The sedan pulled into the private terminal of the airport. The building was small but refined, its tinted glass walls reflecting the morning sun like polished obsidian. Inside, the marble floors gleamed so cleanly they mirrored the steps of those who walked across them.
A sleek white jet waited on the tarmac, its engines already humming in preparation. The Kindlehart entourage moved briskly, bypassing formalities as if the terminal itself existed solely for them.
Cecilia Kindlehart walked at the center of the group, every movement precise, her posture perfect. Her yellow hair shimmered under the sun— marked her unmistakably as Kindlehart blood.
Around her, several clan members followed; their features bore a family resemblance— pale skin kissed with a golden undertone, hair in shades of fire— yellow, copper, amber— and eyes that burned faintly when the light struck them.
They boarded without pause. The jet's interior was tailored for nobility— broad leather seats, soft golden lighting, and thin trails of perfumed smoke rising from an incense bowl set into the wall.
Cecilia sat by the window, her gaze distant, already fixed on the artifact awaiting her. Levi chose a seat near the rear, shrinking into silence, sweat clinging to his brow despite the cool cabin air.
The flight passed without event. Hours later, they descended into the expanded lands of the new Earth— a place transformed since the age when the constellations first appeared. From the sky, the desert stretched endlessly below.
Another black sedan awaited them at the private runway, flanked by armored SUVs. Guards in tailored black suits with the Kindlehart insignia— a burning sun with Eight golden rays— stood at attention. Their yellow-tinted hair shimmered under the sunlight, betraying their branch bloodline.
The convoy cut swiftly across the fractured land, leaving the last traces of urban sprawl behind. The scenery shifted to desert, the heat intensifying until the air itself shimmered. Jagged rock formations rose in the distance, their shapes twisted as if scarred by something far greater than time.
Levi pressed his face to the window, sweat prickling at his brow. From his past knowledge, he knew that this place was formally referred to as Valley Glen. But now a huge valley was all that was left.
It was now a valley formed by calamity, said to have been scarred when the Three-Legged Golden Crow fell from the heavens. But that was history. Whatever Valley Glen had been, it was no more. The land before him had shifted again, warped by the constellations' expansion, leaving only a harsh, unfamiliar wasteland in its wake.
The moment Levi stepped out of the car, the air struck him— thick, dry, oppressive. Sweat rolled freely down his temples, soaking into his collar. He forced himself upright, even as the air seemed to scrape against his lungs.
The Kindleharts, however, were at home here. The fire within their blood responded to the environment. Their steps grew lighter, their eyes sharper, as though the heat itself nourished them. A faint golden sheen lingered around some of them, origin energy seeping unconsciously from their bodies.
Dozens of guards surrounded them now, their presence thick and watchful.
"Where is it?". Cecilia asked the guard in charge excitedly.
The man in charge of the operation, wore a simple suit without any unnecessary accessories. His hair yellow was cut short. And his hand was bare.
"Wouldn't the young miss like to take a rest for a moment". He offered with a smile.
But Cecilia only glared at him.
The man cleared his throat again, trying to keep his composure under Cecilia's piercing glare. "The gateway has been secured, Miss. No one can enter or leave without authorization."
Cecilia didn't respond. She simply adjusted her posture, eyes narrowing as she surveyed the seemingly ordinary surroundings.
Levi followed silently, sweat still beading on his forehead, his discomfort amplified by the heat radiating from the valley.
The air shimmered slightly above the ground, like the faint distortion one sees above a flame.
"Lead the way". Cecilia said, her voice crisp, leaving no room for discussion.
The man nodded quickly, signaling the guards. They moved in a precise formation, weapons held firm.
The path ahead wound through the trees and rock formations, the heat making the air waver like a living curtain. Every stepp felt measured, the guard's eyes scanning for the slightest anomaly.
Levi kept to the shadows of the group, taking in every detail. The valley was eerily quiet aside from the faint crackle of heat, as if the land itself was holding its breath.
At the center of a small clearing, the gateway appeared. Invisible to an untrained eye, it shimmered faintly— like sunlight bending over hot asphalt.
The air above it was slightly distorted, a gentle ripple, betraying the presence of something far from ordinary.
Cecilia's lips curved into a small smile. She stepped forward, not fearful of any danger, her confidence absolute as the guards maintained a tight perimeter around her.
"Young miss, I would like to warn you. The gateway to the artifact only allow the entrance of Grade 3 Sorcerers..... Which means I won't be able to accompany you". The man said in a grim voice.
"Is that so?". Cecilia had a pondering look for a second before replying. "Then assign me a competent Sorcerer".
"Yes. Young miss allow me to introduce you to Nayla. She is one of the most competent Sorcerer we have here, and she would be responsible for your safety and any adversaries....". The man replied.
A young lady walked out if the midst of the gairds. She was young— no older than twenty— with short, dark hair cut just above her shoulders and a calm, disciplined air about her.
She wore the Kindlehart crest stitched subtly into the collar of her uniform. Her eyes, a deep amber, glowed faintly as she bowed.
"Young miss. Nayla, at your service."
'Young miss here, young miss there'. Levi rubbed his ears in annoyance. 'They said young miss less in the movie Young Miss'.
[Host stop hating. And there is no such movie as Young Miss] The system said in his head.
'You know? If you spent half the energy you use correcting me on something useful, you wouldn't be so useless". Levi snapped back.
[I am not useless.]
'Sure, keep telling yourself that'. Levi muttered mentally, tuning the system out.
The formation was finalized— ten sorcerers excluding Nayla and Lyra. Nayla led at the front, her presence calm but firm. Two more sorcerers flanked Cecilia directly, while Lyra lingered just behind her, fingers twitching nervously. Levi was placed at Lyra's side, with two sorcerers guarding the rear.
Without another word, they stepped into the wavering air.
The sensation was immediate— like plunging into liquid light. The world bent around them, then snapped back.
Golden heat washed over them.
They stood in a broken realm where molten ground stretched in every direction, glowing rivers of lava splitting the terrain. The air shimmered endlessly, the heat so heavy Levi felt it clinging to his skin, searing his lungs.
All around them, the remnants of sunken wooden houses jutted from the molten ground. Their beams, blackened and half-consumed, leaned at impossible angles as though time had drowned them in fire.
And at the far center, a single house remained untouched— larger, upright, its frame sharp against the golden haze. It radiated authority, a silent challenge in the middle of ruin.
Cecilia's eyes gleamed. Without hesitation, she moved forward, Kindlehart sorcerers fanning out around her like fire-forged blades. Nayla led the way, gaze sharp and scanning.
Lyra shadowed Cecilia, her face pale, while Levi trailed close, the heat nearly unbearable. Around him, the Kindlehart sorcerers seemed almost invigorated, their fire-tuned bodies feeding on the realm's molten energy.
The group pressed forward, each step across the half-sunken rooftops heavy with tension. Beneath their feet, golden lava hissed and bubbled, casting their shadows long and twisted.
The higher house loomed closer, its shadow stretching wide across the molten expanse—ominous, unyielding, waiting.