere were a couple of miles between the center and any random point on the wall, but why was there nothing in the interior.

nA ring of homes ran around the inside, seemingly in some random location. It was about a mile in and made an almost perfect circle around an odd tower standing in the center.

nThough the shape and walls were similar to the Human, Beastfolk, and even God's cities from the past, the rest made little sense.

nEach section of housing in the interior circle was thoroughly different. It reminded her of the abstract art painted thousands of years ago.

nSome of the structures looked like crypts, while some homes were carved into trees. There were wooden cabins, cute burrows built into hills, and even a section that held a large lake with a few ready-to-build-on islands on its surface.

nThe place looked more like something the Gods would build in their clouds than something the Humans would create. Humans had always built with efficiency in mind, so what was with this strange wonderland?

nApate continued to monitor the now purple-haired man as he approached the tower with a small group. Most of the crowd from earlier had dispersed toward their individual homes or an area that appeared to be make-shift training grounds.

nThe group that headed to the tower stopped just in front of the double doors, not actually entering, which she found strange.

nShe examined the elf that had met them at the front gate.

nThough he seemed very lifelike, that man wasn't alive. Rather, he was closer to one of the Undead Races, a Lich to be precise.

nThis body that she was viewing was nothing but a mere projection. She could see the threads of Mana controlling it reaching out from the tower.

nThere were other, very similar, towers across the globe. One of these towers gave off much more power than the others on another continent, but she could only vaguely sense it.

nHer senses covered more than half the planet, which was much smaller in comparison to the world in which she used to live.

nSuddenly, her head snapped back. A mighty presence was approaching her location. It was holding back but seemed to be purposefully emanating enough energy for her to sense its presence.

nShe stared into the distance, watching a scaled figure flying toward her. Though it was still close to a hundred miles out, she could see its figure clearly.

n

"...Vritra?

"

n'Is this the Dragon that I felt earlier? It makes sense. He disappeared long before I'd found a place to stow away.'

nThough the figure seemed to be moving leisurely, he covered the distance in just a few moments.

n

"Long time no ssssssee, Apate.

"

nThe Dragon's tongue lashed out as it spoke. This was a trademark characteristic of their Race.

n

"It has been a long time. Are you the one that was trapped in the Human world?

"

n

"Yessssss. Sssssuch a pitiful plassssse with an almossst complete lack of Mana. Had I not gone into hibernation, my body would have long sssinssse turned to dusssst.

"

nApate nodded. For beings as powerful as the two of them, Mana had become as necessary as oxygen on Earth.

n

"I was lucky enough to end up on the planet of the Undead. Spending a century or so at a time awake was possible there.

"

nThe Dragon nodded and turned his head toward the tower and those who were speaking in front of it. Apate stared at him curiously.

nThough they had only had a few brief conversations, he was one of the few who dared defy the Gods. He had once been one of the most powerful of his kind.

nOf course... there were those who sided with the Gods and were granted powers that he could only dream of. Vritra was one of few who managed to steal from the Gods' lands multiple times before getting caught.

nShe had assisted him once, though it wasn't much more than pointing in the opposite direction of which he ran. Her reminiscing was interrupted by a strong force directly below her.

nApate looked in the tower's direction, finding that the doors to the tower had finally opened. The walls spread out another mile, collecting the Mana in the earth and trees to supply their growth.

nThe circle of housing expanded as well. The three gaps that had been prominent came to life.

nIn two sections, cave-like structures appeared. In the other, circular houses with thatch rooves sprung from the Mana.

nIt was an odd sight. It reminded her of the teleportation circles once placed in every influential kingdom.

nThough the Gods didn't give enough to be overthrown, they did provide enough Mana for the other Races to use as fuel. Some chose to strengthen themselves. Others used it to provide comfort and luxury, while others used it to grow or gather resources swiftly.

nThe tower itself glowed a bright blue as a large Formation spread out from its tip. It seemed the barrier she noticed earlier had been deactivated during the upgrade.

nThe barrier that covered the grounds now was more substantial than the previous one. By her estimates, it could likely sustain many hits from a powerful Tier 5 existence before shattering.

n

"Interesssssting.

"

nShe glanced at the Dragon floating beside her. Apate wanted to ask what was on his mind but didn't feel she had the right to do so.

n

"If you dessside to ssspeak to that Human. Give him my regardssss.

"

nThe Dragon nodded toward her and flew off in what seemed like a random direction.. He swiftly faded from her senses.

n