In Sky City, Leon and Rossweise stood side by side before the Twilight Tower, gazing up at the grand structure that dominated the city's center. Its crystalline spires seemed to pierce the very clouds upon which the city floated.
"How do you plan to probe the Tower Master?" Rossweise asked, her voice low.
"It's simple." Leon lowered his gaze to the grand, ornate entrance of the tower's first floor. "If Dr. Rachel wasn't sent by the Tower Master to lure us here, then she wouldn't know the true purpose of our visit today. Simon will be expecting us to beg for help. We won't."
"So?" Rossweise tilted her head slightly, a knowing glint in her amethyst eyes.
"We'll take it slow. No matter what happens, don't rush. Just observe the Tower Master's reactions," Leon explained, his tone calm yet confident. "If he's truly growing impatient, he'll undoubtedly reveal something in his words or his demeanor. We let him break first."
Rossweise nodded, a subtle smile gracing her lips. "Alright, we'll do it your way."
"And we'll apply some pressure on him," Leon added with a sly grin.
"Pressure? What kind of pressure?"
Leon chuckled softly and turned to Rossweise, flashing her a cryptic smile—the one he reserved for their most clever schemes.
Seeing that smile, Rossweise squinted knowingly. After eight years of marriage, there was no need for words. A single glance, a single expression, was enough to understand each other's thoughts. Especially for a pair of scheming partners like them— it had been far too long since they'd conspired against someone together.
Today, the Tower Master was in for a treat.
Inside the Twilight Tower's Audience Hall
The Tower Master, Simon, had dismissed all attendants and guards, leaving only Leon, Rossweise, and himself in the grand, circular chamber. Sunlight streamed through stained-glass windows depicting ancient dragon legends.
"Prince of the Silver Dragons, Your Highness, please have a seat," Simon said warmly as he approached to greet them, his robes whispering against the polished floor.
Leon and Rossweise exchanged polite pleasantries before sitting down on the plush chairs opposite him.
"This is tea from the Golden Sand Dragon Clan, a specialty of Morgan. Its flavor is rich yet not overwhelming. He gifted me some recently, and I've been saving it for a special occasion. Please, try it," the Tower Master offered, pouring them each a steaming cup of fragrant, amber liquid.
His hospitality seemed genuine, but Leon and Rossweise noted that it bordered on excessive. Simon's eagerness betrayed his anticipation—or perhaps even desperation—for this visit.
"Thank you for the kind hospitality," Leon replied graciously, though neither he nor Rossweise touched their tea. Tea often signified the beginning of negotiations, and they weren't about to jump into Simon's rhythm without first testing the waters.
After a few moments of sipping his own tea, Simon leaned forward slightly and asked, his voice carefully neutral, "So, what brings the two of you to visit today?"
Leon smiled but offered a nonchalant response. "Oh, nothing much. Things have been peaceful lately, and we haven't made any progress on the matter of Ultimate Fear. We thought we'd stop by and pay you a visit—nothing urgent."
Simon was momentarily taken aback, his smile faltering for a fraction of a second before he quickly recovered, laughing heartily. "You honor me with your presence, Your Highness. Sky City and the Twilight Tower are always open to you."
He took another slow, deliberate sip of his tea, his movements measured, as though waiting for Leon and Rossweise to finally break and bring up their real purpose.
But the couple remained silent, exchanging only occasional glances and subtle, affectionate gestures—a brush of hands, a soft smile. They spoke quietly of mundane things, of the children, of the weather, completely ignoring the elephant in the room.
The more Leon and Rossweise ignored the Tower Master's attempts to guide the conversation, the more restless he became. He shifted in his seat, cleared his throat unnecessarily, and his eyes darted between them and the untouched teacups.
The tension grew palpable. Simon's carefully constructed plan to control the narrative was unraveling before his eyes, and Leon knew it.
Minutes passed in heavy silence, broken only by the sound of Simon sipping his tea.
Leon: Sips his own tea finally, a slow, appreciative taste.
"This tea is excellent."
Rossweise: Smiles sweetly at Leon, then at Simon.
"Very much so!"
Simon: Puts down his empty teapot, visibly exasperated, the delicate china clicking a little too loudly on the silver tray.
The scene resembled a game of romantic indifference, where Simon played the role of a hopeful suitor desperately seeking attention, only to be utterly and completely ignored.
Finally, unable to endure the silence any longer, Simon sighed heavily, the sound echoing in the vast hall, and broke the tension he could no longer bear.
"So, Your Highness... you've already realized the truth about Dr. Rachel, haven't you?"
Leon raised an eyebrow, feigning mild surprise. "Indeed. It was a rather transparent gambit."
Simon shook his head and chuckled self-deprecatingly. "I should've known nothing escapes the Silver Prince. Forgive my clumsy machinations. I thought creating a path you would feel compelled to walk would be... smoother."
