The grand dinner was over, the echoes of cutlery and conversation replaced by the heavy silence of the night. Within the sprawling palace, every resident had retreated to their chambers, surrendering to the embrace of sleep.
Far from the tranquil walls of the Chenwongo estate, atop the highest, most jagged peak of the Obsidian Range, a lone figure broke the deep, crystalline sheen of the moonlight. A beam of lunar silver caught a black silhouette, seated upon a beast that defied mortal taxonomy. It was a massive, eagle-like creature, its talons gripping the granite.
A single, obsidian horn crowned its head, and its wings, vast and leathery, looked capable of generating storms that could level the distant palace with a single, contemptuous sweep. Its fangs—long, curved blades the size of a mammoth's tusks—dripped with a poison that shimmered faintly in the cold air.
The figure, cloaked in shadows, gazed upon the tiny, glittering cluster of lights that was the Chenwongo estate. A voice, low and resonant, yet utterly devoid of warmth, carried on the mountain wind.
"The time is not yet," the figure whispered, the words a promise of doom. "But when the time comes, this kingdom is to burn down."
With a silent, powerful thrust, the magnificent beast launched itself into the sky. Its massive wings caught the air, and in an instant, the black figure and the eagle-beast vanished over the horizon, leaving the mountain to its silent vigil.
The shift from the mountain's menace to the palace's warmth was abrupt. Morning arrived not with a roar, but with a gentle, persistent glow. The first rays of the sun, filtering through the high, arched window of his room, reflected directly off Jai's eyelids, coaxing him slowly from sleep.
He rose and went to his basin. The water he poured was not from a common pitcher; it flowed cold and clear from the mouth of a blue water artifact—a sculpted sapphire fountain that kept the liquid perpetually chilled. He splashed the icy water onto his face, clearing the last vestiges of sleep and the vague anxiety of the night.
Refreshed, he settled into his usual spot: a high-backed, cushioned chair in the small, ornate balcony attached to his room. The chamber was steeped in a deep, contemplative silence, a quiet cocoon before the day's monumental events.
A soft, hesitant knock broke the stillness.
"Who are you?" Jai asked, his voice still heavy with the morning.
The door opened, and Mable, his mother, entered. She was a vision of graceful severity, clad in a pure white dress, the fabric subtly woven with intricate, shimmering patterns. Her ornaments—bracelets, earrings, and a delicate neck piece—were all made of polished white stone, perfectly matching her attire.
In her hands, she carried a cup, its contents steaming faintly. She placed the coffee cup precisely on the small table directly in front of Jai's chair.
Mable studied her son, her usual vibrancy muted by worry. "Are you nervous, dear? Did you sleep enough? Today is your big day," she asked, her voice deliberately kept low, a ripple of concern beneath the surface.
Jai didn't answer her question directly. Instead, he pointed out her visible exhaustion. "Mom, did you not sleep? There are black spots around your eyes."
Mable offered a tired, strained smile. "Yes, of course, I didn't sleep! How could I? I am worried about my son. Since the day you were born, I haven't been separated from you for a single day. It surprises me, truly, because I thought I had given you birth only yesterday. And now, my baby has grown so big, ready to take on matters that concern the entire world."
Jai reached across the table and patted her hand. He offered his most reassuring smile, though it felt slightly forced. "Mom, don't worry about me. Miss Beatrice gave me the bracelet, remember? If anything happens, I'm going to use that artifact. And I've already made sure to feed myself daily—I know you worry about that." He gently steered her toward the door. "Now, please, leave my room. I have to get ready."
Mable paused, gave him a long, maternal look, and then silently obeyed, closing the door behind her.
Even with the smile he'd given his mother, a profound heaviness settled back into Jai's heart. It was a cold knot of dread—partly the natural fear of the unknown world he was about to step into, and partly the immense pressure of the promise he had given his grandmother, Beatrice. He needed to be strong, to fulfill the legacy of the Chenwongo name.
Shaking off the anxiety, he quickly finished getting ready, pulled his traveling cloak tight, and headed down to the great hall for breakfast.
The dining hall held an atmosphere charged with novelty. Jai was accustomed to his breakfasts being private, or at most, shared only with the immediate family of his mother and grandmother.
Today, however, was different. Seated at the massive, polished table were two people who had not been allowed to grace these halls in years: his uncle, William, and Rena, Beatrice's daughter (and Jai's aunt). They were the family members whose spiritual cores had never fully awakened, leaving them with only baseline magical abilities—not enough to be considered "powerful" by the old, exclusionary standards of the family.
James, who was already at the table, stood up, his face a mask of confusion and indignation. "What is this? Why are outsiders sitting at the Chenwongo table?"
The sheer arrogance of his question hung in the air, instantly drawing a sharp, dangerous glance from Beatrice. The grand matriarch, known for her stoic control, suddenly allowed a wave of her suppressed spiritual pressure to wash over the room. It was not a full release, but enough.
The maids in the hall instantly knelt, heads bowed, trembling under the sudden, crushing weight of her power.
Beatrice spoke, her voice low but laced with a searing anger that cut through the pressure. "My brother," she began, fixing James with a fierce glare, "who put in place that shitty rule that barred the non-powerful from being counted as Chenwongo? That rule ends today."
