CHAPTER 139: HOME

A voice echoed in their minds, not through their ears. "Who dares disturb my slumber?"

Mela took a step back, her needles buzzing around her. "What was that? Show yourself!"

Serian placed a hand on Mela’s shoulder. "Wait. This is not a force we should provoke."

Nox ignored them and walked toward the cave. The pull from the egg in his chest was undeniable, a compass pointing him home.

"Human, are you insane? That is a lair! Something powerful lives there!" Mela shouted.

"Yeah, I know. That’s the point."

He stepped into the darkness, and the two elves, after a moment of shared hesitation, had no choice but to follow. The cave was not dark inside. A soft, warm light emanated from the very rocks, illuminating a vast cavern. Piles of gold, jewels, and ancient artifacts were scattered around like a child’s forgotten toys. In the center, a huge, ancient dragon was lying on a bed of treasure. Its scales were a dull, faded gold, and one of its wings was torn and scarred. It looked less like a fearsome monster and more like a tired old man. It lifted its massive head slowly, its golden eyes focusing on them.

"Three little mice," the dragon’s voice echoed in their minds again, though its mouth did not move. "An angry elf, a lost star, and..." its gaze fell on Nox, and a flicker of something ancient and knowing passed through its eyes. "And a walking void. How strange."

Mela just stared, her face pale, her needles hovering uselessly around her. Serian, recognizing the ancient power before her, gave a respectful bow. "Great one, we did not mean to intrude. We are merely lost travelers."

The dragon ignored her, its gaze fixed on Nox. "You carry a heavy burden, child of the void. An unopened sun. An heir of my kind."

’A dragon. Of course, it’s a dragon. And it knows about the egg.’

"What do you want?" Nox asked, his voice blunt.

The dragon let out a dry, rattling sound that might have been a chuckle. "Direct. I like that. What do I want? I want to sleep, little void. But my time is short, and the world is no longer a kind place for my kind." It shifted its weight, a movement that sent a cascade of gold coins sliding down its side. "That egg you carry. It is one of the last. A promise of a new dawn. I can feel its potential, and I can feel your bond to it. You are its guardian."

"Yeah, I got the memo. Big scary dragon lady gave me the brand and the mission."

The ancient dragon’s eyes widened slightly. "She... she still lives? The Mother of Ashes? Incredible." It was quiet for a long moment. "Then my task is a simple one. The armor you wear... it is a hungry thing. A shell of the abyss. It requires sustenance to grow, to become a proper shell for the new sun. I will give you a piece of myself. A catalyst."

It reached up with a single, massive claw and plucked a large, glowing scale from its own chest. Blood, thick and golden like molten metal, welled up for a moment before the wound sealed itself. The dragon did not even flinch. It tossed the scale, which was the size of a dinner plate, toward Nox. It landed at his feet with a soft chime.

"Take it. Absorb it. Let my fading fire temper your endless darkness. It will help you protect the child."

Nox looked down at the scale, then back at the dragon. "What’s the catch?"

"The catch," the dragon’s voice was full of a deep, ancient weariness, "is that you must survive. Now go. My rest is all that remains."

The massive dragon lowered its head back onto its pile of treasure, its golden eyes closing. The light in the cavern began to dim.

Nox did not hesitate. He picked up the scale. It was warm and hummed with a quiet power.

[Heartscale of the Setting Sun (Mythic)]

[Description: A scale from an ancient sun dragon, shed at the end of its life. It contains a lifetime of condensed fire and life energy.]

[Use: Can be absorbed by symbiotic armor to initiate a powerful evolution.]

’Liona, absorb it.’

[Acknowledged.]

The scale dissolved in his hands, flowing up his arms not as light, but as pure, molten heat. The black, chitinous plates of the Armor of the Abyssal Monarch, which were hidden under his skin, manifested. The armor began to glow with deep red lines, like veins of magma. The black plates shifted and reformed, becoming sleeker, sharper, with small, wicked-looking barbs growing from the gauntlets and pauldrons. The empty void of the armor was now filled with a faint, pulsing red light, like the embers of a dying star.

[Armor of the Abyssal Monarch has evolved.]

[New Designation: Infernal Monarch Armor.]

[New Passive Ability Unlocked: Dying Ember’s Retribution. A portion of damage taken is stored and can be released in a burst of fiery, void-laced energy.]

[Set Bonus Upgraded: Monarch’s Dominion now has a secondary fire-aspected effect.]

He felt the new power settle into him, a comfortable warmth that was a stark contrast to his usual cold void.

"Nox... what did you do?" Serian asked, staring at his new, more demonic-looking armor.

He dismissed the armor, letting it recede back under his skin. "I got another upgrade." He looked at the dimming cave and the sleeping dragon. "Come on. He told us to leave."

They walked out of the cave, back into the cold mountain air. Mela was completely silent, her mind still trying to process the fact that they had just had a civil conversation with a dragon.