"My curious nature tends to make me overly suspicious of paths that appear too smoothly laid," Leon replied smoothly, his gaze unwavering.
Simon waved a hand dismissively, conceding the point. "According to Dr. Rachel, Your Highness has been troubled by vivid and persistent nightmares. Is that correct?"
"Yes," Leon confirmed, his voice flat. "They are."
Simon's expression grew serious, all pretense of casual conversation gone. "The fact that these dreams have reached your ears—and that you've come seeking answers—suggests that they may be more than mere dreams. They may be linked to the Ultimate Fear."
The Tower Master's urgency now laid bare implied that Leon's nightmares were of great significance. After all, their entire fragile collaboration revolved around the threat of the Ultimate Fear.
"Are you familiar with the ancient prophecies of the Dragon Priests?" Simon asked, leaning forward intently.
"Prophecies?" Leon glanced at Rossweise, who gave a slight, almost imperceptible shake of her head. They knew of legends, but not this specific one.
"If you've decided to share, Tower Master, spare us the riddles and tell us everything," Leon said firmly, his patience for games clearly at an end. "We are well past the point of cryptic hints."
Simon sighed deeply, acknowledging Leon's unyielding demeanor. "Dealing with you truly is a daunting experience, Your Highness. You see through every veil and break every script. I'll admit, the pressure isn't because you're difficult, but because it's impossible to outmaneuver you."
After a moment of hesitation, he revealed, "There are two truths I've been withholding. One concerns your nightmares and the prophecy of the 'Child of Thunder.'"
He explained that the ancient prophecy, carved on tablets older than Sky City itself, foretold the emergence of the Child of Thunder, a warrior who would sense the arrival of the Ultimate Fear through visions of despair and rise to save the continent of Samuel.
"Your nightmares, Your Highness, may be a glimpse of a possible future, a warning shot across the bow of destiny. But do not mistake them for an inevitable fate. The prophecy assures us that the Child of Thunder will triumph over the Ultimate Fear."
Leon remained impassive. His apparent role as the prophesied savior didn't faze him; he had been shouldering the weight of the world long before a prophecy named it. What concerned him more was why Simon had hidden this critical information.
"Why didn't you tell me about the Child of Thunder earlier?" Leon asked, his voice dangerously calm. "With this knowledge, we could've prepared more effectively. We could have interpreted the signs."
Simon shook his head, a shadow of old pain in his eyes. "In the previous age, we made a catastrophic error. We believed Odin was the prophesied Child of Thunder. We poured all our resources, all our hope, into his training, determined to create the savior who would prevent the Ultimate Fear's return."
"But we failed. The Child of Thunder cannot be manufactured; they must emerge naturally, their power and will their own. Odin nearly lost his life and his sanity under the burden of our expectations, and we swore never to repeat our mistake. Since then, we've waited, trusting that destiny would bring the chosen one to light in their own time."
"So you concealed the prophecy to avoid interfering with fate," Leon summarized, his tone making it clear what he thought of that decision.
Simon nodded solemnly. "To influence the prophecy is to risk breaking it. We dared not."
Leon fell silent, contemplating the heavy implications of Simon's confession. Finally, he asked the pivotal question, "You mentioned two truths. What's the second?"
Simon stood and gestured toward the spiral staircase leading to the tower's summit. "Some truths are better seen than heard. Come with me, Your Highness."
Leon glanced at Rossweise, who gave a single, confident nod. He leaned close and whispered, "I'll be back shortly."
"Take care," she replied, her trust in him absolute.
Following Simon to the tower's peak, Leon gazed out at the breathtaking, panoramic view of Sky City—a magnificent, prosperous metropolis built by and for dragons, floating serenely in the heavens.
Standing at the very edge of the tower, Simon looked out over his life's work, his hands clasped tightly behind his back.
"Now, Tower Master," Leon said, joining him at the precipice. "Tell me the second truth."
Simon turned, his ancient, piercing gaze meeting Leon's, filled with a gravity that seemed to shift the very air around them.
"I've told you where the Primordial Dragon King, the embodiment of Order, slumbers, deep beneath the ruins in the north. But have you ever wondered where its chaotic twin, the very heart of the darkness we call the Ultimate Fear, is sealed?"
Leon's breath caught in his throat as realization dawned, cold and terrifying. He looked out at the vibrant city below, the floating island upon which it was built, then back at Simon, his eyes wide with horrific understanding.
The faint, persistent tremors that sometimes shook the city, unexplained despite its magical foundation, suddenly made a terrible, awful sense.
"Don't tell me..." Leon whispered, the words feeling like ash in his mouth. "It's here?!"
Simon's silence was all the confirmation he needed. The Ultimate Fear was sealed directly beneath them. Sky City wasn't just a city in the sky; it was the lid on a prison.