Adonis, Nabi, and Silvy all mounted the back of the Pegasus and departed from the Duke's castle through the sky.
Adonis turned back to see Duke Kingsbane standing on the highest balcony, watching them leave with an unreadable expression.
For a moment, Adonis wondered if the Duke truly cared for him, but the man soon retreated inside heartlessly, as if refusing to acknowledge his departure.
Adonis had lost his parents very early on back on Earth, never having the chance to feel their love fully. So he had hoped to make up for that loss in this life, but it seemed he had hoped for too much. At least he had a mother who would await his return.
Meanwhile, the Pegasus soared across the Brunvalia Duchy. They passed over cities where humans looked like tiny ants, rural landscapes dotted with scattered houses of wood and stone, and deep mountains and forests from which the terrifying howls of beasts echoed.
Adonis spotted several massive, cave-like structures rising straight from the earth. People were lined up to enter these caves with strict discipline and order. Adonis had a feeling he knew what they were.
"Those are Dungeons," Commander Silva confirmed, noticing Adonis's interest. "If you can awaken a combat-type Sword Soul of a high grade, you can join them. But only after you complete your basic education at a Swordmaster's Academy."
He addressed all three of them, as they were all set to undergo their Awakening today.
Silvy joined in excitedly, "I'm definitely becoming a Swordmaster, just like you, Papa!"
Nabi smiled. "Me too, Silvy. We can enroll together in the Royal Academy in the capital. How about that?"
Silvy snorted. "Nabi, I know you're trying to court me, but there's no hope for you. I don't like your face at all."
Commander Silva didn't react; it seemed he had full trust in his daughter to handle the situation.
Nabi, sitting right behind Silvy, looked awkward as his secret was exposed.
"That's not what I meant, Silvy. I just want us to be friends."
"Hmph. We'll see," she snorted as she looked straight ahead.
Adonis, seated at the very back, remained silent. His gaze fixed on the horizon.
After 3 long hours of flight, the Pegasus finally began its descent under the guidance of the Knight Commander.
As the clouds slowly parted, an astonishing sight revealed itself beneath them.
Below, a colossal city of perfect hexagonal design spread across the land like an intricate symbol carved into the very earth. Ancient, towering walls encircled it, their surfaces etched with weathered runes and reinforced by countless checkpoints and watchtowers.
The architecture bore the history of centuries. Every stone seemed to be whispering about the wars it had survived and the faith preserved alongside.
Yet, despite possessing the means to intercept any airborne intruder, the guards stationed along the walls did not dare to halt the approaching Pegasus.
On the opposite, the moment they recognized the radiant white figure cutting through the sky, they stood tall and offered firm, synchronized salutes.
Their respect was evident even from afar.
The Pegasus did not descend directly into the streets below. Instead, it glided past soaring buildings and gothic spires that pierced the heavens, its wings stirring the air like the passage of a living legend. Only when it reached the highest man-made structure at the heart of the city did it slow, landing gracefully upon a vast elevated platform crafted from pale stone and sanctified metal.
As Adonis stepped down, his eyes took in the surroundings with quiet awe.
Priests clad in ceremonial robes moved with solemn dignity, while acolytes stood in disciplined formations at strategic points. Each of their expressions bore vigilance and reverence.
Beneath their feet, sacred runes shimmered faintly, preserving the sanctity and safety of the grounds.
It did not take Adonis long to piece everything together.
This was one of the grand churches of the Fernis Kingdom.
A holy ground revered throughout the Kingdom.
The place where countless young souls arrived with trembling hearts and burning aspirations, all seeking a single destiny.
To walk the path of the Swordmaster.
"Follow me," Commander Silva said, striding forward without hesitation.
Adonis glanced back briefly, only to find that the Pegasus had already vanished, most likely recalled into the sword that had birthed it. The space it once occupied felt strangely empty, as though a fragment of the sky itself had been withdrawn.
He quickened his steps and followed closely behind, his gaze wandering in quiet awe.
It was his first time standing upon such a vast, sprawling platform, one that overlooked the heart of the city like a sovereign balcony. The stone beneath his feet was smooth and ancient, layered with marks of countless ceremonies conducted over generations.
Before long, they arrived at the Ceremonial Plaza.
The open space was immense, bordered by towering pillars carved with sacred runes.
Meanwhile, Commander Silva approached a bald-headed priest clad in layered ceremonial robes and spoke to him in a low voice, gesturing subtly toward the trio.
The priest nodded from time to time, his expression solemn and attentive, before turning and heading toward the altar where the Grand Priest stood, chanting divine sermons that resonated through the plaza.
At the center of the altar hovered a great gray globe, suspended in midair as though held aloft by invisible hands. Its outer layer rippled occasionally, like a placid lake concealing unfathomable depths.
That was the Awakening Globe.
And this thing will decide the fates of hundreds of young men and women.
Both commoners and noble progenies alike waited in long, orderly lines, their faces filled with anticipation, anxiety, and fragile hope.
Each of them would soon step forward, one after another, to face the moment that would define their future.
After all, the Awakening Ceremony was about to begin.
"All right, kids," Commander Silva said as he returned to them. "I have spoken with the Grand Priest. When your turn comes, state your name clearly. He will take special care of you."
None of them knew what that special care entailed, yet none voiced a complaint. In a world governed by strength and lineage, favor was not questioned.
Life, after all, had never been fair.
Adonis remained silent. He was about to join the line behind Nabi and Silvy when a firm grip suddenly caught his collar, halting him in place.
Before he could question the reason, Commander Silva placed a dull gray stone into his palm.
Adonis looked at it with curiosity. It was no larger than a walnut, but its weight felt heavier, entirely out of proportion to its size.
"What is this, Commander?" he asked, lifting his right eye.
"Swallow it before you approach the altar. It is a special Ether Core. It will temporarily expand your Ether reserves. With it, you may awaken a higher-grade Sword Soul. The strain on your body will be severe, but this is your only chance if you truly wish to become a Swordmaster."
He added more,
"Silvy and Nabi will awaken without issue. Your odds, however, are nearly nonexistent."
His tone turned harsh but not unkind.
Adonis clenched the stone so tightly that his knuckles turned pale.
"So you also believe I am inferior to those royal breeds, Commander? You also think a stone can dictate my life?"
His voice turned colder with every word.
"Then, I guess I judged you wrongly, Commander. You also do not understand how everything truly works in this world."
Without hesitation, he flung the stone off the platform, casting it away as though it were worthless trash.
Commander Silva's brows furrowed deeply.
Adonis turned and walked away with his resolute steps and unyielding back.
He left behind only two words, spoken with unwavering conviction:
"WATCH ME"