The moon hung low, casting a silvery glow over the village as Light stood silently outside the inn. His breath fogged in the cool night air. A soft breeze brushed past him, carrying the smell of morning dew yet to come. Kyle stepped beside him, rubbing his eyes.
"You don't sleep much, do you?" Kyle asked.
Light smiled faintly, his eyes fixed on the distant horizon. "Dreams aren't made for everyone."
Before Kyle could respond, a shimmer of light burst in the sky. A messenger descended—a celestial being cloaked in radiant fabric. "The Council summons you again, Marshal Light. An international mission awaits."
---
The Summoning
The following morning, the village square buzzed with whispers. Light, now clad in his Marshal armor, stood with his companions. Kyle, dressed in simpler gear but eager, adjusted his shoulder strap. Beside him were Aelric, a sharp-tongued swordsman, and Mira, a mage with a calm demeanor and piercing gaze.
They prepared to depart to the Capital—a sacred city where angels once descended to purify the land. It had become the heart of power and magic, home to elite warriors, musicians, and mages.
"The journey's long," Kyle muttered, eyeing the map.
Light looked to the sky and whispered a silent prayer. A golden glyph lit beneath his feet. From the clouds descended a massive, elegant beast—wings of light, a body shimmering like a constellation.
Velgrith, the Heavenly Dragon, had arrived.
The villagers gasped. Mira's eyes widened. "It's beautiful... and cute?"
Velgrith growled softly, nuzzling Light, who smiled for the first time in days.
They mounted, and Velgrith soared through the skies, revealing lush forests, distant mountains, and floating islands veiled by clouds. The wind whispered ancient songs.
---
A Moment of Peace
They landed near a lakeside village for the night. While resting, Light noticed a child playing with his mother and father.
He smiled.
Kyle, curious, asked, "Why are you smiling like that?"
Light responded, "I never had a father or mother. But watching that... it feels warm."
Suddenly, a soft memory shimmered into view.
A younger Light—only a child in appearance, though centuries old—running through radiant gardens of Heaven. Angels laughed and played with him. Archangel Gabriel lifted him onto his shoulders, spinning him in the air.
"Faster, Gabe! Faster!" the young Light giggled.
The memory faded, leaving a soft glow on Light's face.
And Ifrit And His Army Bow to Almighty and Little Light Saying and Jumping " King Is coming" and Bow to Almighty like a Kid.
---
The Capital & The Trials
They arrived at the towering gates of the Capital. Guarding it were soldiers clad in armor enchanted with runes.
"State your ranks."
"Marshal," Light answered.
The guards stood aside, bowing. "You may enter."
Within, the streets were alive with magical lights, rune-forged bridges, and floating platforms. Mages danced flames above their palms. Libraries the size of palaces stretched into the sky.
In the center of the city was a massive arena.
The Ascension Trials—a legendary tournament held only once every decade. Only Marshals and Grandmasters could enter. Victors would gain knowledge, relics, license for International Enter and access to the Forbidden Library—where fragments of the lost Divine Map were kept.
Light needed that map. A piece had been found in the first village. Now he needed the rest.
But first—a mission.
The Council tasked them to travel to the Verdant Expanse, a jungle riddled with lost ruins. There, they would assist with a surge of corrupted beasts. It was also rumored a witch dwelled there.
The Witch's Tears
---
They reached a hut made of roots and crystal moss. An old, blind witch greeted them. "You, servant of the stars… my daughter, Elara… she ventured to the Black Fangs three moons ago… Find her… before the dark finishes what it started."
The group pressed onward into the cursed forest. A heavy silence lay over them. They discovered torn clothing, broken jewelry, and finally—bodies. Dozens of young women, all drained of essence. Kyle turned pale.
Light narrowed his eyes and raised a sigil. "Come forth, Death."
A shadow crawled from the ground and took form—tall, cloaked, and faceless. A servant of the Veil.
"Greet the servant of the Lord," Light commanded. "Speak, spirit. What happened here?"
Death bowed. "A dark king, born of shadows. Asfari, child of Morrigan, took them to feed his rites."
Riven clenched his fists. "We end him."
The jungle led to a ruined temple covered in obsidian vines. Inside, Asfari awaited—draped in regal decay, with a crown of thorns and bleeding eyes. He wielded corrupted staves that summoned spirits of flame and ice.
The battle began.
---
Epic Battle Sequence
Asfari launched spectral chains at Ayra, but Kyle cut them mid-air. Riven used shadow strikes to break Asfari's illusions. Light stood still, then summoned twin swords wreathed in golden fire.
Asfari raised a hand, summoning a storm of corrupted souls. Light dashed forward—every swing a flash of lightning. A ghost wolf pounced from behind, but Velgrith—now summoned in miniature form—swallowed it mid-air with divine flame.
Ayra cast a blessing ring on the team, allowing them to resist necrotic burns. Riven teleported behind Asfari, stabbing him—but Asfari split into five. A clone struck Kyle in the side. Light's aura flared.
With one breath, Light exhaled dragonfire—a beam that disintegrated three clones.
"Asfari!" Light roared. "You have one chance."
But Asfari laughed. "You are too late. The Queen of Shadows stirs… Morrigan sees you now."
Light raised his blade, but stopped. "Then Live as my Veilborne."
He touched Asfari's heart with his sigil. The dark king screamed—and collapsed.
kneeling before Light.
The witch's daughter was found in a crystal prison nearby—alive, weak, but breathing.
The witch, when they returned, touched Light's hand. Her voice shook: "I saw it… the throne… black rain… corpses at your feet… And you, alone."
Light remained silent, but his eyes dimmed.
---
The chapter ends with the group returning to Celestis, where the Tournament of Ascension was about to begin…