From the light emerged a being cloaked in a purple radiance, accompanied by the new Rykaru. Both descended toward the onlookers with an almost ethereal grace.
"Rykaru, is that you?" Paltio asked, his eyes wide with astonishment.
"Hi, Daddy," Rykaru replied, scratching the back of his neck shyly. "What do you think? Now I have hands and legs, and I look kind of like you—but smaller."
"Right, Daddy!" Rykaru added with childlike enthusiasm. "Look at my new body. Plus, I'm strong and fast, just like you."
"That's right," Paltio said, smiling proudly as he gazed at the little one. "You're strong—maybe even stronger than me."
"Yeah, and it's all thanks to him!" Rykaru exclaimed, pointing to the glowing purple figure beside him.
"And you are…?" Paltio asked, turning his attention to the mysterious visitor.
At that moment, Lucca stepped forward, bowing slightly as if paying homage to the luminous being. "My dear Lord Serlet," he said, his voice reverent.
"No need for that, young man. I have already told you there's no reason to bow," replied the being named Serlet calmly.
"But I'll always be grateful," Lucca responded, raising his staff. "For the weapon you gave me. Now that I see you, I wish to return your precious gift."
"No, young man. You can keep it. It was a gift from me," Serlet said with a gentle gesture.
"Thank you for helping my little one," Paltio said to Serlet, gratitude emanating from the depths of his heart—the gratitude of a father toward someone who had saved his child. Mok, watching from a corner, thought to himself: It seems Master Paltio is becoming an excellent father. A small laugh escaped his lips.
"Hey! What did I miss?" Lukeandria said, suddenly waking up. When she saw the purple-lit figure standing before her, her expression shifted from confusion to awe.
Everyone was thrilled by the presence of this mystical being, some more than others—especially Lucca, who couldn't stop thanking him. But Golden remained silent, mentally piecing together the loose threads. He studied the figure before him, whose purple light coursed through his armor. Where have I seen that armor before? He wondered.
"Hold on," Golden finally said, breaking the silence. "You're not… my Lord Avocios's brother, are you? You're a guardian, like me."
Serlet heard a voice in the air and furrowed his brow slightly. "Who's speaking?" he murmured. Then, from Paltio's seed, a hologram projection emerged, revealing the figure of Golden.
"Golden," Serlet said, recognizing the hologram. "So it's true to what they say. You were inside a child's seed, weren't you?"
"Exactly," Golden replied without hesitation. "And let me tell you something: you're no divine being or anything like that. You're simply a guardian, just like me. You're Krasper."
"What? Krasper?" everyone exclaimed in unison, their eyes darting between Serlet and Golden's hologram.
"Ah!" said Serlet with a faint smile. "So the rumors were true. How interesting."
"You got that right. Pretending to be a god is the least you could do, you filthy lizard," Golden retorted, his tone laced with both mockery and reproach. "And who told you about my situation?"
"Well, I never pretended to be a god," Krasper responded calmly, brushing off the insult. "I merely saw an opportunity to help living beings. But I was afraid… Avocios said we shouldn't intervene without his permission. However, when I saw the problems unfolding, I didn't hesitate to take this form." He offered a slight smile before continuing, "Then, the inhabitants called me Serlet. It seemed like a fitting name, so I decided to keep it. As for the rest, Silver told me."
At the mention of Silver, Krasper removed his helmet, revealing a striking face. He was a humanoid dragon with elegant features, glowing red eyes like embers, skin of a rich brown hue covered in shimmering scales, and long, lilac-colored hair cascading over his shoulders like a waterfall. His presence was majestic, almost hypnotic, and all those present fell silent as they gazed upon him.
"None of that matters," Golden growled, crossing his arms in clear irritation. "That mangy mutt is going to pay for spreading gossip."
"Don't get angry," Krasper tried to soothe him, raising a hand in a gesture of peace. "Silver was only trying to help."
"Well, so you're one of Avocios' guardians too," Paltio interjected smoothly, skillfully steering the conversation to ease the tension. "What were you doing down there?"
Krasper sighed before answering. "Well, it was rather foolish of me… I fell into a trap. I saw a wounded baby iguana and went down to heal it. I decided to build a sort of shelter for other injured animals. But I let my guard down for a moment, and then it happened: some roots caught me and began draining my power. It seems that Treelion fed on the energy of other beings to grow. That's why it never left this place—it lured anyone who passed by. Those spores and spheres it used suppressed my abilities. There was nothing I could do."
"Fool," Golden spat disdainfully. "How do you let yourself get defeated so easily?"
"Says the guy trapped inside a seed," Krasper shot back with a mischievous grin.
"It's not the same!" Golden protested, crossing his arms even tighter.
"My lord Serlet, no matter what they say," Lucca interjected with devotion, "you will always be our Lord Serlet, the one who helped us against that beast."
"Calm down, young man," Krasper replied with a light laugh. "Just call me what everyone else does: Krasper."
"Krasper," Paltio asked, frowning slightly, "what did you do to Rykaru? Why did he transform into… that thing?"
Krasper tilted his head thoughtfully. "Ah, well, that little Domadoin has an affinity for what I am: a reptile. I saw the possibility that he could evolve. Although Rykaru was already ready, he just needed a little push."
"Wait a minute… Is that Rykaru?" Lukeandria exclaimed, surprised as she woke up and observed the small figure.
"Yes," Rykaru replied with a shy smile, placing a hand on his back.
"A reptile... So, do you know what little Rykaru is?" Paltio asked, looking at Krasper with curiosity.
"Indeed," Krasper responded, his red eyes gleaming mischievously as he grinned slyly. "But I thought that know-it-all had already told you."
"There are things I don't know," Golden retorted, turning away offended by his companion's comment. His tone was sharp, but it was clear the insult had struck a nerve.
Paltio stepped in to ease the tension. "A merchant gave me the egg containing Rykaru. But in truth, it was Avocios who orchestrated everything so it would end up in my hands."
"Ah, I see," Krasper said, nodding slowly. "That's why Avocios once asked me to prepare an egg of this species. They're very rare creatures to find, but extremely valuable if trained and understood."
"Fascinating," Lukeandria commented, interrupting with a spark of curiosity in her eyes. "But really, what is it?"
"Well, as I said, it's a reptilian species," Krasper explained patiently. "But its true potential is something you'll have to discover yourselves."
"That means Rykaru can evolve further, right? Like you told me when I transformed!" Rykaru exclaimed excitedly, hopping up and down. "I can't wait to do it again!"
"If it's possible, little one," Krasper replied with an indulgent smile. "Who knows... I've only ever seen Domadoin your size. They're exclusive creatures that tend to hide in inhospitable places. But that won't happen anytime soon." he added, raising an eyebrow at the child, "You need to eat first."
At that exact moment, Rykaru's stomach growled so loudly that everyone burst into laughter.
They decided to stop for a meal, and as they shared food, Lucca continued to openly adore Krasper without restraint.
"The Domadoin, huh?" Krasper murmured thoughtfully, observing Paltio. "Why did he give it to this boy?"