When they reached their destination, the planet Zatrix, the ship descended gently onto a landing platform. About a hundred meters away, the Celestial Palace stood imposingly, visible even through the glow of the sunset.
As soon as they disembarked from the ship, they headed straight for the palace. As they advanced, in the distance, beyond a strong, electrified fence, they could see the different races that inhabit this planet cheering the names of Arkhos and Elaethe.
Four main races coexist in harmony on Zatrix:
Gods and Demigods: Celestial beings of immense power, responsible for maintaining the balance of the planet.
Nimkru: Rocky-looking creatures that grow over the centuries. The older they are, the bigger and more powerful they become. They possess enormous strength and almost absolute endurance. They were created by the first god who inhabited this world: Munack, father of Arkhos.
Velmorians: Imposing, animal-like beings, up to two meters tall. They are incredibly fast and have a resistant physical structure. Over the centuries, their intelligence has evolved, making them excellent strategists and faithful servants of Elaethe, who created them.
Trinaries: Human in appearance, but marked by dark lines that run across their bodies from birth. The more lines a Trinario has, the greater their power. They have red eyes that allow them to see perfectly in the dark and excel in hand-to-hand combat. It is unknown who created them, but their leader is as powerful as a demigod.
After the reception, and once inside the palace, Arkhos resumed his conversation with his son.
"I think the time has come for you to start training more seriously," he said firmly.
Draygon smiled enthusiastically. He had been waiting for those words for a long time. Ever since he was a child, he had dreamed of becoming stronger. And after seeing the elder gods with his own eyes, his desire had multiplied.
"So... will you train me?" he asked excitedly.
Arkhos slowly shook his head.
"I'd love to, son... but you're not ready yet. Training with me now would not improve you. The difference between us is too great." He placed a hand on his shoulder and added, "However, I have found the perfect person for you. Someone with whom you will begin your journey. When you surpass them, you will face increasingly powerful rivals. If you work hard... sooner or later, you will be ready to train with me personally."
The young god looked down, somewhat disappointed. But he quickly regained his spirits. He understood his father's words. If he wanted to be on his level, he had to earn it.
"All right," he said, clenching his fists. "I'll hurry. I'll get stronger as soon as possible. I'll make you proud."
His father smiled, satisfied.
Draygon looked up at the palace. His goal was clear: to surpass his father and become the most powerful god of all. He knew he wasn't the only one with that goal. Several children of older gods wanted the same thing. But he was willing to do whatever it took.
And he wasn't going to be left behind.
A couple of hours later, Arkhos summoned his son to the palace gates.
"Young Draygon, your father is waiting for you outside," announced a young maid with a slight bow.
"Thank you, Angela. I'll be right there," he replied with a smile.
A few minutes later, he arrived outside the palace and stopped when he saw his father accompanied by an imposing, rock-like figure. It was a Nimkru, one of the strongest and most resilient races on the planet. His presence was intimidating, and his body seemed carved from living stone.
"Well, son," said Arkhos. "This Nimkru will be your first opponent. He is strong, one of the best of his kind. When you defeat him, I will call the most powerful of them all... although you are not yet ready to face him."
The Nimkru stepped forward and looked down, straight into Draygon's eyes. He was at least three meters tall, and his presence was imposing.
"It is an honor, young Draygon. It will be my pleasure to help you become stronger. My name is Butser," he said in a deep, solemn voice.
The young man held the rocky colossus's gaze without looking away. He took a step forward and replied:
"Thank you, Butser. I will do my best."
"Follow me. I will take you to the place where you will train," said Arkhos as he passed between them.
Once inside the palace, Arkhos headed for the great main hall. With apparent ease, he moved aside a huge, elongated table used for the banquets of the gods. Then he removed the enormous carpet that covered the center of the room. When he removed it, a dark metal hatch embedded in the floor was revealed.
"I didn't know we had something like this under the hall," said Draygon, surprised.
"It's a secret known only to a few," replied Arkhos. "Down here we keep things that should not be loose in our universe."
