The first whispers of spring had not yet reached the Forbidden Peaks. Snow still clung stubbornly to jagged cliffs, and the wind screamed through narrow valleys like the wailing of unseen spirits. Aurora led Spirit Sky to the northern edge, where the mountains rose like jagged teeth, black against the pale dawn.
Each step was measured. Every flap of Spirit Sky's wings tested balance, endurance, and instinct. Aurora did not speak more than necessary; her commands were precise, uttered in the quietest tones, carrying only enough information to guide, never to soothe.
"Observe," she whispered as Spirit Sky hovered above a frost-covered ridge. "Every movement, every reflection, every whisper of energy belongs to someone, something. Learn it."
Spirit Sky's eyes, one crimson and one swirling with the cosmos, scanned the terrain with increasing awareness. He was no longer merely reacting; he began to anticipate. The currents of space, the subtle distortion of Soul energy, the lingering aura of the Undead—all of it painted a tapestry in his mind that he could navigate instinctively.
The first trial came as the sun barely crested the horizon: a pack of Icebound Wraith Drakes, each larger than Spirit Sky, descending in synchronized formation from a high cliff. Their scales shimmered pale blue, tipped with frozen spikes, eyes glowing with spectral intelligence. Aurora's expression remained unreadable.
"Split them," she instructed softly. "Draw two to the left. The rest follow—your element synergy will be enough."
Spirit Sky twisted midair, a ripple of space bending around him, and reappeared behind the leading drake. Ghoul energy surged, corrosion fog drifting from his claws as he struck with precision. The drake shrieked, swinging its tail infused with Soul essence. Space warped around Spirit Sky, distorting perception, while the remaining drakes misjudged his position.
The battle was over in moments, but Aurora's analysis never ceased. Every reaction, every elemental clash, every micro-adjustment was logged within her mind. Spirit Sky had grown stronger—more coordinated, more strategic—but the true challenge had only begun.
Over the following weeks, Aurora pushed him harder. They hunted single dragons first, testing reflexes, elemental mastery, and stamina. A Frostveil Drake, capable of subtle Space distortions, fell to Spirit Sky's coordinated strikes: Soul fog masked his approach, Ghoul energy corroded defensive scales, and Undead aura slowed the drake's recovery. Each kill brought him closer to Commander Tier, his instincts sharpening, his body growing.
By the third month, Spirit Sky's transformation was undeniable. His wings spanned nearly four meters, claws sharpened to lethal precision, and his scales glittered faintly with the first hints of starlight-infused veins. He moved with a grace that belied his size, instinct and calculation perfectly synchronized. Aurora's hand, resting lightly on his snout, traced constellations forming across his body as if the night sky itself had taken residence.
"The mutation block looms ahead," she murmured. "Only four dragons of matching elements can provide the essence to advance beyond Commander Tier. Each encounter must be flawless."
Aurora's strategy became a lattice of calculation. She mapped territories where suitable dragons roamed, analyzed combat sequences, and prepared contingencies for every conceivable scenario. Every skirmish was rehearsal; every flight a study of terrain, wind, and elemental flow. Spirit Sky responded, no longer merely learning, but predicting, calculating, executing.
The first true test arrived in the shadow of a jagged peak: a Crimson Void Drake. Legendary among those who had glimpsed it, the drake radiated Space and Soul energy, its scales fractured like shards of glass, eyes glowing with spectral purple intelligence. Aurora crouched behind a boulder, observing.
"Flank left," she whispered. "Avoid Soul collision. Use Undead as distraction."
Spirit Sky vanished in a ripple of warped space, reappearing behind the drake. Claws slashed, fangs tore, and Ghoul energy corroded the lower wing membrane. Soul fog masked further strikes, Space distortions warped perception, and the drake collapsed with a shudder, essence absorbed. Aurora noted every detail: reaction times, elemental synergy, and wound patterns.
[Spirit Sky → Late Commander Tier][Level: 31]
No sooner had the drake fallen than a pack of Sky-Shadow Wyrms descended from the cliffs. Each was as large as Spirit Sky, wings black and flecked with cosmic dust, eyes glowing ghostly blue. Five approached at once. A direct confrontation would be fatal.
"Draw two to the left," Aurora instructed, pointing with a single finger. Spirit Sky warped through the snow, leaving afterimages to confuse the attackers. Two crashed into the cliffside; the others pursued him into open space.
Ghoul energy surged through him, draining vitality from the nearest wyrm, while Soul fog masked his next strike. Space distortions twisted perception; the remaining two miscalculated, one final claw and bite leaving all three dead. Aurora exhaled, noting minor scratches but excellent energy efficiency.
[Spirit Sky → Early Lord Tier][Level: 32]
By the fifth month, they faced Legendary Elite Lord Tier dragons:
Ghoul-Spirit Leviathan – corpse-dragon hybrid, wings spanning ten meters, chilling aura draining life from all within 20 meters.
Void-Soul Serpent – serpentine drake, capable of warping Space and Soul to attack from multiple dimensions.
Star-Eclipse Wyrm – agile and intelligent, combining Space and Soul attacks with the ability to phase through physical strikes.
Each encounter tested every aspect of Spirit Sky's abilities: stamina, attack timing, elemental combination, and tactical precision. Hours of battle honed instincts and refined strategy. He learned to anticipate attacks, conserve energy, and exploit weaknesses with surgical accuracy.
By the end of the fifth month, Spirit Sky was formidable: wings spanning six meters, scales glittering like trapped nebulae, claws slicing ice effortlessly, fangs dripping latent Ghoul energy. Aurora's cold gaze noted the final hurdle—the mutation block threshold.
"Four dragons, Level 40 or higher," she explained silently, gesture and gaze conveying the plan. "Each encounter must be calculated. Failure is not an option."
They began scouting the peaks for:
Space → Rift Phantom Drake
Soul → Spiritfire Wyrm
Undead → Graveborn Serpent
Ghoul → Corpsewing Leviathan
Weeks passed in preparation. Spirit Sky trained, honing elemental mastery, sharpening claws, and perfecting maneuvers. Aurora's mind ran endless simulations, calculating trajectories, reaction times, and environmental advantages.
The Rift Phantom Drake, partially invisible and shifting unpredictably through space, became the first challenge. After hours of precise maneuvers, Spirit Sky bit through its spine, essence absorbed.
[Spirit Sky → Mid Lord Tier][Level: 34]
Next, the Spiritfire Wyrm radiated life essence, Soul attacks burning with corrosive speed. Lured into a narrow canyon, Spirit Sky used warp, Ghoul energy, and Soul fog to weaken and confuse the drake. Essence absorbed.
[Spirit Sky → Late Lord Tier][Level: 36]
The Graveborn Serpent, regenerating wounds instantly, required rapid Space warps and Ghoul strikes to overcome. Aurora's calculations proved flawless; after 40 grueling minutes, Spirit Sky claimed essence.
[Spirit Sky → Late Lord Tier][Level: 38]
Finally, the Corpsewing Leviathan—a gargantuan apex predator—tested the full combination of Space, Soul, Ghoul, and Undead mastery. Hours of battle ended with Spirit Sky absorbing the last essence.
[Spirit Sky → Level 40, Mutation Block Achieved]
Aurora knelt beside him, tracing scales faintly glittering with starlight. "You've done it," she whispered, "but this is only the beginning."
Spirit Sky exhaled, wings beating, eyes reflecting cosmic and spectral energies. The mutation block was broken. He had grown from hatchling to Level 40 Lord Tier in a single year, absorbing essence from four elemental dragons, ready for trials that would test mind, instinct, and power.