The Aerial Observation Platform was quickly dismissed as the Obsidian Phalanx reached the entrance of the towering mountain pass. They stood at the canyon's edge, surrounded by chaotic, volatile mana. The immense scale of the rock face confirmed this was the region of the nexus point.
"We need to find the entrance," Zane commanded, surveying the sheer rock walls. "Given the size of the original Dragon, the cave entrance won't be subtle."
"The old journal doesn't specify the entrance, only the location of the nexus," Sylva noted, consulting her maps. "We need to cover the cliff face, but there's too much debris."
Kaelus looked up, recalling the terrifying final memory of his reincarnation—waking up as a fledgling dragon near a powerful light source in the darkness. He knew the cave entrance wasn't at the base, but above.
"I will scout the above," Kaelus announced. He closed his eyes, channeling his newly expanded core. Drawing the immense Wind mana from the volatile atmosphere, he fused it with his core essence. With a subtle crackle, a pair of elegant, translucent green wings—the Tempest Wings—snapped into existence on his back.
He launched himself skyward, leaving his teammates staring up in awe. The Tempest Wings felt natural, faster, and more stable than when he had used them against the Wyvern. He flew high, tracing the upper cliff lines. He flew for barely a minute before spotting it: a massive, half-collapsed opening, heavily overgrown with ancient vines—the true entrance, hundreds of feet above the canyon floor.
Kaelus signaled the team and rapidly descended.
"The entrance is up there," Kaelus said, pointing to the ledge.
"We saw the signal," Sylva replied, pointing to a fissure near the base of the canyon. "But look here, Kaelus. This is what we found while you were scouting. It looks like a secondary, concealed entrance."
The team gathered around a narrow, horizontal fissure barely wide enough for one person to squeeze through. Unlike the chaotic outer canyon, the air inside the fissure was cold and still.
"The mana flow here is unnaturally suppressed," Zane observed, running his hand along the rock face. "Almost deliberately sealed. This must be the path used by the First Mage Emperor and his party to enter the Dragon's Cave."
"If this is sealed, it means we don't announce our presence to whatever is inside," Sylva concluded. "It's the safer option. Kaelan, clear the passage."
Kaelan used his Earth magic to gently widen the fissure, creating just enough space for the Phalanx to enter single-file. Zathis took point, using his Geyser Flicker for silent penetration, followed by Vara, then Sylva, Zane, Jian, Grund, and Kaelus bringing up the rear.
The darkness inside the cave was absolute, heavier than any night. Zathis activated a faint Fire spell that clung to the tip of his dagger, providing minimal visibility.
The air was stagnant but permeated with the profound scent of ancient mana—a mixture of earth, crystal, and a subtle, pervasive wind that carried no temperature. Kaelus immediately recognized the environment. This was home, the place of his rebirth.
The path twisted downward for what felt like an hour, descending into the heart of the mountain. The walls of the tunnel were lined with Mana Stones, confirming Kaelus's memory. These were the very stones of his earliest existence.
"The concentration of pure mana here is incredible," Sylva whispered. "It exceeds even the Imperial Mage Tower."
"Look out!" Jian hissed from the center of the formation.
A pack of C-Rank Cave Bats, monsters that typically preyed on mana-infused insects, descended upon them. These weren't dangerous, but their screeches would compromise their position.
"Silent kill!" Zane ordered. "Kaelus, area clear!"
Kaelus channeled a burst of Wind magic. He didn't use the Needle Rain; instead, he deployed silent, localized Vortex Spheres that rapidly enveloped each bat, crushing them to dust without a sound.
As they proceeded, the monster encounters became more frequent. They encountered B-Rank Shadow Stalkers that could cloak themselves in darkness and A-Rank Crystal Vipers whose venom was corrosive.
Zathis and Vara handled the stealthy threats, utilizing their heightened senses and dual-element mobility to dispatch the Shadow Stalkers before they could trigger an alarm. Kaelan and Grund were forced to set up micro-barricades using their Wood element to control choke points and prevent ambushes from the Vipers.
Kaelus noted that the closer they got to the center, the fewer monsters they encountered. It seemed an invisible force—the residual Dragon Barrier—was still keeping the higher-rank threats at bay.
After another hour of intense, silent combat and navigation, the tunnel finally opened into an immense cavern. It was vast, its ceiling disappearing into the darkness. However, high above, its ceiling had a faint light, indicating another entrance to the peak. The floor was uneven and covered in scattered crystals.
"The sheer scale of this place..." Grund murmured, his voice echoing.
In the center of the cavern, Kaelus saw it: the familiar flat stone platform where his mother had lain dying. It was now empty, the immense scaly body having long since dissolved into mana. But surrounding the platform were vast, intricate Ancient Runes, glowing faintly—the residual energy of the Dragon Barrier.
"The Nexus Point," Sylva breathed. "This is the source."
Zane quickly established a perimeter. "Sylva, Jian, check the structural integrity of the runes. Kaelus, confirm the status of the barrier."
Kaelus walked toward the center platform, his heart heavy with grief and final purpose. He knelt down, placing his hand on the cold stone where his mother once lay. He channeled his Dragon Core, sending a pulse of pure, immense Wind mana into the nexus point. He needed to know if the barrier was truly gone.
Kaelus closed his eyes, focusing his core's energy into the platform. The Wind mana flowed out of his core and plunged into the massive network of runes carved into the stone. The runes responded immediately, glowing with an intense, emerald light that filled the cavern. The stone platform pulsed, drawing the pure energy from Kaelus's core. Kaelus felt his immense mana pool being drained rapidly, far faster than any previous exertion, confirming the immense energy cost of maintaining the shield.
The energy surged back into the runes, activating them sequentially. The ancient writings flared, displaying the energy level of the original barrier. The results were terrifying. The main barrier was less than one percent active. The shield was, for all intents and purposes, completely gone. The chaotic mana outside was flowing freely, causing the monster evolution.
Kaelus cut off the mana flow, panting heavily. The vastness of the task ahead was crushing. He turned to Sylva, his face grim. "The barrier is gone, Sylva. Completely gone. And it requires a constant, massive stream of energy to maintain. The Dragons of Mythos must have been feeding the shield with their own life force."
"So the monster surge—" Zane began.
"It's about to get worse," Kaelus interrupted. "The collapse of the shield means the veil between Atlas and Terra is thinning rapidly. We are on the clock. We need to find the true invasion point now, before the Players breach the final defense."
Sylva nodded, her eyes wide with dread. "We must find the precise point where the rift is opening. That's the Players' door."
Kaelus activated his Mana Sense, pushing it to its absolute continental limit, searching for an anomaly, a sign of intrusion, a tear in the fabric of their dimension. The entire cavern was silent as they waited for the critical information that would decide the fate of Terra.