[ Skylord Name: Aegis ]
[ Rank: Baron - (1) ]
[ Island: Aquabyss Domain (SSS+) ]
[ Talents: Sea God's Physique (Divine) ]
[ Skills: Water Manipulation Ultimate (D), Hydro-genesis Ultimate (E) ]
[ Wealth: 25,900 BC (Bronze Coins) ]
[ Followers: 23 ]
--
Aegis picked up the eagle hatchlings and headed to a solitary corner.
The Fruits of Evolution were still in his side bag, glowing green every so often. The siblings, Billy and Milly, felt an instinctive pull toward them, expressing their yearning with pleading looks.
Aegis finally sat down and exhaled a sigh of relief. Noticing the hatchlings' gaze, he couldn't help but let out a faint smile.
"Relax, little ones. I got these for you two only. They aren't going anywhere."
He could have saved them for the Phoenix descendants, but he guessed they wouldn't be very effective since their bloodline was already so pure.
Besides, right now he needed a powerful aerial companion to reach the peak.
He could feel it. His rivals were getting closer.
"Eat up and grow strong!"
With that, he tossed the fruits to them.
The eagles screeched and ate happily; the rich life essence was clearly visible as it slid down into their stomachs.
And then—the very sky rumbled.
Rumble!
Rumble!
Rumble!
Exactly three thunderous lightning strikes cracked through the sky, reverberating even in broad daylight.
The sound was so violent that nearby branches shook, leaves falling like rain.
This was definitely not natural lightning.
It was a sign.
Three beasts were undergoing evolution at the same time.
Billy and Milly screamed sharply as lightning wrapped around their bodies. Their already crimson feathers ignited with a deeper, bloodier red, glowing like melted metal.
The radiance was so intense that Aegis had to raise his arm and shield his eyes.
Even so, he could clearly feel it.
They were changing.
Growing stronger.
Growing bigger.
Their wings expanded outward, stretching wider than Aegis himself. Muscles thickened, bones reshaped, and their silhouettes became far more imposing.
Every flap of their wings distorted the air, creating visible pressure waves.
The Tree of Life hummed softly, as if acknowledging their ascent silently.
Their miraculous transformation continued for five long minutes.
When the light finally faded, Aegis slowly lowered his arm.
What stood before him made his eyes widened slightly.
Two massive eagles about 3 meters tall and half wide, hovered silently in the air, wings fully spread.
Their feathers were a rich, dark crimson, edged with faint black patterns that resembled flowing runes.
Along their wings, lightning residue crackled, then dissipated.
Their eyes glowed with intelligence and dominance.
This was no longer the form of ordinary Blood Eagles.
When a translucent system window appeared before Aegis's eyes, his assumption was confirmed.
[ Target Identified:
[ Species: Sanguine Imperials ]
[ Rank: Baron (D) ]
[ Abilities: Extreme Aerial Speed, Blood Regeneration, Imperial Aura ]
[ Status: Contracted Companion ]
Billy screeched loudly, circling once before landing before Aegis with a heavy thud.
Milly descended more gracefully, folding her wings as she bowed her head slightly toward him.
Aegis stared at them in silence for a moment.
Then he exhaled slowly.
"So this is your evolution…"
On his stoic face, a smile apoeared
With companions like these, the sky was no longer something he needed to fear.
It was something he was about to conquer.
Meanwhile, in another place:
In front of Bella's goddess-like figure, a massive silver dragon with translucent scales and crystallized wings stood with its head lowered.
"Master, I haven't failed you. I have become a Silver Dragon, one of the rarest bloodlines among dragonkind."
"Very good, Ruina. You have made me proud."
Bella's face was full of satisfaction, while her followers' expressions were filled with awe.
"Bella, this is incredible. With Ruina's help, you will be able to soar higher than any other Skylords," Bella's best friend, Carla Suarez, who was now her most trustworthy follower, said, clearly impressed.
"It's inevitable, Carla. But there's one person who has the potential to surpass me," Bella said, her pale eyes looking in the direction of a certain someone.
"Are you talking about Aegis?" Carla pressed on, her golden hair fluttering slightly.
Bella nodded.
"Yes. His talent is incredible. I can't deny that."
Carla smiled mischievously.
"Ohh, has our Ice Goddess finally fallen for someone?"
Bella glared at her.
"That is not what I meant. You should know better."
Carla sighed and leaned against the silver dragon.
"I know. But I don't think Arlan survived—"
Her words froze as Bella's sharp glare bore into her.
Carla swallowed hard, understanding that it was best not to provoke Bella further.
She continued in a strangely melancholic tone:
"Grandpa was right. The past really haunts us sometimes, Bella. I still remember that day. The last time I saw him was two years ago in Vanice. After that humiliating incident, he and his family disappeared from the city overnight."
"I still don't understand why you behaved so harshly back then, and why you're now desperately trying to find him."
Carla looked at her friend's face for answers, but what she saw terrified her.
Bella's pale skin, unblemished cheeks were streaming with tears.
They poured out like an uncontrollable dam. She even hiccupped several times, as if the raw agony was too much for her to bear.
"… Years ago, when I was abroad, do you know how many times I called his name in my dreams? How many times I yearned to see his awkward smile? How many times I wished upon the stars just to see him again?"
"Every moment I spent on that island, far from his presence, was nothing but torture."
"And yet, when I was finally about to meet him… that happened. That thing stole every happiness I owned. I will never forgive it."
Carla felt genuine sympathy. She understood Bella's sadness, the remorse she had hidden behind a cold, emotionless façade.
"What exactly happened?" she asked softly. "What made you act like that, Bella?"
Bella's eyes turned cold once more.
"It was that island…"
What unfolded next belonged to an ancient age, one of the oldest secrets.
A tale of paying a price for overwhelming power.
A tale of sacrifice and loss.