---

The rest of the journey through the mountains was surprisingly uneventful. They encountered a few more corrupted beasts—a large, angry-looking mountain cat with crystal claws and a flock of skeletal birds—but they were no match for the newly-coordinated team. Mela would use her poison to slow them, Serian would exploit their weaknesses with her divine light, and Nox would end the fight with a single, brutally efficient strike.

He was different now. The transformation in the Lich’s tomb had changed him. His movements were precise, his attacks were clinical, and he fought with a cold, detached focus that was more terrifying than his old berserker rage.

Serian watched him, her heart a tangled mess of relief and sorrow. He was becoming an incredible warrior, but she felt like the angry, reckless boy she had started to care for was slipping away, replaced by this perfect, cold weapon.

Mela, on the other hand, was starting to prefer the new Nox. He was still an arrogant human, but he was a predictable, efficient, and undeniably powerful arrogant human. He was less likely to do something stupid that would get them all killed. That, she could respect.

On the fifth day of their mountain journey, they crested a high ridge, and Serian stopped dead, her breath catching in her throat.

"There," she whispered.

Below them, nestled in a hidden valley warmed by natural hot springs, was a small, elegant settlement. The buildings were not made of wood or stone, but were grown from living, silver-barked trees, their branches weaving together to form graceful arches and glowing, leaf-covered domes. A single, slender tower of pure, white crystal rose from the center of the valley, pulsing with a soft, gentle light. The air was clean, pure, and hummed with a powerful, protective magic.

"The Sanctuary of the Silver Moon," Serian said, tears welling in her eyes. "It’s real. They’re here."

"Looks... clean," Nox commented, scanning the valley. His enhanced senses could feel the powerful barrier of pure mana that surrounded the entire place. ’A high-tier defensive ward. Impressive.’

Just as they were about to start their descent, a voice, sharp and commanding, cut through the air.

"That’s far enough, trespassers."

Three figures appeared on the path ahead of them as if from thin air. They were all Sun Elves, their golden hair and fair skin a stark contrast to Mela’s dark complexion. They wore gleaming, silver armor and carried swords that seemed to be forged from pure moonlight.

The one in the lead, a woman with a severe expression and a long, white-gold braid, leveled her sword at them. "This is a sacred place. State your purpose, or be met with force."

Serian stepped forward, her hood falling back to reveal her face. "Vexia! It is I!"

The lead elf’s severe expression dissolved into one of pure, disbelieving shock. "Serian? Little sister? Is that truly you?"

Before Serian could answer, the second elf, a woman with a wild mane of golden hair and a confident, warrior’s stance, let out a whoop of joy and rushed forward, scooping Serian up in a hug that lifted her off the ground.

"I knew it! I knew you’d make it, you little brat!"

"Elisa! Put me down, you’ll break my ribs!" Serian laughed, her earlier tears now tears of pure joy.

Vexia, the leader, finally recovered from her shock and walked forward, a rare, warm smile on her face. She put a hand on Serian’s cheek. "We felt your presence grow near. We have been waiting for you for so long."

The reunion was a chaotic, happy mess of laughter and tears. Nox and Mela just stood back, watching awkwardly.

’So that’s the bookworm and the bruiser,’ Nox thought, sizing them up. ’They feel strong. Really strong.’

Vexia’s gaze finally fell on them, her smile fading as she took in Mela’s dark elven features and Nox’s... everything. Her eyes narrowed. "Sister, who are your... companions?"

"This is Mela of the Ashen Glade, and this is Nox," Serian explained, pulling away from Elisa’s crushing hug. "They helped me get here. They are my friends."

Elisa looked Nox up and down, a wide, challenging grin on her face. "A human, huh? You don’t look like much. But you must have some guts to travel with my sister."

Vexia’s gaze was colder, more analytical. She looked at Nox, and he felt her magic wash over him, a gentle but probing scan. Her eyes widened almost imperceptibly as she felt the chaotic void energy churning beneath his skin, and the faint, terrifying echo of the dead god in his core.

"He is... an anomaly," she stated, her voice carefully neutral. She turned to Mela. "And an Ashen Elf. Your people abandoned Lifewoods. You have no place here."

Mela’s hand went to her needles. "I am here as Her Highness’s sworn protector. My place is by her side."

"ENOUGH," Serian’s voice cut through the tension, full of a newfound authority that surprised even Nox. "Vexia, Elisa, these two saved my life, more times than I can count. They are my companions, and they will be treated as honored guests. That is my will."

Vexia and Elisa looked at their younger sister, at the steel in her eyes and the confidence in her stance. This was not the naive little princess who had gotten lost. This was a leader.

Vexia gave a stiff, formal bow. "As you wish, Your Highness. Your word is law."

Elisa just grinned and punched Nox lightly on the shoulder. It was a friendly gesture, but it felt like being hit by a small truck. "Welcome to the family, human. Try not to break anything."