I never imagined that a simple stone path could change so much in just one night. The trail to the Suspended City of Varr'Hall had wound along a huge slope, revealing in the distance structures glowing like embers trapped in the sky. After the incident with the corrupted spirit, the king decided we needed to investigate the second invasion route — and that one was in the elevated districts, where the oldest demi-dragon families lived.
Lyannis walked ahead of me, far too excited for someone who had almost died the day before. Her steps were light, as if she had springs in her feet.
"You're going to love Varr'Hall!" she said, with genuine enthusiasm. "When the sun hits the bridges, everything looks like it's made of gold!"
"I just hope nothing tries to kill us today," muttered Vespera, tightening her coat. "I've had enough heat for an entire month."
"I agree," said Elara. "But considering our luck…"
She didn't need to finish. Liriel simply adjusted the grimoire on her arm and quickened her pace.
"Takumi," said Lyannis, looking back. "Which part of the city do you want to see first? The markets? The towers? The crystal caverns? The artisans' district?"
"I don't know," I replied. "I'm just trying to keep up with your pace."
She laughed, and I heard three sighs behind me — one of irritation, one of jealousy, and one that sounded like pure exhaustion.
When we reached the top, the city opened before us.
It was… magnificent.
Circular structures of white stone connected by suspended bridges made of treated scales, as strong as iron and as light as wind. The entire city seemed to float, held by giant roots of petrified trees that stretched through the air like enormous claws, supporting houses and towers.
Red crystals illuminated the streets. Smaller dragons — hatchlings, maybe — flew between the platforms like giant birds.
"Welcome," said Lyannis, proud.
"This is…" Elara took a deep breath. "Incredible."
"Beautiful," Vespera added, with genuine admiration.
"Ancient," murmured Liriel, analyzing a rune carved into the ground. "Very ancient."
Rai'kanna landed behind us with a gentle flap of her wings. "Focus. The king sent us here because there were attacks on the upper edges. And if the creatures corrupted a spirit yesterday, they could be trying to reach this sector."
"Any idea what we're looking for?" I asked.
"Yes," she said. "Energy fluctuations. Cracked stones. Dead scales."
Vespera frowned. "Dead scales? That's a thing?"
"Among dragons, yes," Rai'kanna replied. "And it's dangerous."
We began walking along the main bridge. The height was absurd — the ground was so far below it looked like clouds.
Lyannis walked at my side, talking about everything at once.
"That's the market! And that there is my uncle's tower. And that's where we train flight! Oh, and—"
"Lyannis," I interrupted gently. "We're here on duty."
She stopped, thought for a moment, and nodded.
"Right. But I can help. And after that, I'll show you everything."
Behind us, the three girls narrowed their eyes at the same time.
The first anomaly appeared on one of the secondary platforms — a huge crack in the ground, as if a giant blade had been struck into it.
Rai'kanna crouched. "This is not natural wear. It's an energy rupture."
Liriel touched the edge. "It's warm… as if something passed through here minutes ago."
"But no one reported any movement," said Elara.
"Then they passed unnoticed," said Vespera. "Or invisible."
Lyannis examined the air with the tip of her spear. "The creatures you fought before… were any of them invisible?"
"No," I replied. "But some moved far too fast."
"Or…" Liriel raised her gaze. "They weren't from this world."
Silence fell.
Rai'kanna rose abruptly, wings tense.
"Something is coming."
"Now?" I asked.
She nodded. "Feel it."
I took a deep breath.
And I felt it.
A shiver, deep and heavy, climbing my spine. It wasn't wind. It wasn't ordinary magic. It was… unstable. Impure.
Then — a sound.
A low growl, coming from the side of the bridge.
"Armor," ordered Elara.
"Spell," said Liriel.
"Behind me!" shouted Lyannis, positioning her spear.
Vespera was already summoning the wind.
I turned my blade and stepped forward.
The shadow appeared first.
A dark shape twisting between the scales of the bridge, advancing far too fast.
Rai'kanna reacted with impressive speed — yet even so, the creature came extremely close before fully revealing itself.
It was some kind of wolf… but made of black smoke, with glowing white eyes and teeth that looked like cracked bone.
"Corrupted," murmured Liriel. "But… more than that. This is… unstable."
The creature advanced.
Lyannis struck first.
The impact of her spear made the creature stagger back — but it reformed in less than a second.
"It regenerates!" shouted Elara.
"Not completely," said Rai'kanna. "The cracks didn't disappear."
"Then we need to attack fast," said Vespera. "Together."
The creature leaped toward me.
I rolled on the ground, spun my sword, and slashed its flank.
The smoke scattered in a spiral — but returned.
Rai'kanna raised a wall of flames, but the creature passed through it with ease.
"What?" she exclaimed.
"It absorbs elemental energy!" shouted Liriel.
"Then we need physical force," concluded Elara.
Lyannis ran to the side, trying to distract the monster.
Her spear cut the shadow again, but the creature swerved sharply and leaped toward the girl.
"Lyannis!" I shouted.
Without thinking, I charged forward.
The flame inside me responded.
My body heated up.
My vision sharpened.
I struck the air with force, and a wave of red light pushed the creature away.
It writhed, howling.
"Takumi!" Lyannis grabbed my arm. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. But stay behind me."
"I want to help—"
"Later! Right now it's dangerous!"
She bit her lip, clearly unhappy, but stepped back.
The creature rose again — larger than before, denser, heavier.
Rai'kanna spread her wings.
"Now!"
Elara fired three arrows at once.
Vespera launched blades of wind.
Liriel extended the grimoire — and a circle of runes formed on the ground.
"Takumi!" she shouted. "Final strike, now!"
The flame responded — stronger than it should have.
Maybe because of the corruption.
Maybe because it was unstable as well.
I advanced.
The creature tried to flee, but Liriel's circle trapped it.
Elara pierced its legs.
Vespera sliced the shadows.
And I struck the core.
The creature exploded into black smoke — which quickly dissipated in the mountain wind.
Silence.
Rai'kanna landed.
"This isn't normal," she said. "This shouldn't exist."
"It was just a creature," said Vespera.
"No. It was a fragment," murmured Liriel. "A piece of something bigger."
Elara cleaned the tip of her arrow. "And that 'something bigger' is getting closer."
Lyannis approached slowly, still holding her spear.
"Takumi… thank you. You saved me again."
She smiled — a shy smile, but steady.
Vespera coughed.
Elara crossed her arms.
Liriel sighed loudly enough to not be natural.
Rai'kanna just looked at me with a mix of irritation and resignation.
We continued walking along the bridge.
The suspended city was still beautiful — but now it felt… threatened.
The wind carried a strange smell.
Ash.
And blood.
I looked ahead.
And saw something on the horizon.
A new crack.
Much larger.
And pulsing like a sick heart.
The flame inside me burned stronger.
"Takumi," said Rai'kanna, serious. "I think we found the second route."
I nodded in silence.
Because I knew that what lay there… was only the beginning.