She rose from her seat, her white dress rustling like a banner of defiance. "Today, as the representative of the Chenwongo family head, I am going to change the rule."
A collective gasp of relief and joy spread through the dining hall. William's parents, his mother and father, rushed to him instantly, embracing their son after years of enforced distance. They sobbed into his shoulder, their voices thick with regret. "Son, we always loved you! But because of this shitty rule, we lost you. We always wanted to meet you, but that rule made us fear even the thought of it."
William, overwhelmed, was soon caught up in the tears as well. "Thank you, Mom and Dad," he choked out. "I thought I was going to die alone, separated from my own family forever." He pulled back, his eyes shining with energy. "And thank you, Miss Beatrice, for ending this dreadful rule!"
Seeing the genuine happiness of his family—the tears of relief, the heartfelt embraces—erased the last of the heaviness in Jai's own heart. He smiled fully, genuinely happy for the reunion.
The joy of the morning gave way to the practicalities of the journey. Jai and James gathered their things, their final preparations complete. At the grand, marble-pillared entrance of the palace, their parents waited to see them off.
Mable and Edward handed Jai a pouch containing one lakh Zuo (a considerable sum, given that 1 Zuo equals 10 dollars). Then, James's parents matched the gesture, handing their son an even larger amount: one million Zuo.
Mable then pulled Jai aside, her tone turning grave. "Jai, after your awakening of the Emperor Dominatrix powers, every sect, kingdom, and organization in the world will want to find you. They will either try to kill you to prevent a future threat or co-opt you for their own gain. You must disguise yourself."
She looked at James. "James, you too. You cannot travel as the second prince of Chenwongo."
Both cousins immediately accepted the necessity of the disguise. Mable reached into a small pocket and retrieved two items—two perfectly smooth, deep veridian green stones.
"These are Tier 7 Disguise Artifacts—the Veridian Chrysalis," she explained, handing one to each boy. "They will project an illusion over your appearance, making you utterly forgettable. But listen carefully: do not run into any people stronger than Tier 7. Their spiritual perception will be too strong; they will see right through the illusion."
Jai and James nodded, pocketing the artifacts.They activated the artifact through use their core. they activate it because. His mom already awaken the artifact so Jai and james can activate it through their tier 10 cores.
Jai, ever the planner, immediately adopted his new persona: Arthur Berny, a teacher of Elemental Magic had silver hair with brown hair wears a brown coat with white shirt and silver pant with black shoes.
James chose to be Clement Berny, Arthur's younger brother, a travelling carpenter he had brown hair with brown eyes wears a white shirt and black pant with brown shoes.
With their final goodbyes exchanged—promises to return safely, last-minute worries about food and rest—the boys activated the Chrysalis artifacts. A faint, cool-white light washed over them, and in an instant, the two recognizable princes of Chenwongo were replaced by two nondescript young men in traveling clothes.
They left the palace, their true selves masked, and walked into the capital city.
The initial destination was the Dwarf Kingdom.
"If we're going to the Dwarf Kingdom, we have to travel east," Jai, now Arthur Berny, stated as they walked through the bustling streets. "That means we have to pass through the Whispering Jungle, a place filled with dangerous creatures."
Before facing the wilds, they made a detour, ducking into a cluttered, pungent artifact shop.
"Do you have any artifact that can detect any creatures around us?" Jai asked the wizened shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper, his eyes bright with avarice, reached under the counter. "Yes! We have just the thing." He produced a silver-colored stone shaped like a beetle and placed it in Jai's hand.
Jai's eyes widened slightly. "I know this artifact," he said, holding the object up to the light. "This is a Tier 10 Noise Specter. It can let us hear the footsteps of any enemy or creature within one kilometer."
Impressed with its utility, Jai entered into a spirited round of bargaining, knowing that in this world, the power of an artifact directly dictates its exorbitant price. After a sharp back-and-forth, he purchased the valuable Noise Specter for a steal: 300 Zuo.
Meanwhile, James approached the counter. "Do you have any artifact that can advance Space Elemental powers?" he asked.
The shopkeeper shook his head sadly. "Sorry, sir, we don't have any Space artifacts in stock. If you want, we have a very fine Ice artifact."
James rejected the offer immediately, and they left the shop.
"Why didn't you ask him about your air elemental advance artifacts?" Jai asked as they walked down the street.
James adjusted his carpenter's pack. "I want to advance the space element first," he replied. "If I can advance the Space element to the next tier, it will speed up my affinity and mastery of all my other elements."
It was a core principle of cultivation for those with multiple elemental affinities: if a person awakens more than one element, they must advance all their elements to the same tier simultaneously. This ensures their core and body can handle the advanced tier's energy influx without becoming unstable. By focusing on his rarest and most difficult element, Space, James hoped to pull the others along faster.
Their conversation lapsed as they approached the towering, dense canopy that marked the boundary of the Whispering Jungle. The air immediately became heavier, cooler, and filled with the distant, unsettling sounds of the wild.
Jai slipped the Noise Specter into an inner pocket and looked at the wall of trees ahead. He and James exchanged a silent nod.
Taking a deep breath, they stepped together across the forest line.
The new journey starts now. Will the boys, stripped of their titles and facing a hostile world, become the strongest, or will the darkness waiting in the jungles and in the shadows of the world consume them?