Draygon felt a slight pressure in his chest as he realized the magnitude of the secret.
"But don't worry," his father added. "Everything is well protected. This hatch is made of an almost unbreakable metal, and the floor around it is also reinforced with the same material. Very few things could break through it."
"I see... that makes me feel better," said his son, nodding.
Suddenly, with a simple snap of his fingers, a purple gem appeared in Arkhos's hand. He bent down and inserted it into a perfectly carved hole in the gate. At that very moment, it opened with a slight metallic hum.
"Of course, without this gem it is impossible to open it," he explained.
Draygon and Butser watched intently. The young man could not hide his amazement, while the stone giant's stony face showed little reaction, although his eyes glinted slightly, betraying a certain surprise.
Arkhos began to descend the stairs, lighting the way with his hand wrapped in fire, a manifestation of the power he easily commanded. Behind him, his son and Butser followed slowly, attentive to every step on that deep and mysterious descent.
Once below, Draygon was amazed. The place was much larger than he had imagined, as if a second palace were hidden beneath the foundations of the first.
The walls, metallic and dark like the gate they had passed through, gave the room a solemn and ancient feel. Numerous objects and weapons were lined up throughout the enclosure, enclosed in transparent glass, as if they were treasures too powerful to be exposed to the world.
Among them, one in particular caught the young man's attention. He approached, mesmerized, until he stood before an imposing, sharp, and gleaming spear, forged from a golden metal that seemed to absorb light and reflect it back with greater intensity. The blade had a majestic shape, with curved edges and symmetries that evoked ancient sacred runes, as if it had been sculpted by divine hands.
The shaft, dark and sturdy, seemed to be made of the same material as the walls surrounding them. It was not just a weapon: it was a symbol of lineage, of heritage... and of power. It was a spear worthy of a god.
The god of order approached his son, who was staring in awe at the majestic spear.
"That spear was created by your grandfather, the god Munack," he said solemnly. "Just like this place. Much of what you see down here was forged by him or conquered in battle."
"It's incredible... When I saw it, I felt something special," confessed Draygon, without looking away.
"I'm not surprised," replied his father. "Not only did he create it, it was also his first weapon in combat. He learned to forge weapons from a young age. He always said he didn't trust wielding a weapon forged by someone else.
"I'm sure Grandfather was really powerful.
"He was, very much so," replied Arkhos with pride in his voice. And since I see you like the spear so much... it will be yours once you defeat the demigod Freith in combat. He will be your third opponent. When you defeat him, the spear will be yours. Does that seem fair?
"Really? If I defeat Freith, you'll give me the spear?" he asked, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Of course, son. But remember that Freith is the strongest demigod on our planet. It won't be easy... nor will it be quick."
"I'll give it my all to make it happen as soon as possible, Father! Thank you very much!"
Arkhos, smiling and hoping to see the best possible performance from his son after his promise, placed a hand on his shoulder and said:
"It's time to begin the fight."
Then he turned and added in a firm voice:
"Come with me."
He began walking toward a room at the back of the underground enclosure. When he arrived, he opened a heavy metal door that slid open with a slight hum.
On the other side was a colossal room. The walls and floor were made of the same dark metal as in the previous room, but here they shone with a special intensity, as if no one had ever touched them.
"This is our family's training ground. What do you think?" asked Arkhos.
"It's perfect... But it looks like it's never been used," he replied, intrigued.
"The last time anyone used it was me. And he ended up completely destroyed," Arkhos said with a half-smile. "This is where I fought your mother's father to win his acceptance as her husband.
"You fought Grandfather Eldorm here?" Draygon asked, surprised.
"Yes, we almost destroyed the palace," he replied with a nostalgic laugh. This place is fine for certain levels of power, but once you go too far... nothing is completely indestructible. Still, don't worry, you're not going to destroy it today. And if you ever do, I'll be proud of you.
"I would have loved to see that fight. But let's not waste any more time. Let's get started, Butser," said Draygon, turning to him with determination.