The Healing Sanctum glowed with a soft, golden radiance, enveloping the space in a warm, inviting light that felt almost alive.
Selena's breathing had steadied, as if the very air in the sanctum was laced with tranquility. Her bruises faded beneath the flow of divine qi, a gentle current washing over her injuries, and the color had begun to return to her lips, bringing a vibrant glow to her once-pale face. She lay cocooned in celestial silk, the exquisite fabric comforting and light, as threads of Primordial Infinity Qi worked tirelessly to mend the damage done to her body—and her soul.
Then, as if emerging from a deep slumber, she slowly started opening her eyes.
Through her blurry vision, she saw the indistinct, yet familiar, figure of a man looming nearby.
"A…A-Az… Azeris," she whispered slowly, her voice filled with both confusion and hope.
Hearing his name, Azeris, who had been standing anxiously beside his sister's bed, rushed toward her in a flurry of relief and apprehension.
"Sister, I am here," he said, his voice breaking slightly with emotion.
Selena's gaze sharpened, and she recognized her brother right in front of her. Without hesitation, she sat up on her bed and threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.
Overwhelmed by emotion, she began to cry.
"Ahh—ahh—Aahh—!"
Choked sobs burst forth, shaking her body uncontrollably. Her arms clung to him like a child waking from a terrifying nightmare, her face buried in the warm fabric of his shirt, the familiar scent of him grounding her.
"Ahh... ahhh... I-I thought I'd never—ahh—see you again!" she gasped, each word laced with relief and fear.
"It's okay, sis. I'm okay," Azeris reassured her, his heart swelling with protective instinct. While brother and sister were lost in their emotional reunion, someone entered the room.
The newcomer was Lilian, their mother.
Lilian's eyes widened in surprise and joy as she saw her daughter awake.
"Selena… oh, my child!" she exclaimed, rushing toward her daughter with open arms.
Tears began to fall from Selena's eyes afresh as she hugged her mother tightly, the warmth of her embrace soothing the remnants of her trauma.
"It's okay, my child. Everything is okay now," Lilian whispered, her voice filled with a love that transcended all fear.
As he looked at his mother and sister hugging and crying, Azeris clenched his hands into fists, a fire igniting in his eyes. In his heart, he silently vowed, "I will burn those bastards, the Blackthrones, at any cost."
After a few minutes, as Lilian and Selena began to calm down, both turned their attention to Azeris, curiosity brimming in their eyes as they examined the striking changes in his appearance.
He had majestic cosmic horns and shimmering wings that seemed to radiate with power.
Hearing both his mother and sister's questions, he began to explain the incredible circumstances of his reincarnation and the nature of his infinity dragon bloodline.
After several minutes of recounting his tale, both Lilian and Selena were left stunned, grappling with the shocking realization that their brother was a reincarnated person.
"Are you really a reincarnated person?" Lilian asked, her voice quivering with disbelief. "And what about this place?"
Selena leaned in, her eyes wide with wonder. "Are you really a dragon?"
"Yes, Mother, I am a reincarnated person, but I don't remember anything from my previous life. This is the Infinity Dragon Realm, which was created just before my death. If you want to ask anything about this realm, ask the system."
"The system will tell you every function of the Infinity Dragon Realm and how to use your status window," he added, feeling a surge of pride.
"And, Sister, I am not a simple dragon; I am a progenitor dragon, which means I am the first of my species."
Lilian interjected, trying to wrap her mind around this revelation. "What is a system?"
"The system is the main controlling entity that regulates and maintains the realm's functions. It was created to help me and the citizens of the Infinity Dragon Realm," Azeris explained, the familiarity of the words grounding him in this surreal moment.
After several minutes of thoroughly explaining the functions of the system and how to utilize the status window, Azeris turned to both his mother and sister, a question forming on his lips.
"Mother, Sister, do you want to become infinity dragons?" he asked, his gaze earnest and filled with the promise of a new beginning.
---
MEANWHILE – VERMILION PALACE THRONEROOM
In stark contrast to the warmth of the Healing Sanctum, the air in the Vermilion Palace Throneroom was thick with incense and an undercurrent of dread that suffocated the atmosphere.
Lord Nova Blackthrone knelt on the polished obsidian floor, his forehead touching the cold surface, feeling the weight of the world upon him.
Across from him, King Valen Vermilion sat on his high throne, his face set like stone, an expression devoid of emotion yet heavy with authority.
"You say one man did this?" the king asked slowly, his voice measured and calm, yet his eyes glinted with intensity.
With his heart racing, Nova bowed deeper, desperate to maintain his composure. "Yes, Your Majesty. His name is Azeris. He is Isabella's lover, and we believed we had killed him. I personally gave the order to eliminate him, but he somehow survived."
"And he took my son, throwing him into some kind of portal," Nova continued, his desperation spilling over. "Your Majesty, I think he has a rare space affinity."
The king's expression shifted ever so slightly as he considered Nova's words. After several tense moments, he said, "Nova, do you know about my family's first ancestor, the Flame King?"
Nova's eyes widened with realization. "Yes, Your Majesty. How could I not know about our kingdom's founder?"
"He is alive and has recently broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm," King Valen revealed, his voice echoing with a newfound gravity.
Nova felt the enormity of the king's statement weigh heavy upon him. "Your Majesty, that means—"
"Yes, I can seek our ancestor's help. And do not worry, Nova; I will also ask for assistance in finding Kane," the king assured, a flicker of determination igniting in his formidable gaze.
Hearing this, Nova's eyes brightened with hope as the possibility of assistance loomed on the horizon.